Participatory Methods

This methodology was designed by Yorck von Korff, founder of flow-ing, and integrates three fundamental components of facilitation: a person-centered approach, a systemic understanding of the situation, and methods tailored to the situation. The three components interact synergistically, as illustrated in the diagram below.

This approach allows to integrate a wide range of traditional facilitation methods, such as icebreakers, Open Space Technology, World Café, mind mapping, brainstorming, and many more. Yorck has meticulously outlined them in his book on the threefold approach to facilitation. The key advantage of this approach lies in its flexibility, allowing the selection of the most suitable intervention for a specific situation.

This approach forms the basis for all of flow-ing’s interventions and the other methods, described hereafter, can easily be integrated.

A dialogue platform serves as a safe space where stakeholders of a territory can gather continuously, for example, within the framework of territorial dialogue, in order to share information, express opinions, and collaborate. The primary objective of such a forum is to promote open communication and active participation from all involved stakeholders. This aims to ensure fair representation of diverse viewpoints, encourage transparency, and gather a wide range of perspectives on a given issue or question. In the long term, this approach helps manage conflict situations by seeking ad hoc solutions as needed, without necessarily aiming to resolve the conflict.

A specific example of this approach is the Franco-German Lynx Parliament, accompanied by flow-ing and Kompass 21. This Parliament, established in 2016 as part of the lynx reintroduction program in the Palatinate region (Germany), aims to create a space for open exchange on the topic of lynx. It facilitates the flow of information regarding the reintroduced lynx and seeks to better understand the specific needs of different stakeholders regarding the presence of this carnivore. The ultimate goal is to achieve better acceptance of the lynx by all involved stakeholders.

We employ approaches based on Friedrich Glasl's methodology to address territorial and team conflicts. The inherent benefits of this approach include a thorough analysis of conflict dynamics, holistic interventions that consider the entire context, promotion of open communication, and consideration of emotional aspects. Concrete examples of applying these methods include using Glasl's famous escalation scale to determine appropriate interventions, working on negative images of the other between subgroups, and exloring the perspective of the other.

In order to optimize our interventions, we combine these methods, when appropriate, with other approaches such as dialogue platforms, systemic constellations, or wisdom councils. Here is an example of an intervention for an association in Switzerland:

We initiated the process by conducting preliminary interviews with six team members and administering a questionnaire to the entire group. This phase allowed us to better understand the situation and design our interventions for a three-day workshop, named 'Pow-Wow,' which took place in a chalet with the participation of around 20 team members. During this workshop, tensions were eased, paving the way for a final day dedicated to future planning, marked by renewed enthusiasm. Below, you will find three (representative) comments from evaluations collected anonymously at the end of the event (translated from French):

"I am absolutely delighted with what Yorck has offered us. I am touched by his humility, inspired by the quality of his presence, admiring of the thoroughness of his preparation and his facilitation skills."
"I celebrate what these three days with Yorck have allowed for our team: revitalization, expression of the unspoken, resolution of critical situations, and realization of how, to be effective in our meetings, we need to designate a facilitator."
"An important step for our team, eagerly awaited, to dedicate the necessary time and financial resources to address conflicts beyond our usual habits and capabilities. This brings clarity for moving forward."

Classical mediation relies on the intervention of a neutral (with respect to content) and at the same time multi-partial (with respect to support) mediator, whose role is to facilitate communication between conflicting parties. Unlike an arbitrator, who makes binding decisions, the mediator does not impose a solution but rather encourages the parties to jointly develop mutually acceptable agreements. By creating a safe space conducive to free expression, the mediator enables parties to explore resolution options and, if desired, reach an agreement. Our approach is inspired by the work of Folger and Bush, known as "transformative mediation," which aims to promote mutual understanding and responsiveness to the specific needs and concerns of the parties. Additionally, we are also able to intervene as a "shuttle mediator" when parties prefer not to meet directly.

We have used this approach, for example, in an intervention in Morocco involving a local tribe, a municipality, and a state institution focusing on land issues.

A Citizen Council represents a specific form of participatory democracy. There is a variant that we have termed "Participatory Council." Participatory democracy represents a governance model in which citizens play an active role in the political decision-making process and in the formulation of public policies.

To create a citizen council, a sample of citizens is randomly selected to deliberate on a theme provided by the legal decision-maker, such as parliament or the municipal council. The citizens then formulate detailed recommendations for the decision-makers, who commit to considering these recommendations in their decision-making processes.

In the variant of the participatory council, randomly selected citizens work alongside associations and elected officials. A concrete example of this process is illustrated by the participatory council in Saint-Vincent-de-Barbeyrargues (Southern France). Flow-ing accompanied the municipality in this process.

This participatory council consisted of randomly selected citizens, as well as volunteers, municipal councilors, and representatives from associations. The 30 members collaborated to make their municipality "livelier and more cohesive." The participatory council then proposed concrete changes, such as removing parking lots for cars from the central square, creating a market hall, and improving playgrounds. The proposals were deliberated upon by the municipal council.

The Wisdom Council is a facilitation concept designed by Jim Rough for group choice-making, focusing on harnessing the creativity of a community or organization. The Wisdom Council consists of a small group randomly selected to represent diverse perspectives. Through facilitated discussions in a safe and open environment, members exchange on a specific question or challenge facing the community. The goal is to generate innovative solutions and deeper understanding. Compared to citizens' councils, Wisdom Councils operate with smaller groups, typically consisting of 12 to 16 participants. Unlike citizens' councils, members of Wisdom Councils do not present formal proposals to decision-makers but instead express their choices regarding a given theme. These choices are then communicated, leaving it to the decision-maker to determine if and how to integrate these perspectives.

Wisdom Councils adopt a particular approach to facilitation called dynamic facilitation, which fosters the emergence of group creativity, even when viewpoints are highly divergent.

In 2023, flow-ing was approached by INRAE to implement four Wisdom Councils within the institution, focusing on the theme of genome editing. The National Institute for Agricultural Research, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a French public institution dedicated to research in the fields of agriculture, food, and the environment.

Dynamic Facilitation is a powerful approach for problem-solving as well as for fostering dialogue on challenging issues. This work originated in an industrial environment, helping production teams find creative solutions to practical and logistical problems they faced. Today, Dynamic Facilitation is used in a wide variety of contexts: team exchanges, multi-stakeholder meetings, but also Wisdom Councils (a randomly selected group of citizens addressing questions from a community).

The approach was designed to help groups apply creativity to practical questions, including those in which people are highly invested or emotionally charged. One of the characteristics of this approach is the ease of follow-through that accompanies decisions that emerge in this way. Implementation is rarely an issue, given the high energy and commitment that accompany the group's shared discoveries. More details on this approach can be found here.

The World Café is a facilitation method designed to foster open and creative conversation, aimed at addressing complex issues or generating new ideas within groups. It involves participants rotating through a series of small, intimate tables, each hosted by a facilitator who encourages dialogue around a specific question or topic. After a set period, participants move to a new table, bringing insights and ideas from previous conversations, thereby cross-pollinating perspectives. This process continues for several rounds, culminating in a large-group sharing session where the collective wisdom and key themes that emerged are discussed. The informal, café-like setting encourages relaxed and thoughtful interactions, making it effective for building collective intelligence and collaborative solutions.

Open Space Technology (OST) is a facilitation method used to enable diverse groups to address complex issues, solve problems, or innovate collaboratively. It begins with a large group gathering where participants create the agenda themselves by proposing topics they are passionate about. These topics are then scheduled into breakout sessions. During the sessions, participants are free to move between discussions, following the "law of two feet," which encourages them to stay engaged in conversations where they can contribute and learn the most. This self-organizing approach ensures that the most relevant and pressing issues are addressed by those most invested in them. OST is particularly effective in harnessing collective creativity and fostering a sense of ownership and commitment among participants.

"Future Search" is a method of strategic planning and large group facilitation developed by Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff. This method brings together various stakeholders, often between 60 and 80, in a multi-day event. The primary goal of Future Search is to enable participants to collectively identify shared values, establish a common vision for the future, and develop concrete action plans. The process includes a series of structured dialogues, small group activities, and plenary sessions that encourage participants to explore their past, present, and desired future. Emphasis is placed on discovering common ground and creating a shared understanding, which fosters collaboration and participant engagement. Future Search is particularly effective for addressing complex issues that require a broad and inclusive approach to decision-making and strategic planning.

Currently, flow-ing plans to use Future Search in various fields.

Developed by Myrna Lewis in an organizational context, this holistic and innovative approach to facilitation provides guiding principles for successfully orchestrating team meetings and for resolving conflicts, if necessary. It includes these 5 steps or elements:

Gather all viewpoints (even those opposed to yours)
Actively seek alternative voices ("Does anyone think something completely different?")
Amplify the alternative but likely minority view ("Who shares this opinion?")
Incorporate the wisdom of the minority into the majority decision ("What do you need to support the majority decision?")
Dive into the unconscious with the "argument" approach (in case of the group "going in circles")

We incorporate elements of Deep Democracy into our various interventions. More details on this approach can be found here.

Case clinics are a collaborative approach to learning, professional and individual development in which a group of peers engages in a mutual process of exchange and problem-solving. Participants share their experiences, skills, and professional challenges, and work together to identify solutions. This process is based on the principle of collective intelligence, where everyone contributes to enriching others through the sharing of knowledge and perspectives. Our case clinic sessions are structured around real cases brought by group members, thus offering practical and personalized learning opportunities. Case clinics promote skills enhancement, professional networking, and the creation of a dynamic learning community stimulating both individual and collective growth. flow-ing uses case clinics in its training programs.

Les constellations systémiques, développées par l’Institut Syst, sont un outil permettant d'apporter une clarté accrue dans des situations complexes et de trouver des interventions pertinentes dans les processus participatifs. Agissant comme un "langage holistique", les constellations englobent l'ensemble de la personne : le corps, la conscience, la cognition, les sentiments et la volonté. Ce langage nous offre une vision approfondie lorsqu'il s'agit de prendre des décisions délicates. Ainsi, les constellations se révèlent être un instrument puissant pour accompagner le changement, que ce soit au niveau individuel, pour autrui, ou au sein d'équipes. Elles facilitent le déblocage de projets, donnent un nouvel élan dans des situations complexes, et permettent d'identifier plus clairement les options d'action.

Systemic constellations, developed by the Syst Institute, are a tool for bringing increased clarity to complex situations and finding relevant interventions in participatory processes. Acting as a "holistic language," constellations encompass the whole person: the body, consciousness, cognition, feelings, and will. This language provides us with profound insights when it comes to making delicate decisions. Thus, constellations prove to be a powerful instrument for supporting change, whether at the individual level, for others, or within teams. They facilitate unlocking projects, provide new momentum in complex situations, and allow for a clearer identification of action options.

Yorck uses systemic constellations not only to address cases brought by individuals but also to help teams overcome their conflicts. He has established a community of practice for systemic constellations that meets regularly in Montpellier (France).

Participatory Methods

Threefold Approach to Facilitation

Dialogue Platform

Structured Methods for Conflict Management

Classical Mediation

Citizen Council and Participatory Council

Wisdom Council

Dynamic Facilitation

World Café

Open Space Technology

Future Search

Deep Democracy

Case Clinics

Systemic Constellations

Remote Work