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What is a World Café? When should I use this method? The World Café method is designed to create a safe, welcoming environment in which to intentionally connect multiple ideas and perspectives on a topic by engaging participants in several rounds of small-group conversation.
The World Café1 is a simple yet sophisticated method for holding meaningful conversations around important questions in large group meetings. An excellent tool to encourage participant interaction, the World Café can foster deeper engagement with complex or challenging issues.
Drawing on seven integrated design principles, the World Café methodology is a simple, effective, and flexible format for hosting large group dialogue. Each element of the method has a specific purpose and corresponds to one or more of the design principles.
This guide will help you understand if the world café is appropriate for your situation and will walk you through the set up and steps of the process. View the System Tools Matrix to help determine when world café is the right method. Gain insights through structured, collaborative discussion.
World Café conversations are based on the principles and format developed by the World Café, a global movement to support conversations that matter in corporate, government, and community settings around the world.
World Café is an effective and flexible format for hosting an event that facilitates large group dialogue. It is useful as a starting point for engagement as it gives an idea of what issues need to be explored further or more in-depth. The event takes place either in an actual cafe or a room set up to look like one.
Additional key publications (including Café to Go, The Art of Powerful Questions, and The World Café Resource Guide – in English and translation) can be found in the World Café Store and our free Hosting Tool Kit.
