Facilitating with Constraints
Facilitating with Constraints is a method that uses defined boundaries to spark creativity and focus in problem-solving. It is particularly useful when dealing with complex issues like budget planning, meeting design, or spatial arrangements.
How to run it
- 1
Identify the key constraint relevant to your problem, such as budget, time, or space, and represent it visually on a large sheet of paper.
- 2
Create 'game pieces' that represent the various components or ideas at the same scale as your boundary constraint.
- 3
Assemble a group of stakeholders and explore different configurations of these components within the defined boundary.
- 4
Discuss the merits, trade-offs, and options of each configuration, documenting and photographing each iteration.
- 5
Optionally, further analyze relationships between components to refine the solution.
Tips
Encourage participants to explore multiple configurations without the pressure of finding a perfect solution immediately.
Use visual aids to make constraints tangible, which helps in understanding the scope and impact of each decision.
Variations
This method can be adapted for virtual environments using digital tools to simulate the constraints and components. Alternatively, it can be scaled down for smaller groups by reducing the complexity of the problem addressed.
Where it fits
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Gamestorming.