Manual for Course Participants

A Course Offered by:

Center for Local Governance – SOPREX/MSU-IIT
With assistance from the GOVERNANCE & LOCAL DEMOCRACY (GOLD)
PROJECT of the Associates In Rural Development Inc.

A Course Reference used in SCD109-TOP & Basic Facilitation for

the Degree BS in Sustainable Community Development, MSU-Main Campus, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Philippines
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgement

Preface

Introduction
PLANNING METHOD
The DISCUSSION (ORID) METHOD
Practice Designing Your ACTION PLANNING
Introduction to the DISCUSSION METHOD
DISCUSSION METHOD Overview SESSION
DISCUSSION METHOD Flow Some Practical Applicants
Some Practical Pointers for the DISCUSSION
Appendices
METHOD
Practice Designing Your DISCUSSION Role of Facilitator
Some Practical Applicants Facilitator Style
STEPS for Creating a Participatory Environment
Managing Your Space and Logistics
The WORKSHOP METHOD
Introduction to the WORKSHOP METHOD Provide Us with YOUR FEEDBACK!
The WORKSHOP METHOD Overview Sign-up for Advanced Methods Cours
WORKSHOP METHOD Flow
Some Practical Pointers for the WORKSHOP
METHOD
Practice Designing Your WORKSHOP
Some Practical Applicants

The ACTION PLANNING METHOD

Introduction to the ACTION PLANNING METHOD
The ACTION PLANNING METHOD Overview
The ACTION PLANNING METHOD Flow
Some Practical Pointers for the ACTION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The methods manualized herein have been adopted, with permission, from the Institute of Cultural Affairs’ Technology of
Participation (ToP) Group Facilitation Methods manual (1994) to respond to the specific needs of Philippine Local
governance process.

At the start-up phase of the Governance and Local Democracy (GOLD) Project, ARD Participation Consultant, Gary
Forbes, utilizing methods pioneered by ICA worked with the project to design and facilitate GOLD Project Planning
Workshops in all local government units participating in the project. During these workshops, Technology of Participation
(ToP) methodologies were employed with immense success.

The application and localization of these methodologies within the GOLD Project has and continues to generate
experiences and practical insights which likewise forms an integral feature of this Manual.

This Technology of Participation Basic Group Facilitation Methods manual was made possible through support provided by
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of Contract No. 492-0741-c-00-5089-00
FOR THE Governance and Local Democracy (GOLD) Project. The methods manualized herein are methodologies used for
strengthening public participation in local governance activities and processes and do not necessarily reflect the views of
USAID.
PREFACE
The Local Government Code of 1991 actualized the Filipino people’s commitment to the democratic governance and
sustainable development. As an enabling instrument, that landmark legislation opened immense opportunities for local
development initiatives and for greater community participation in governance. In the year since its implementation,
communities and their local governments have responded with unsurpassed enthusiasm and creativity, resulting in
remarkable gains. But further potentials remain great.

The Governance and Local Democracy (GOLD) project, a technical assistance program to the Government of the Republic
of the Philippines from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is designed to demonstrate that
through a decentralized system of governance, local communities can accelerate the development process and improve
government performance in the delivery of services. Consistent with the tenets of local autonomy, the GOLD project hopes
to achieve this through a strategy of assisted self-reliance and the provision of technical support and assistance on a
demand driven basis.

GOLD Project activities fall under the five categories of (1) Strengthening Participatory Mechanism; (2) Local Government
Action Areas of Revenue Mobilization and Management, Development Investment Prioritization and Promotion, and
Environment Planning and Management; (3) Support for leagues of Local Government Units and non-government
Organization (NGO) networks; (4) Policy Support; and (5) Institutionalizing Communication, Replication and Feedback
Systems. The project extends technical assistance and support to participating local governments towards enhancing
participatory decision-making processes, identifying and improving performance in governmental operations, strengthening
supportive organizational linkages at the local community and national levels; and addressing policy roadblocks that
constrain local governance and development.

The GOLD Project is currently being implemented in the provinces of BOHOl, Bulacan, Capiz, Cotabato, Lanao del Norte,
Negros Oriental, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan and Sarangani, and the cities of General Santos and Naga. It is on the basis of
the actual GOLD Project experiences in these local governments to date, and in support of their future initiatives, that this
manual has been put together.

This shall be the first in a series of manuals that shall be generated under the GOLD Project. Subsequent Manuals shall
capture the various designs that have been generated for the different technical assistance areas enumerated above.
Through this effort, it is hoped that other local government units benefit from the initiatives of the GOLD Project local
governments, and match, if not altogether exceed, the gains that they have made to date.
Kenneth H Ellison, Ph.D.
Chief of Party, Governance and Local Democracy Project
Associates in Rural Development, Inc.
January 1997
Manila, Philippines
INTRODUCTION
This manual on BASIC GROUP FACILITATION METHODS intends to provide its users with practical tools for enabling
highly energized, productive and meaningful participation in processes required for truly proactive and responsive local
governance. The enactment of Local Government Code of 1991 has mandated greater public participation in the key
decision-making processes of local governance. Not only is this consistent with the principle of bringing government closer
to the people it is mandated to serve, it is also a recognition of the reality that ‘governance’ is and can no longer be
considered the sole responsibility of the formal structure of the government.

Dynamic and responsive governance invariably relies on how well government is able to inspire, harness and sustain a firm
and shared stakeholdership in local governance and development across as many sectors of the local community as
possible. Popular participation allows a local government to be truly responsive to changes in the prevailing situation and
innovate in the manner that is required for it to carry out its mandate to deliver basic services. Popular participation helps to
generate a common framework for decision-making, communicating, and problem solving. But more importantly, it also
enables broader levels of commitment to and harnesses a greater ability for implementing the decision collectively arrived
at. Popular participation, thus, is an effective way of encouraging and developing initiative and responsibility for local
governance and development – both within and without the structures of government.

For popular participation to work, however, effective methods are needed. Without the methods, ‘participation’ can simply
slide into a situation where anyone and everyone can say and do whatever they feel is appropriate – and this oftentimes
means that nothing is accomplished, nothing is achieved besides wasting precious time and energies. Effective methods
can make it possible for participation to happen as a creative, productive and even empowering experience.
Harnessing Participation is Leadership

When a local government unit takes on more participatory approaches to carrying out its task and functions, it does not
necessarily mean that it is giving up or passing on the responsibility for the mandate of delivering basic services to its
constituents. In fact, the opposite is true: the local government unit is simply looking for a better articulation of the problem,
more focused plans to respond to these problems, and even more innovative ways of implementing these plans. In other
words, by drawing in broader participation of communities in local governance processes, and by mobilizing and guiding
groups to collectively enable address certain problems, situations, and issues, a local government unit helps enable
communities to address and even improve the situation in which they find themselves. Facilitating effective participation in
group processes, therefore, is also exercising effective leadership.

This is perhaps better appreciated if we are to compare the more traditional conceptions of ‘hierarchal’ leadership as
against more dynamic and empowering approaches of ‘facilitative’ leadership. These two approaches can be contrasted in
terms of what the LEADER assumes, knows, seeks and relies on.

The traditional concept of ‘leadership’ is oriented to and limited by the hierarchical structures of groups and organizations –
the leader is on top of the pyramid enjoying some form or the other of ‘final authority’. The leader knows what to do and will
always seek the right decision. As such, hierarchical leadership relies largely on individual ability – that of the leader. In the
context of a local government unit, this ‘final authority’ rests with the local chief executive. Unfortunately, it is precisely this
individual-centric leadership approach that causes many local governments to become slow and sluggish, unimaginative
and, worse, unresponsive.

On the other hand, the facilitative approach to leadership, while sensitizes to hierarchical structures of groups and
organizations, seeks ways of going beyond the limits set by these structures and helps to bring out the best of individual
and group strengths. The leader as facilitator will always assume that there are many and diverse perspectives to a
situation, problem, or issue. The facilitative leader will know how to get the group to decide on the best way of addressing
the situation and will always seek the decision that is owned by all members of the group or organization. Because this is
the case, the leader as facilitator will rely on the ability of the entire group or organization to effect the changes. In the
context of a local government unit, final responsibility will still rest with the local chief executive. But this responsibility is
anchored on the collective stakeholdership in decisions and outcomes that the facilitative approach helps to engender.

Foundational Values Behind Facilitative Leadership

Facilitative leadership is founded on six distinct yet interrelated values.

The first is PARTICIPATION. Facilitative leadership recognizes that each member of the group has something important to
contribute. It is almost like each member holds a piece of jigsaw puzzle – without which the puzzle cannot be complete.
Facilitative leadership therefore invites and sustains the participation of all members of the group in the process.

Next is TEAMWORK. Facilitative leadership begins with the assumption that team effort is required to get a task done in
the most effective, efficient and economical way. At the same time, group processes works well to help create an even
deeper sense of spirit de corps among the members of the group.

A third is CREATIVITY. Facilitative leadership brings out the best of both rational and intuitive thinking capacities of the
group. Individual group members are encouraged to think with their hearts and feel with their heads – towards addressing
and improving their situation.

Fourth is CONSENSUS. Facilitative leadership encourages the creative participation of each member of the group towards
discerning what the parameters of consensus are. The bias of facilitative leadership is arriving at decision that are owned
by all members of the group for it is in consensus that the group harnesses the ability to act its decisions.

The fifth is REFLECTION. Facilitative leadership is all about assisting a group to come to decisions that need to be acted
upon. But the group also needs the time to reflect on the decisions that have been arrived at, to confirm its resolve and to
fully appreciate the value and importance of collective action.

Finally, there is the bias for ACTION. Facilitative leadership is not only about arriving at decisions. Equally important is the
bias for action. Thus, facilitative leadership always positions the group to want to take concrete action on the decisions that
have been arrived at.

Given these fundamental values, facilitative leadership requires the mastery of the skill and art of facilitating group
processes. And facilitating group processes is all about allowing groups to come together and work with each other towards
particular ends and purposes. And to those of us who facilitate group processes, there are a few points well worth keeping
in mind.
Facilitation is not training. When we work with groups as trainers, we bring in
information that shared with the group. In contrast, when we work with groups as
facilitators, we bring the tools and techniques that allows the members of the group
to share their expertise and insights and collectively arrive at decisions they can
uphold and implement.

Facilitation is not a new buzzword for simply asking questions; generating

individual answers, or even assigning small group work. Facilitation is
methodically structuring interaction between and among members of a group.
So the group output is one that is clearly a product of the joint efforts of the
group, and therefore one that the group can take initiative on and
responsibility for.

Finally, facilitation is not a magic bag of tricks, gimmicks and surprises that can be
pulled on a group. Bringing a group together to collectively address a situation,
problem or an issue means that it is the group that it is the group that must and will
work towards the solutions. Facilitation, then, is all about enabling and assisting the
group to do just that –work towards a resolution of the issue at hand. Again, almost
paradoxically, facilitation requires that you lead the group – but always in a servant-
role capacity. The methods employed may be fun and enjoyable – but these are
not tricks and gimmicks.

Facilitation is not getting lost in a ‘whirlwind’ of ideas. Releasing the individual

and collective energies of a group can be dangerous especially if the facilitator
gets sucked into the ‘whirlwind’ of these energies. Facilitation is all about
directing these energies into a productive exchange so that the practical and
doable resolutions are arrived at by the group.

Facilitation is not a ‘breeze’ – it does not come easy. Inviting broad participation in
group processes comes with the risk of creating unnecessary frustrations,
especially where expectations are not met. Facilitation therefore requires a deep
appreciation and understanding that it is with clear structures, guidelines and
methods that participation works. Almost paradoxically, facilitation is all about
allowing creativity and innovation to surface as group consensus within the bounds
of participatory methods and processes and the limitations of the framework of
formal structures of groups and organizations.
The Basic Methods

This manual provides its users with three basic methods for facilitating group processes. These methods have been tested
and refined in a variety of settings, and applied to a variety of purposes.

The first of these is the DISCUSSION METHOD. This method is a method of facilitating group conversation and
discussions which allows a group to deepen its insights and creativity on a common topic or experience. It allows the
members of the group to share the many and diverse perspectives in a non-confrontational manner. And it also reveals the
bounds of consensus the group is willing to draw.

The second method is the WORKSHOP METHOD. This method is a way of facilitating a group’s thinking about a particular
topic into focused decisions and action. It is an effective way of building group consensus and moving it to joint resolve and
action.

The last method detailed in this manual is the ACTIION PLANNING METHOD. This method, which combines both the
Discussion and Workshop Methods, is an effective structure for moving a group from a good idea to a concrete plan of
action within specific time periods and with specifically outlined assignments and responsibilities.

These methods may be applied to an infinite number of situations and purposes. Creatively combined and even adapted,
these methods can serve as powerful tools for both satisfying and empowering group experiences.

THE DISCUSSIONS (ORID) METHOD

Have you ever been in a conversation where it was difficult to determine where the discussion was leading to? or where
someone has dominated the discussion to the exclusion of everyone else? or even where people just go on talking and fail
to really communicate? And we can all identify with the experience of sitting at meetings at which we could not tell for
certain what decisions had been made, or how and why certain decisions had been arrived at. In all these situations, what
has been lacking is a proper structure to the discussion.

The DISCUSSION METHOD provides us with a structure for effective communication in groups that
• Allows all the group members to contribute and participate
• Provides the setting for focused and meaningful dialogue to take place
• Invites a variety of perspectives on the topic in a non-confrontational manner
• Deepens the collective insights of the group
• Results in clear ideas and conclusions
• Takes the group to decisions on clear courses of action and resolve

The DISCUSISON METHOS proceeds from an appreciation of the way the mind functions. The natural thinking process
always begins with sensory stimuli all the way to action. When we wake up in the morning, it is probably because sunlight
has come through the windows of our room. We will probably resist the brightness of the early morning sun because we
feel that we would rather sleep a little bit more. But then we think that there is a lot of work waiting to get completed during
the day, so rather sluggishly at first, we force our way out of bed and begin to get ready for the long day ahead.

This natural thinking process that progress from sensory stimuli to action may likewise be applied to group processes. A
common sensory stimulus may be a topic, an issue, or an event that a group has commonly experienced, or needs to
address. To facilitate united group action and firm resolve, we may want to structure our dialogue in a manner suggested
by the insights on the natural thinking process. This is precisely what the DISCUSSION METHOD helps us to accomplish.

The DISCUSSION METHOD is a series of questions that guides the group on its journey of dialogue. These questions take
the group through four levels of awareness: Objectives, Reflective, Interpretative, and Decisional; (ORID) for short. The
structure allows the group to journey from surface discussion to depth of meaning and insight. The DISCUSSION (ORID)
METHOD:
• Direct the thinking of the group
• Makes use of a specific sequence of questions
• Proceeds from the easiest (objective) to most difficult (decisional) questions
• Allows for a careful progression in collective consciousness to take place
• Is adoptable to any situation and group

By structuring the group discussion, a group is afforded the chance to explore the significance of a topic, an issue or a
common experience within even a limited period of time. The DISCUSSION METHOD helps the group put the topic
discussion into perspective and then assist the group to respond to it creatively. This is because the group is allowed to
share and clarify data and ideas at a level of depth that is not only satisfying but also lends well to enabling profound unity
within the group. Best of all, the DISCUSSION METHOD allows for all group members to initiate and take part in the
productive process of genuine dialogue.

The DISCUSSION METHOD can thus become the basis for

• Collecting data and wide range of perspective and ideas
• Discussing difficult issues
• Reflecting on important events and experiences
• Achieving greater understanding of issues and problems
• Deciding on what courses of action the group can take

Discussion (ORID) Method Overview

Objective Level
Establish the FACTS and DATA
Questions appeal to the SENSES: see, hear, smell, taste, and touch

Reflective Level
Explores initial REACTION TO THE DATA
Questions appeal to the HEART: emotions, memories, and associations

Interpretative Level
Ask for CRITICAL THINKING on the experience/issue
Questions appeal to the HEAD: meaning, value, and significance

Decisional Level
Challenges the group to DECIDE THEIR RELATIONSHIP and RESPONSE to the topic.
Questions appeal to future resolves, collective opinion, proposed next steps, something that can and will be done

Reflect/Closing
Confirm the GROUP RESOLVE

Sample Discussion
TOPIC: Discussion of Office of Agriculturist after a Provincial Development Council (PDC) meeting.

Rational Objectives Experiential Objectives

➢ Understand PDC recommendations on plans ➢ Appreciates support of PDC for proposed office
submitted plans
➢ Consider recommendations for plan revision ➢ generate excitement on PDC recommendations
➢ Organizing the revising plan
Context/Opening
“WE need to have a discussion on the proceedings of the past Provincial Development Council Meeting so
that we can organize ourselves for the various recommendations of our office. Gerry, before we begin,
please ask Carol to hold all the telephone calls and then close the door on your way back in.”

Objective Level
“What items were discussed during the meeting”
“Which item was discussed first? followed by? And then?”
“Which agenda item involved the longest discussion?”
“At what point in the meeting were our office plans discussed?”
Reflective Level
“How did we feel about the way we presented our plans?”
“Were we pleased by the reactions of the council members?”
“Were we surprised by the objections to our plans by the Sanggunian Committee on Appropriations?”

Interpretative Level
“In what ways were the objections raised valid? Unfounded?”
“How do we see their recommendations affecting our plans?”
“In what ways do these recommendations enhance our plans?”
“How do we revise our plans to incorporate the recommendations but at the same time keep to the spirit of
the consultations we conducted on our plans?”
Decisional Level
“How do we organize ourselves to get the plans revised?”
“How can we put together the first draft of our revised plans for consideration of the Council and the SP?”
Reflect/Closing
“I think we are looking at a better plan for better plan for better services delivery. Thanks for all your
contributions to this meeting. Let’s get to work, because we have only just begun.”

DISCUSSION METHOD Flow

Define the Objectives

Before anything else, set out what the discussion will seek to accomplish, both in terms of the RATIONAL and
EXPERIENCIAL objectives.
RATIONAL Objectives may include
• what the group needs to know, understand, or decide upon
• what common experience or issue needs to be considered in depth by the group

EXPERIENCIAL Objectives may include

• What the group needs to experience with each other – excitement? Appreciation of diverse perspective? differences in
opinions? Common actions acceptable to all despite diversity?

Remember that the clarity of the objectives for the discussion will help you prepare your guide questions and actually
facilitate the conversation.

Context/Opening

Assure an open climate within the group, with participants able to see the faces of everyone else. Ensure that there will be
no interruptions even before the session begins.

Welcome the participants and invite their contributions. Set the context: what we are doing is important.

Objective Level

Make your first objective level question very precise, very specific. It may be useful to ask each one for the ONE thing that
they saw, heard, or remembered happening. If you are leading a discussion on an event, you may also choose to ask for
the events in a chronological order. Asking for one response (or even one-word response) helps to insure that the
discussion starts off on a snappy note, with as much participation as possible.

It is important you get everyone to speak at the objective level. Because the answers to the objective level questions are
recollections of sensory stimuli, they are fairly straightforward even as they can be diverse. Thus, it is at this level where the
members of the group need not feel defensive about their responses. In fact, the group may be surprised at how much
misunderstanding may be prevented by simply getting the ‘facts’ clear.

It may be useful to go around the group and get a response from everyone at the objective level. You may want to give the
group an idea that you are in fact going to call an everyone before you actually start to do so. To prevent monotony, you
may want to have several objective level questions prepared ahead of time.

Reflective Level
Reflective level questions are best ordered in a manner that balances off the emotional reactions of those involved in the
discussion, from the simpler concerns to the more difficult ones. Ask a range of questions, with those dealing with positive
emotions and reactions first and then followed by those that solicit the negative ones. Thus, ‘what the group enjoyed the
most’ is best asked before ‘what they found boring and unexciting’. And these types of questions would be simpler to deal
with than questions that explore past associations members of the group may have and find relevant to the situation or
issue under consideration.

Remember that no matter how ‘non-emotional’ the topic being discussed is, emotional reactions of one or a few members
of the group are bound to find their way into the conversation. Your job as facilitator is to structure these so that they do not
obstruct the group’s decision-making process and instead strengthen and support decisions arrived at by the group.

Interpretative Level

When the group feels that it has effectively dealt with any ‘emotional baggage’ on the topic under consideration, it is then
ready to move on to the next level of discussion. Again, interpretative level questions are best ordered from the relatively
easiest to answer to the more difficult ones.

You may want to lead the group through considering the meaning and impact of the topic in consideration, as well as its
significance and usefulness for the group. For some topics, asking ‘what are some of the gaps that need to be filled’
questions may be useful in focusing the group on what has been missing, rather than on simply what is present. These
questions likewise surface valuable insights on what is meaningful and significant to the group.

Remember that it is at this point in the conversation when you as facilitator are taking the group into the middle ground to
prepare for a resolution, a decision. Getting a broad affirmation of what the group considers important is therefore important
if the discussion is to arrive at the level of group action.

On this note, it is also important to remember that disagreements between and among group members is likely to happen.
Some disagreements do not need a neat resolution; do not feel obligated to settle all differences. As a facilitator, your job is
to point to the importance of having as many opinions and perspectives. Get the group to agree to bracket the
disagreements, especially if the disagreements are not material to the objective that you set out to accomplish. Especially,
at the interpretative level, it is important that you keep the group focused on the topic or issue at hand, in as practical a
manner as possible so that the group does not get carried away in abstract intellectualizing.

Decisional Level
Review the main points of the discussion so far and remind the group of what it had set out to accomplish. This is taking the
discussion to a closure, and challenging the group to make decisions and see them through.

Your questions at this level should help the group identify actions or decisions that may be necessary in the light of the
points of discussion.

Reflect/Closing

Review the main points with the group, starting with what they had set out to accomplish. Take them through the highlights
of the discussion, on which basis the group decided to take certain actions, or arrive at certain resolves. You may very
quickly go around the group to ask if they found the discussion worthwhile and satisfactory. And remind them of the next
steps that the group may have decided to take or other follow-up activities as appropriate.

Finally, thank the group for their active participation in the enriching discussion.

Some Practical Pointers for the DISCUSSION METHOD

While the DISCUSSION METHOD is a relatively simple method to learn, it is perhaps one of the more difficult ones to
master. Part of the value of the method is that it may be applied to most any conversational situation – from informal chats
with family and friends to meetings that have set out to discuss issues of a strategic nature at work. After some practice,
you may find yourself more consciously applying the method to even your own thinking and reflective processes because it
lets you achieve more clarity, sharper focus, and greater depths than before.

As with most methods, it is constant practice that will give you mastery of the tool. Below are some practical pointers you
may want to keep in mind.

On Objectives On Questions

✓ Above all, be clear on the rational and
experiential objectives that you are setting out to
achieve.
✓ Specific questions always get better results.
✓ Ask open-ended questions that do not require a
‘yes’ or ‘no’ response to invite more
participation.
✓ Watch against asking ‘why’ questions as these
 open the way for one person of the group to
dominate the discussion.
✓ Be careful to ask leading questions, or those
that suggest that people give ‘socially desirable’
responses.
✓ Ask the easy question first.
✓ Prepare several questions for each of the four
levels.
✓ Ask questions that you can also answer
yourself.

On Group Process

✓ Keep track of the responses of the people. Listen to all ideas shared. Jot down some notes.
✓ Keep the discussion focused. Steer the group back on track if the discussion strays away a bit.
✓ Keep the discussion going. Repeat the question or rephrase the last idea out forward. If someone
grandstands, acknowledge the contribution and then invite others to join the discussion. Look at people
in the eye or call them by their names, these are some ways of sending the message that you are
sincerely interested in what people have to say.
✓ Keep the discussion practical. After introducing the question, you want to give an example. Or if an
abstract idea was put forward, you may want to ask for a specific illustration to help concretize the idea
for the rest of the group.
✓ Keep the discussion an open. Remember that differences of opinion are bound to take place. But
remember too, that not all disagreement that arise need to be resolved, especially if the disagreements
are not central to the set objectives. Bracket the disagreements, if necessary, and carry on with the
discussion. The group needs to feel that all ideas are in fact welcome.
✓ Keep the O-R-I-D flow. The group may already be at the interpretative level, when an objective level
responses is put forward by a group member. Take the group quickly through a reflective level
questions before bringing them back to the interpretative level. This will insure that the group comes to
a firm resolve at the decisional level because they were not ‘jumping’ from one level to another.
✓ Keep the discussion short and snappy. An effective discussion is usually short. The sooner you get the
group to decide on something, the more time they will have to act on their decisions.
Some Practical Applications

The DISCUSSION METHOD has been successfully applied in the following situations:

✓ Meeting to discuss the status of implementation of spring box development project

✓ Conversation after an argument between two friends
✓ Conversation after a cross-visit to health service initiatives of other LGUs
✓ Discussions of concerned citizens to act on solid waste disposal system of their municipality
✓ Debriefing of staff sent to attend a meeting on your behalf
✓ Discussion of NGO advocates on how to convince Sanggunian on policy recommendations
✓ Discussions with communities on the concepts of our tree farm project

Now you list down a few situations where you think you can apply the
DISCUSSION METHOD
THE WORKSHOP METHOD

Have you ever been with a group where nothing happened because there seemed to have been very little energies and
even less creative ideas? Or the reverse may have been true: that the group may have had boundless energies and tons of
creative ideas but these didn’t get harnessed productively into a set of decisions collectively agreed on by the group? And
we can all identify with the situation where there may have been too dispersed a discussion for any practical decisions to
have been arrived at, or too limited a discussion for any integrated and strategic group thinking to have taken place. In
these situations, what have been lacking again is a proper method that builds in participation of everyone in the group
towards attaining clear process objectives, thus allowing the group to distill from all these ideas what the practical
consensus point are.

THE WORKSHOP METHOD provides us with a process that

• Allows all the group members to contribute and participate

• Generates creative and energies in a SHORT amount of time
• Catalyzes collective integrated thinking
• Builds practical group consensus
• Facilitate the formulation of innovative and creative solution to problems and issues
• Infuses the group with a strong sense of stakeholdership and responsibilities

The WORKSHOP METHOD proceeds fairly similarly to the way that we would organize the tasks that we need complete
in one workday. Like a lot of people, when we get to the office, we ask ourselves what needs to get done in the day. So
the first thing we would do when getting to the office is to make a list of all things that we need “to do”-usually a random list
of the big and small tasks that need to get accomplished. Our usual next is to sort out this list by grouping together similar
tasks- phone calls to make, memos and letters to write, meeting and consultation to attained, and projects report to
complete. Once the initial “to do” has been sorted out into the broad task area, we then evaluate which of these specific
tasks we will prioritize for the day. With the prioritise set for the day. With the priorities set for the day, it the becomes
easier for us to have a highly productively day. Further, if there are other things that come along, we can then certain that
the most urgent priorities will not get pushed aside and that those that do are in fact the ‘lesser’ of the priorities in the
organized “to do” list for the day.

This process of organizing our day-to-day tasks may likewise be applied to group thinking process. A group may start by
defining what it exactly needs to address. Ideas and contributions can be solicited from the different group members,
which they can subsequently organize and prioritize, directly in response to whatever it was the group set out to address.
This process is precisely what the WORKSHOP METHOD helps us to accomplish.

The WORKHOP METHOD is a five-step process that organizes the group on its journey towards deepening the
discussion/insight of a group and arriving at consensus on appropriate group action. The first of these steps is the
CONTEXT, at which the parameters for the group discussion is defined and set. Usually this is in the form of a focus
question that the group will seek to answer. This is then followed by the BRAINSTORM, at which data and ideas are
generated at three levels-first individually, and then in small groups, and finally in plenary. Once the ideas have been
generated, the third step asks the group to CLUSTER these ideas. With similarly intended ideas clustered, the group the
proceeds to give a TITLE to each of the cluster, which directly responds to the focus question they sought out to answer.
And finally, once the group consensus is articulated, it then closes the workshop by a brief collective REFLECT session at
which the implications of consensus points are reviewed and affirmed.

Because the workshop process takes the group on a journey from individually generated brainstorm ideas to the more
widely shared consensus insight on the focus question, the WIRKSHOP METHOD works best in situation requiring
creative solution to a situation, issue or problem, or those calling for insightful decision and innovative planning. The
WORKSHOP METHOD process harnesses the individual creative energies of each member of the group and productively
channels these towards one common focus. The dynamic interaction allowed by the step-by-step procedure of the
WORKSHOP METHOD can, for members of the group, be motivating, satisfying, and even empowering experience.

THE WORKSHOP METHOD overview

Step 1
Context

Sets the CONTEXT, Introduces the FOCUS QUESTION Contracts the Group Members
• Set the stage.
• Highlight and explain the workshop question.
• Outline the process and time considerations.
• Invite participation.
Step 2
Brainstorm
 Generates IDEAS individually, in small groups and in plenary
• Ask all members to list down individually brainstorm ideas on a sheet of proper.
• Organize small discussion groups in which members share and discuss all individual ideas. Have
each group select 5-7 of their most important ideas, and write these out on idea cards.
• Call in idea cards form the groups and post these on the broad. Insure that all members of the
group are clear on the ideas brought up by the different break-out groups.
Steps 3
Cluster

Forms NEW RELATIONSHIP, Groups together similar brainstorm ideas

• Ask the group to form 4-6 pairs of related/similar ideas intuitively.
• Quickly give each cluster a 1-2 word label or tag.
• Develop the cluster. Insuring that ALL idea cards posted on the broad are properly organized.
Step 4
Title

Discern the COLLECTIVE INSIGHTS, Articulate the GROUP CONSENSUS

• Talk through each clusters with the group: what is the group saying? What is the group insight?
• Give each cluster a 3-5 word title which directly responds to the focus question.
Step 5
Reflect

Confirms the GROUP RESOLVE

• Discuss the significance of the product of the group process.
• Help the group create a design to hold their consensus.
• Briefly discuss next steps.
Sample WORKSHOP

Step 1
Context
Focus question
What are the critical gaps and bottlenecks that need to be addressed to improve revenue generation
performance of our present system for local business taxes and revenue from economic enterprise?

Topic: Reviewing the current policies, methods and organization for raising local revenues

Rational Objective: Experiential Objectives:

To identify the reasons behind the collection
efficiency performance of municipalities,
particularly on the generation of taxes from
local business and economic enterprise
To allows the tax administration officers and
staff of municipalities to share their
experiences and work together towards
improving tax performance in all
municipalities
Step 2
Brainstorm Defective Lack of
Inefficient system of cooperation Laxity in the
Lack of
collectors operation of barangay implementa
information
and market (sectioning) officials
Lack of modern tion of
master
technical market code
Maintenance of 2 Cannot Taxpayers facilities Non-implementation
sets of business afford to are not tax
of tax ordinance
books pay rent conscious Need for
Misdeclaration
Granting of revision of
tax holidays of gross sales Lack of
Lack of No codified or market fees
Need for
incentives
transport records updated tax
equipment for prompt
Check and balance ordinance
Over staffing taxpayers
of personnel

Step 3 Inefficient Laxity in the implementation

Taxpayers Maintenance of 2
Cluster collectors of market code
are not tax sets of business
and market
conscious books Non-implementation
master Misdeclaration
Cannot Lack of of tax ordinance
information of gross sales
afford to
pay rent
Maintenance of 2
Over staffing Need for sets of business
transport books Misdeclaration
equipment Need for of gross sales
revision of
Granting of Need for market fees
tax holidays transport
LEGEND equipment Lack of
No codified or
Tax administration Lack of incentives
updated tax
concerns pertaining to records for prompt
economic enterprises
ordinance
taxpayers
Tax Check and balance
administration of personnel Granting of
concerns pertaining to tax holidays
local business tax
Step 4
Title GAPS AND BOTTLENECKS IN THE PRESENT LOCAL TAX ADMISITRATION SYSTEM

Insufficient Tax Non-examination Political Poor Market

Information and of Books Intervention Administration
Education Campaign
Maintenance of Misdeclaration Inefficient
Lack of cooperation Political interference
Lack of 2 sets of of gross sales collection and
of barangay officials adjudication of market
information business books market master
stalls

Taxpayers
Cannot
are not tax Weak Internal Control Insufficient Ordinances
Laxity of afford to
conscious
Defective system Implementation pay rent
Need for
of operation
Lack of Facilities revision Laxity in the Over staffing
(sectioning)
and Equipment market fees implementation
Lack of records of market code
No codified or Lack of Tax Incentives
Need for
Check and balance updated tax Non-
transport
of personnel ordinance Lack of Granting
equipment implementat
incentives for of tax
ion of tax
Lack of modern prompt holidays
ordinance
technical facilities taxpayers

Step 5
THIRD LEVEL
PRIORITY GAPS

Cutting Across Concerns

Reflect
AND Lack of Facilities
SECOND LEVEL
BOTTLENECKS and Equipment Political
Intervention
Poor Market
Administration
Lack of Tax Incentives
Laxity of
FIRST LEVEL Implementation

Insufficient Tax Weak Internal

Non-examination Information and Control Insufficient Ordinances
of Books Education Campaign
Workshop Method Flow
Define the Objectives

Before anything else, set out what the discussion will seek to accomplish, both in terms of the RATIONAL and
EXPERIENTIAL objectives. \
RATIONAL Objectives may include
• what the group needs to know, understand, or decide upon
• what common experience or issue needs to be considered in depth by group
EXPERIENTIAL Objectives may include
• What the group needs to experience with each other – excitement? Appreciation of diverse perspectives?
Difference in opinion? Common actions acceptable to all despite diversity?
Remember that the clarity of objectives for the discussion will help you prepare to actually facilitate the workshop.

Context
STEP 1
Assure an open climate within the group, with participants able to see the faces of everyone
• Set the stage
else insure that there will be no interruptions even before the session begins.
• Highlight and explain Welcome the participants and invite their contributions. Set the context: what are we doing is
the workshop question important. Explain what the workshop is expected to generate. More importantly, discuss the
• Outline the process workshop process: how they shall be expected to participate, and your role in the process.
and the considerations Finally, give everyone a clear understanding of the time available to the group to complete the
• Invite participation task.

Remember that it is at the Context that you set the mood for full participation. It is therefore
important that you are able to give the group a solid idea how the workshop product can integrate meaningfully into their
day-to-day activities, thus generating both confidence and anticipation towards a new situation.
 Brainstorm
STEP 2 Help initiate the brainstorm process. Begin by reading the focus question again. Give a few
Ask all members to list down examples to help seed the imagination of the group members. Ask them to list down a few of
individual brainstorm ideas on a their own ideas. And then give them time to do their own thinking.
sheet of paper.
Organize the movement of the group into the different break-out discussion groups. Break-out
Organize small discussion groups
in which members share and
groups should be small enough for meaningful interaction to take place and diverse enough
discuss all individual ideas. for a healthy exchange of ideas. Ten people per break-out may be maximum number.
Have each group select 5-7 of Once break-out groups are settled, help initiate the collective brainstorm process. Ask one
their most important ideas, and number to start by sharing the top idea on his/her list. They can then go around the group,
write these out on idea cards. considering each other’s top idea. Then the group can repeat this process for all other ideas
Call in idea cards from the groups on their lists. From all the ideas discussed, each break-out group is to select the 5-7 best
and post these on the board. ideas. They then write out these best ideas on idea cards.
Insure that all members of the
Once the break-out groups have completed writing their ideas on cards, have each break-out
group are clear on ideas brought
up by the different break-out
group spread out the cards in front of them on the table. Have them first select their two best
groups ideas, and ask them to pass these forward.
As the idea cards are brought forward, read each card and place it randomly on the board.
Accept and acknowledge all the ideas passed, indicating that there are no ‘wrong’ answers.
Entertain all questions seeking clarification on the ideas being read and posted on the board. Be careful to ask the break-
out group – and NOT the individual author of the idea – to respond to questions raised. If you yourself don’t quite
understand what the idea card is saying. ASK rather interpret the insight of the group.
Remember that the Brainstorm step is a method of rapidly generating responses and ideas on an issue. It is effective way
of involving all participants to contribute to this process. And the three-step brainstorm process – individual, small groups,
and plenary – is a quick way of distilling the group’s best insights on the focus question they had set out to answer.
 Cluster
STEP 3
Help the group organize their brainstorm ideas posted on the board by reminding everyone of
• Ask the group to
form 4-6 pairs of
the focus question the workshop intends to answer.
related/similar ideas Ask the participants to quietly and quickly review the ideas posted on the board. Then ask the
intuitively. group for the ideas that similarly respond to the focus question. It will be useful if you are able
• Quickly give each to think through sheds of time how would want the ideas organized. This is largely a function of
cluster a 1-2 word the focus question that is defines – similar actions? similar intent? similar accomplishment?
label or tag. It may be helpful to randomly select one idea card and ask the group to identify all other cards
• Develop the that are similar to the one you had singled out. Push the group intuition by asking them to
clusters, insuring
explain why the cards were clustered together. On a little card, write out 1-2 word tag that
that ALL idea cards
indicates what the group has agreed the cluster is all about.
posted on the board
are properly
Continue organizing clusters until all idea cards posted have been grouped and all groups have
organized been tagged.
You may want to watch out for the relative balance of the number of idea cards in each cluster.
Some cluster may have disproportionately more cards than other clusters.
Situations such as these may be indicative of either of two things. It may be that the same idea was thought of and
prioritized by several break-out groups, and therefore signifying broad consensus. Alternatively, one big cluster may in fact
be broken up into two or even more smaller cluster. To allow the group maintain the large cluster would mean losing the
subsidiary insights that large cluster in reality may contain. This situation may be avoided by helping the group clarify why
they clustered the cards together, and insuring that the tag names given to each cluster are precise and specific.

Remember that the Cluster step in the process is where the group collectively defines the new relationships between and
among the brainstorm ideas generated. It is an effective way of pushing the intuitions of the team, identifying the points of
agreement and disagreement, and revealing where more data and ideas are needed.
 Title
STEP 4 Begin the process of titling with the cluster having the most number of cards as this indicates the
most common ideas across all break-out groups. Read all the cards in the cluster, remind the
• Talk through each
cluster with the
group at the workshop’s focus question, and then ask the participants what insight the idea cards
group: What is in the cluster are leading to. Another way of going about the titling process is to ask the group
the group saying? what they are saying is important. It is useful to keep the group specific, especially all clusters will
What is the group refer to some or other aspect of the focus question, and therefore all clusters shall be related
insights? concerns.
• Give each cluster To further help the process of discerning the broad consensus, you may want to combine the
a 3-5 word title various insights articulated by different group members into holding phrase. Bear in minds that the
which directly
‘best’ holding phrase would be one that responds directly to the workshop focus question.
responds to the
focus question
Continue naming all other clusters, moving from the cluster with the next most number of idea
cards to that with the least number.

Remember that the Title step in the process is where the group discerns the consensus of the group. As such, the group
must be allowed the opportunity to discuss exactly what the agreements are all about, and thus creating the broad
ownership of and stakeholdership in the consensus points articulated.
Reflect
End the workshop with a brief Reflect on the consensus points that had just been articulated. There are several ways by
which this can be done: you may ask the group to rank the cluster titles in relative order of importance or priority; you may
ask the group to relate the cluster titles with each other; or you may even asked the group to generate visual images for
each of the tiles.

Title Title Title Title Title

This step in the process is intended to help the group easily recall the consensus arrived at so it is important that you give
some thought ahead of time what might be best way of getting the group to confirm the new resolves arrived at. Again, this
is largely a function of the focus question of the workshop.
Finally, engage the group in a brief ORID discussion on the workshop outputs, its
implication, and the next steps requiring immediate attention and action.
Step 5
• Help the group
create a design to Remember that the Reflect steps in the process is where the group cements its resolve on
hold their the various consensus points, appreciates the product they had generated, and help each
consensus. other make transition back into the workaday world.
• Discuss the
significance of the
product of the group
process
• Briefly discuss next
steps.
SOME PRACTICAL POINTERS FOR THE WORKSHOP METHOD

While the WORKSHOP METHOD may seem daunting at first, it is a method well worth mastering as it remains one of the
most dynamic, energizing, and satisfying techniques for facilitating group process. Part of the dynamism is brought about
techniques for facilitating group processes. Part of dynamism is brought about by imaginative combination of both rational
and intuitive thinking that the group is asked to do. This inevitably ensures fresh and inspiring creativity every time a
workshop is run – no two groups will generate the same product even if the same focus question is used! The unique
process of distilling the best of the brainstorm ideas from individual ideas, through to those of break-out groups and finally
into the plenary, guarantees that the ideas and insights generated remain practical and do not get out of hand. Thus, the
final group product is always doable and because their outputs are realistically attainable, this can be energizing and
completely satisfying for any group.

Again, it is constant practice that will give you mastery of the tool. Below are some practical pointers you may want to keep
in mind.

On Objectives
On Focus Question

✓ Above all, be clear on the rational and

experiential objectives that you are setting out to
achieve.
✓ Ask an open-ended question – usually a ‘What’ or
a ‘How’ question that inspires group creativity.
✓ Insure that the focus question is not open to
several interpretations – be specific on the
issue/concern, the participants, those who are
going to be the most affected, and indicates time
frames.
✓ Take care to have a focus question that is clear,
concrete and concise.
✓ Write out the focus question on a sheet of easel
paper and keep this permanently posted in front
of the room.
More on the Brainstorm Step
give a brief answer. Take care not to call an
✓ Insure that everyone gets to list a few individual individual author. Remember that once an idea has
ideas before they move into their break-out groups. written up on a card, it is assume to have been the
✓ Mix the participants in the different break-out groups consensus within the break-out groups. Having the
so that a healthy exchange of perspectives can take group explain will also remind people that they need
place. A random count-off exercise will generally not feel defensive about the ideas put forward.
suffice, though you may be able to think of more ✓ Avoid making judgemental comments yourself; do
creative ways of organizing the break-out groups. not interpret the group’s intention and meaning.
✓ Lead the participants into their break-out groups. When in doubt, ask the group when they all
Especially in relatively heterogeneous groups, there understand the idea put forward on the card.
is a tendency for people to stay with friends and ✓ Constantly look for ways to ‘control’ the group –
acquaintances rather than have to work with raise your voice, approach the break-out group that
complete strangers. may be particularly distracted, or you can even ask
✓ Once the break-out groups are settled, insure that the group’s help to get the task completed.
the discussions in the break-out groups begins. You ✓ Finally, insure that you have enough masking tape
may want to solicit the help of the group even before already rolled up for posting all wonderful ideas that
they begin proceeding to their break-outs by asking the break-outs will generate.
the person with the most number of ideas start the
discussion
✓ Go around all break-out groups to check that the
discussions are going. Once all break-outs have
begun their discussion in earnest, you can then
begin to distribute idea cards and pentel pens. If you
do this any earlier, then it may simple encourage
some people to immediately write out their individual
brainstorm ideas on the idea cards without the
benefit of the small group discussion.
✓ It will be useful for you to again go around the break-
out once they begin writing out their idea cards. This
is insure that the ideas and insights that are being
written out are practical and specific and directly
respond to the focus question. You may need to help
the break-out groups to keep practical and specific.
Also, this will give you the opportunity to check that
each idea card only contains ONE idea.
✓ When calling the idea cards of the break-out groups,
it is useful to first get the two best ideas of all break-
outs. This will allow you to acknowledge the creative
ideas from each group and at the same time insure
that you have everyone’s attention.
✓ Read all cards BEFORE these get posted on the
board in front. Encourage the group to ask questions
of clarity. Allow the group that authored the card to
 More on the Title
Step
✓ Help the group discern what their insights are by first reviewing the idea cards in the cluster being titled. A series of questions like
‘What are we saying is important to us?’ or ‘What about this cluster are we in fact saying is the answer to our focus question?’ are
some useful ways of making the task easier for the group.
✓ When formulating the titles, it is more meaningful to have verb or noun clauses that directly respond to the focus question.
✓ Generally begin this step with the cluster with the most number of idea cards, because this should be the cluster that enjoys the widest
consensus and acceptance. Generating the titles for other cluster should come easier after this.
✓ At this most difficult step in the workshop process, prepare to exert extra energy to help the group complete this step with relative ease.
Watch out for dead time – keep the verbal chatter up.
✓ It is useful to push participants – ‘Only three more clusters to title, and then we can break for lunch soon after.’ or ‘Come on, let’s help
each other out on this last one.’ The energy level of the group would be low, especially after the cluster step.
✓ Sometimes, the facilitator want to title a few clusters, and then have the small groups little the rest. After the titles are reported, the
group may want to refine the final wording.

More on the Reflect Step

✓ Keep the reflect step brief – the group should
not feel that they are having to produce ‘new’
outputs.
✓ Give the group a sense of accomplishments.
It is useful to take them back to the focus
question and the ‘product’ the group was able
to generate in response to this question.
Above all, call the group’s attention at the
speed with which they were able to generate
these responses.
✓ Have a brief conversation on the implications
of these responses as the transition step back
to the workaday world.
On the Materials You Need
✓ Imagine the entire process in your mind, so that you
can properly prepare for all the materials you will need.
Your basic requirements are idea cards, pentel pens,
rolled masking tape, colored and/or bordered cards for
tags and titles, and number tents to mark the break-out
group areas.
✓ Prepare as much as ahead of time so that you can
concentrate on facilitating the process.
✓ You may want to ask someone to help you to distribute
materials, collect idea cards, move ideas around the
board during the cluster step, and write out little cards.
This will insure that the group momentum need not
unnecessarily curtailed.
 On Visual Materials

✓ Prepare a few visual materials to help the process along. A few good ones would be needed for: the workshop FOCUS QUESTION
and the workshop PROCESS.
✓ Keep use of lines and shapes simple. Lines and shapes may be used to make borders, signify bullet points, or underscore or
emphasize a point.

✓ Make creative use of contrasting colors.

✓ Use darker colored ink for letters. Use block capita letters.
✓ Use lighter colored ink for highlights, or for illustrations.
PRACTICE DESIGNING YOUR WORKSHOP

TOPIC

Rational Objectives Experiential Objectives

➢ ➢
➢ ➢
➢ ➢

Focus Question
SOME PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The WORKSHOP METHOD has been successfully and repeatedly applied the following situations:

✓ Provincial, municipal and barangay vision setting exercises

✓ Meetings to formulate practical and doable local development strategies
✓ Identifying the bottlenecks and gaps that are causing delays in implementation of projects
✓ Defining appropriate courses of action for addressing bottlenecks and gaps that are causing delays in implementation of projects
✓ Developing priorities for environmental actions to be taken after cross visits to others local governments to look Into improving health
services delivery
✓ Generating creative ways of improving collection of business taxes and revenues from other economic enterprises of municipal governments

Now you list down a few situations where you think you
can apply the WORKSHOP METHOD
THE ACTION PLANNING METHOD
Have you ever been at planning meetings after which you wondered who was going to do all the task that had been
identified and mapped out? After plans have been formulated, it is often the case when who exactly is expected to do what
is never really clear. Worse, those who already have a lot of work to do are saddled with more work. And it is often the case
that after all has been said and done, we wonder what happened to all the grand design that had been formulated. In these
situation, what may have been lacking again is a proper method that builds both participation and ownership for everyone
in the group in a realistic and practical plan intended to realize an attainable set of objectives.

The ACTION PLANNING METHOD provides us with a process that

• Allows all the group members to contribute and participate

• Generates a realistic and doable action plan in a relative SHORT amount of time
• Catalyzes integrated thinking, using both rational and intuition processes
• Builds practical group consensus
• Infuses the group with a strong sense of stakeholdership
• Identifies responsibility centers for the various aspects of the plan
• Easily allows the group to factor in target and resource allocation considerations
• Translates outputs into a practical monitoring guide for progress in implementation

The ACTION PLANNING METHOD proceeds with an extremely practical approach to the generation of action plans. The
method takes the group on a journey towards answering three simple questions: ‘where do we want to go?’, ‘where are
we?’, and ‘how do we get there?’

Many action plans immediately organize the answer to the third question, with little consideration to the first and second
questions. Without shared clarity in a group on where exactly the group collectively feels it wants to go, individual members
may tend to have varying conceptions of victory and success. This would invariably influence the way they each contribute
to the planning processes, and inevitably, on how each will act in the actual implementation of the plan. In the end, because
of these unarticulated varying conceptions of victory and success, when the plan would have been fully implemented, there
may still be strong feelings of frustrations that all was not what the individual members fully expected them to be. Rather
unnecessarily, one might add, and conceptions of victory and success.

On the other hand, other action plans fail to fully consider the present situation of the planning group – on-going concerns
and responsibilities, current workloads, and resource constraints and limitations. When the present situation is not properly
considered in any planning activity, there is a greater tendency for the plan to be unrealistic – people are simply saddled
with more work than they can realistically manage – available resources are oftentimes overestimated, and plans are
generally expected to deliver far more than what is attainable. Again, when all is said and done, feelings of frustration may
be widespread. Worse, even a shared conception of victory may not have been realized. Again, this stress would have
been avoided if there was an opportunity to have worked out a proper understanding and consideration of the limitations,
constraints, and possibilities of the present situations.

Because the ACTION PLANNING METHOD considers all three questions – ‘where do we want to go?’, ‘where are we?’,
and ‘how do we get there?’ – The method lends well to the generation of a practical, realistic, and doable plan.

The ACTION PLANNING METHOD is a seven-step process that organizes the group on its journey towards developing a
realistic and doable plan for undertaking a particular event of activity. The first steps in the CONTEXT, at which the basic
parameters of the activity being planned for are considered in detail by the group – what? When? Where? Why? How? And
by Whom? It is from initial unity that the group the proceeds to formulate its action plan. The next step in the process is
VICTORY CYCLE, at which the group is able to collectively define what they exactly mean by ‘success’ for the activity they
will be planning for. As soon as this is completed, the group by then proceeds to do an assessment of the CURRENT
REALITY – both in terms of the internal group’s strengths and weaknesses, and the external benefit of dangers. After this,
the group then proceeds to articulate its COMMITMENT towards the activity being planned for. Once this has been
articulated, a KEY ACTION WORKSHOP is facilitated with the group to identify the cluster of needed actions and the
members to constitute the various work teams that will be charged with the implementation of these clusters of needed
actions. After this, the group breaks up into the various work teams formed to work out the CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
AND ASSIGNMENTS. It is at this point in the process that the action plan is almost completed – activities are scheduled,
coordinative mechanism are discussed and the allocation of resources is collectively decided upon. Finally a REFLECT is
conducted to confirm the group resolve, discuss the implications, and get the plan finally going.

The ACTION PLANNING METHOD works best for planning an event or an activity. The process is highly effective for

• Harnessing stakeholdership in the activity planned for

• Generating individual and collective commitment to the success of the activity
• Identifying responsibilities and accountabilities of all members of the group
• Deciding on resource allocation for the planned activity

The dynamic integration allowed by the step-by-step procedure on the ACTION PLANNING METHOD is motivating,
satisfying, and even empowering experience, not only in the context of the generation of the activity plan, but also, and
perhaps more importantly, in the context of successfully implemented activities.
THE ACTION PLANNING METHOD OVERVIEW

STEP 1 - Context

Sets the CONTEXT. Introduces the EVENT or ACTIVITY, and CONTRACTS the group members
• Set the stage.
• Highlight and explain the event or activity to be planned.
• Outline the process and time considerations.
• Invite participations

STEP 2 - Victory Circle

Defines VICTORY/SUCCES of the activity

• Ask the group for details of the completed activity. The day after the activity, what do they see? How do they feel?
What are people saying?
• List down the responses given on an easel sheet.

STEP 3 - Current Reality

Grounds action plan on the realities of the PRESENT SITUATION

• Ask the group to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the present situation. Then, have the group identify the
potential benefits and pitfalls which would result from successfully undertaking the plan.
• List down all responses on easel sheets.

STEP 4 - Commitment

Develops a MISSION or CHARTER STATEMENT of the planning activity

• Read through the current reality listings and briefly consider the implications of these on the plan being
formulated.
• Solicit the commitment of the group towards the success of the activity.
• Note these down on an easel sheets.
• Formulate a sentence or paragraph statement of the scope and outcome of the project.
STEP 5 - Key Actions Workshop

Identifies the NEEDED ACTIONS; and forms WORK TEAMS

• Conduct a workshop to identify all the needed key actions to realize victory.
• Once the action clusters have been identified, group members self select a work team for the remainder of the
planning process and eventually for plan implementation.

STEP 6 - Calendar and Assignments

Schedules the NEEDED ACTIONS by work teams. Establishes the COORDINATIVE MECHANISMS required for the
effective implementation of the action plan
• Group breaks out into the various work teams that have been constituted.
• Using the idea cards generated in a Key Actions Workshop, ask each work team to organize the identified key
actions in the required chronology until the actual date of the activity. Have them identify the ‘launch’, ‘on-going’
and victory’ actions.
• Once key actions have been sorted out by each work team, have these posted on the calendar you would have
set up on the board.
• Ask a representative from each work team to report on the calendar of activities they put up. Once all work
teams have reported, get activities across work teams coordinated.
• In plenary, ask the group to identify any other activities not yet identified by the group, including over-all
coordinative meetings. Targets and costs may also be worked into the calendar.

STEP 7 - Reflect

Confirms the GROUP RESOLVE

• Have an ORID conversation to review the product generated by the group.
• Create a catchy title, campaign slogan, or visual image of the overall effort.
• Briefly discuss next steps to close the action planning session.
SAMPLE ACTION PLAN

TOPIC: BOHOL ACTION PLANNING WORKSHOP

STEP 1
CONTEXT Activity Description:

What: Plan formulation for Bohol’s Upland Forestry

Rational Objective:
Sector
To discern the necessary action
When: September 1996 to August 1997
steps for one-year upland/forest
Where: Target upland communities is selected resources management program in
municipalities at Bohol Bohol.

Why: Protection and preservation of remaining forest

resources
Experiential Objective:
How: Through a more functional LGU-NGO/PO
To make the Technical Working
collaboration in community-based forest
Group (TWG) feel they are part of a
resource management
“Winning Environmental Team”.
By Whom: Local government units, in partnership with vital
stakeholders in the community, i.e., NGOs and
POs.
STEP 2
STEP 3

VICTORY CIRCLE
CURRENT REALITY

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
STRONGER LGU- • Active and dynamic • Indifference of community
NGO-PO provincial leadership groups to environment
ENVIRONMENTAL • Transparency of leaders projects
COLLABORATION • Personal commitment of • Uncoordinated projects
COMMUNITY- key actors/players • Inadequate data base
CONSERVATION • NGO-NGA-LGU
BASED
OF
• Lack of environmental
RESOURCE collaboration
training and advocacy for
MANAGEMENT BIODIVERSITY • Trained staff on communities
80% OF
environmental
MUNICIPALITIES IN
management
BOHOL WITH
INTEGRATED
ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFITS PITFALLS
PLANS • Bohol’s rich and vast
forest resources • Bohol-Cebu water deal
• Increase in quality of • Illegal quarrying
watershed management • Unchecked “kaingin”
• Livelihood possibilities for • Continuous illegal cutting
Boholanos of trees
• Eco-tourism potentials • Presidential Proclamation
• Bohol as “Galing Pook”
486, declaring several
awardee on environment watersheds as NIPAS

STEP 4

OUR COMMITMENT
To effectively implement for a one-year period innovative and community-based environmental plans designed to create
heightened awareness and increased commitment among LGU officials and employees, NGO/PO partners and
communities to protect and preserve Bohol’s remaining forest resources.
STEP 5
FOCUS QUESTION
“What are the key actions the LGU/NGO/PO partnerships need to take in the
coming year to protect and preserve Bohol’s forest resources?”

KEY ACTION IDEAS

Resource Conduct Info, Strengthen Multi-

Enact & Enforce Promote
Inventory Education & sectoral
Environment- Sustainable
Towards CBCRM Communication Coordination &
Friendly Policies Agricultural Policies
Activities Partnership
Environmental Education and Enact environment Establish mini forest Formation of ENRC
management training on laws/policies per barangay at the municipal level
framework environment
plan for Bohol LGU to sigh public Promote use of Forge TRIPARTITE
Planning workshop commitment to organic agreements
Inventory of at municipality protect environment fertilizers
flora and level Constituency-building
fauna Organize lobby Develop modules
Resource Massive groups for to train farmers Periodic
assessment information drive, environment reforms on sustainable consultative
e.g., eco-caravan agriculture meetings
Establish Encourage
CBCRM plan Develop LGUs to Adopt contour Institutionalize
posters appropriate farming: SALT environmental
Develop tools funds coordinating bodies
for resource Organize campaign
inventory core
group/municipality
 STEP 6 CALENDAR AND ASSIGNMENTS

1996 1997
TASK LAUNCH 4TH Qtr. 1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. VICTORY TEAM
ACTIVITY (Sept. – Dec.) (Jan. - Mar.) (Apr. – Jun.) (Jul. – Aug.) COMPLETE MEMBERS
Conduct Eco-caravan Communication Produce Develop info and Conduct Environmental Yvette,
information, around Bohol training workshop communication promotional municipal info campaign Mayor
education and plan materials drives poster/slogans Galbreath
communication mounted per Vera
(IEC) Activities barangay
Resource Conduct planning Form data Develop tools for Train pool of Data analysis and Presentation of a Nestor, Pat, Ernie,
Inventory workshop gathering and inventory and environmental report-making data-based Flor
Towards CBCRM research learns assessment researchers CBCRM plan
Enactment and Inventory of Municipal listing of Formulation of Monitor policy Advocacy for All environment- Romy, Ed, Lalang
Enforcement of existing upland environmental policies implementation policy reforms friendly policies
Environment- environmental policies and harmonized and
friendly Policies policies and ordinances institutionalized
ordinances
Promotion of Training modules Organize farmers’ Series of training Put up demo Model form per Existence of Ronnie, Paul,
Sustainable on sustainable classes in sustainable forms barangay model forms Nene
Agricultural agriculture agricultural
Practices policies
Strengthening of Organize multi- Conduct multi- Listing of Forge Action planning Multi-sectoral Alex, Ondoy
Multi-sectoral sectoral body sectoral environmental commitments and workshop plans for forest
Coordination and consultations groups active in constituency management in
Partnership CBCRM building place

STEP 7
REFLECT
Reflect Questions
• What can you say about the plans we have generated?
• What do you feel about these activities we need to pursue?
• What are our next steps?
• How do we carry these out?
Some Practical Applications

The ACTION PLANNING METHOD has been successfully and repeatedly applied in the following situations:

• Annual planning exercises for the Province of Bulacan

• Meetings to finalize protocol quality work plans and budgets
• Plan formulation to conduct Cotabato Provincial Health Sector Review Workshops
• Planning cross-visits to other local government units
• Preparing for province-wide multi-sectoral Environmental Congress
• Generating the work plan for undertaking Barangay Planning and Budgeting
Workshops in 30 pilot barangays
• Planning an inter-LGU meeting to outline common action for the environment

Now you list down a few situations where you think you can apply the
WORKSHOP METHOD
The ACTION PLANNING METHOD Flow
Define the Objectives

Before anything else, set out what the discussion will seek to accomplish, both in terms of the RATIONAL and
EXPERIENTIAL objectives.
RATIONAL Objectives may include
• what the group needs to know, understand, or decide upon
• what common experience or issue needs to be considered in depth by group
EXPERIENTIAL Objectives may include
• What the group needs to experience with each other – excitement? Appreciation of diverse perspectives?
Difference in opinion? Common actions acceptable to all despite diversity?
Remember that the clarity of objectives for the discussion will help you prepare to actually facilitate the workshop.

Context
STEP 1
Assure an open climate within the group, with participants able to see the faces of everyone
• Set the stage
else insure that there will be no interruptions even before the session begins.
• Highlight and explain Welcome the participants and invite their contributions. Set the context: what are we doing is
the workshop question important. Explain what the workshop is expected to generate. More importantly, discuss the
• Outline the process workshop process: how they shall be expected to participate, and your role in the process.
and the considerations Finally, give everyone a clear understanding of the time available to the group to complete the
• Invite participation task.

Remember that it is at the Context that you contract the group to fully participate in the session.
It is therefore important that you are able to give the group a solid idea how the action plan to be generated is in fact the
first step closer to where the group would want to go.
 Victory Circle
STEP 2 Help the group clarify what they mean by victory/success’ of the activity being planned for.
• Ask the group for details Begin by reviewing with the group the basic agreements about the activity. Then, ask the
of the completed members to imagine the day after the activity. Ask for what they see, feel, hear, and think.
activity. The day after
the activity, what do
Ask the group to imagine what the people whom the activity is supposed to benefit the most
they see? How do they are seeing, feeling, hearing, and thinking. As the group responds the questions, list all
feel? What are people contributions on a sheet of easel paper.
saying?
• List down the responses
Be quick to write down all the responses down, it would be good to write down as close as
given on an easel sheet.
possible to what the actual responses were. Keep the paraphrasing to a minimum. This is
because the victory circle is the group’s opportunity to arrive at greater clarity on their shared
definition of success of the activity.
Acknowledge where there seems to be widespread agreement on a contribution made by one member of the group.
Corollary, allow questions of clarification to be raised and answered.
Once the list is completed, it may be useful to briefly review the highlights of the contributions.

Take note that at the completion of this step, the group should be highly energized and motivated. If it is not, then the group
may find it difficult to complete the rest of the action planning session, and may later find it even more difficult to begin the
implementation of the completed plan.

Current Reality
STEP 3
Ask the group to take a minute to list down two to three of what they consider to be the most
• Ask the group to
identify the strengths important of the planning group strengths and weaknesses that will have to be considered in
and weaknesses in the the activity being planned for. Then, ask them to make a similar list of the three most
present situation. Then, important potential benefits to be gained and dangers that need to be neutralized relative to
have the group identify
the potential benefits
the proposed activity.
and pitfalls which
would result from Call in contribution from the group for each of the four categories one by one. It would be
successfully good to alternate the order of positive and negative categories. A good chronology would be:
undertaking the plan.
• List down all responses
strengths, weaknesses, benefits, and dangers.
on an easel sheet.
Again, as the contributions from the group are being shared, list these down on easel sheets. Paint out similar ideas and
insights being shared: and entertain questions of clarification.

It will be useful if you are able to briefly summarize the contributions made for each category as this is completed. And it will
also be helpful to the group if there is also a brief discussion on the implications of the completed list of planning for the
propose activity.

Commitment
STEP 4
• Make all the desired
Briefly take stock of the major points of the group’s reading of its Current Reality. Then
outputs into one Mission challenge the group to begin articulating that comments that is ready to give towards the
Statement signifying our success of the planned activity. It will be useful to take the group back to the Victory Circle
Commitment to attain it.
Then, have it signed by all
outputs and asking them that if the victory drawn up is really that important to the group,
members then what would be the commitment the group would be willing to give to the activity in
• Read through the current order to rise up to the challenge.
reality listings and briefly
consider the implications
of these on the plan being
Be quick to list down the responses of the group on a sheet of easel paper. Take care not
formulated. to give the group time to take back whatever it is they are initially willing to commit.
• Solicit the commitment of Ask the group then for help to string the individual responses into consolidated
the group towards the
success of the activity.
‘Commitment Statement’ that will bind the group to each other and to the success of the
• Note these down on an intended activity. Pay little attention first to considerations of style – the wordsmiths in the
easel sheet. group can take care of this later.
• Formulate a sentence or
paragraph statement of
the scope and outcome
Once the ‘Commitment Statement’ will have been formulated, it is a useful idea to ask the
of the project. group to sign their names on the easel sheet, signifying the group’s ‘contract, with itself.
 STEP 5 Key Action Workshop
• Conduct a Conduct a workshop to answer the following focus question: ‘What are the key actions that need
workshop to to be completed in order to realize [give details of activity] by [give scheduled date of the
identify all the
needed key
activity]?’
actions to realize For the Brainstorm step of the workshop, ask the group to use verb clauses for all their
victory. brainstorm ideas so that it is easier to bot organize these into clusters and generate the calendar
• Once the action of activities and assignments. In addition, instruct the group NOT to put forward the idea ‘Form a
clusters have been
identified, group
Committee’. This is because when the task clusters are organized, each of the clusters will be
members self- work team to be constituted for planned activity.
select a work
team for the
remainder of the
At the Title step of the workshop, you may want to ask group if they think that the task areas
planning process identified will cover all that they feel is necessary to get the activity up and running. Members of
and eventually for the group may raise questions about specific tasks not explicitly articulated and you can ask
plan them into which cluster the task in question belongs. Where needed, have new idea cards
implementation.
written up so as not to lose the idea. This process useful for clarifying the specific scopes of work
for each of the task clusters.

Since the Key Actions Workshop is part of a larger process, it will be necessary to have a reflect step. Instead, ask the
participants to write their names down on a small piece of paper. They are to come forward and ‘sign up’ for the work team
for the task cluster where they think that they will be able to make the best contribution. Ask them to give some thought
about which work team they should be volunteering for. It will also be useful to let the participants know that the subsequent
steps of the action planning method will require the group to break out into the work teams that they will be signing up for.

Insure that there are at least two people in each of the work teams. Get some members of the group to volunteer into the
group to volunteer into the work teams for which few people have signed up. Take care not to allow member of the group to
volunteer other people into particular task clusters. But people can convince others to volunteer for specific task clusters.
Remember that the operative team here is volunteer.
If there remains a task cluster for which no one has signed up, ask the group again if they consider this task cluster as
being important to the planned activity. This will usually do the trick as the group will find a way of sorting out the work
assignments.

STEP 6
• Group breaks into various work
teams that have been constituted.
• Using the idea cards generated in
the Key Actions Workshop, ask
each work team to organize the
identified key actions in the
required chronology until the
actual date of the activity. Have
them identify ‘launch’, ‘on-going’
and ‘victory’ actions.
• Once key actions have been
sorted out by each work team,
have these posted on the
calendar you would have set up
on the board.
• Ask a representative from each
work team to report on the
calendar of activities they put up.
Once all work teams have
reported, get activities across work
teams coordinated.
• In plenary, ask the group to
identify any other activities not yet
identified by the group, including
over-all coordinative meetings.
Targets and costs may also be
worked into the calendar.
Then ask the rest of the group to look at the calendar of activities reported on in relation to the calendar of activities that
need to get scheduled into the calendar such as, but not limited to, coordinative meetings of heads of each work team.
Special cards can be introduced into the calendar to indicate these actions.
Calendar and Assignments
Have one member from each work team come to the board and pull out the idea
cards in their task cluster. Instruct the task cluster work teams to use these idea
card sand arrange the tasks in chronological order, from the completion of the
plan until the scheduled date for the activity. Inform the work teams that they are
at liberty to combine similar ideas, and to introduce new tasks they feel are
necessary for the plan.
Have the work teams identify which of these tasks they would consider as their
‘launch’, ‘on-going’, and ‘victory’ actions. You may have work teams write out the
‘launch’ and ‘victory’ actions on colored idea cards to help make the distinction.
Encourage the groups to cross-consult where they feel it necessary.
As the groups are completing this task, begin preparing the calendar grid on the
board. The grid should outline the different work teams vertically, and the time
periods until the scheduled activity laid out horizontally. Beside the titles of each
of the members of the different work teams. And then transfer the names of the
members the group. Ask the representative from each group to come forward
and post their ‘launch’, ‘on-going’, and ‘victory’ activities in the row for their work
team. Once all work teams have posted their calendar of activities, then have a
representative from each work from report.
Solicit responses to the reports at several levels. First have the rest of the group
look at the activities organized by the work team. Ask if all key have been
identified and organized in a proper chronological order. Introduce the
adjustments as necessary.

STEP 7
• Have an ORID conversation to review the
product generated by the group.
• Create a catchy title, campaign slogan, or
visual image of the over-all effort.
• Briefly discuss next steps to close the action
planning session.
Reflect
After the calendar is completed, allow the group to take another look at the
calendar and ask them if they feel that with the plan now formulated, the
intended activity can be realized. At this point, it may be useful to quickly go
through the Victory Circle outputs and the main challenges of the Current
Reality dialogue. Provide the time if necessary for the group to discuss the next
steps.
Some Practical Pointers for the ACTION PLANNING METHOD

While the ACTION PLANNING METHOD may seem daunting at first, it is also a method well worth mastering as it remains
is a highly energizing and satisfying technique for getting a group to complete a practical, realistic and doable activity plan.
The process by which the group is made to address the questions ‘Where do we want to go?’, ‘Where are we now?’, and
‘How do we get there?’ not only builds direct ownership of and firm stakeholdership in the plan being formulated, but also
helps to identify immediate accountabilities and shared responsibilities for the success of the undertaking. Best of all, the
process is highly participative and members of the group in fact volunteer to help get the work done.

Again, it is constant practice that will give you mastery of the tool. Below are some practical pointers you may want to keep
in mind.

On Objectives

On Objectives
✓ Above all, be clear on the rational and
experiential objectives that you are setting out
✓ Imagine the entire process in your mind, so that you can
to achieve.
properly prepare for all the materials you will need. Your
basic requirements are idea cards, pentel pens, rolled
masking tape, colored and/or bordered cards for tags and
titles, and number tents to mark the break-out group areas.
✓ Prepare as much as ahead of time so that you can
concentrate on facilitating the process. You may want to
have the easel sheets for the Victory Circle. Currents
Reality, and Commitment ready before the session begins.
Also, insure that there is enough masking tape to complete
the calendar activities.
✓ You may want to ask someone to help you to distribute
materials, collect idea cards, move ideas around the board
during the cluster step, and write out little cards. This will
insure that the group momentum need not unnecessarily
curtailed.
Practice Designing Your ACTION PLANNING Session

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION:

What:
When:
Where:
Why:
How:
By whom:

Rational Objectives: Experiential Objectives:

➢ ➢
➢ ➢

Key Actions Workshop Focus Question:

Calendar and Assignments:

Some Practical Applications

The ACTION PLANNING METHOD has been successfully and repeatedly applied in the following situations:

• Annual planning exercises for the Province of Bulacan

• Meetings to finalize protocol quality work plans and budgets
• Plan formulation to conduct Cotabato Provincial Health Sector Review Workshops
• Planning cross-visits to other local government units
• Preparing for province-wide multi-sectoral Environmental Congress
• Generating the work plan for undertaking Barangay Planning and Budgeting
Workshops in 30 pilot barangays
• Planning an inter-LGU meeting to outline common action for the environment

Now you list down a few situations where you think you can apply the
ACTION PLANNING METHOD
FACILITATOR STYLE
FACILITATORS love the organization for which they are
facilitating. This means they care for the future of the
organization, have decided it is worth transforming, and that it
has possibilities fir service to the larger community. Even if they
have reservations, they leave them outside the meeting rooms
as well as their own neurons about what they like and dislike.
They resist contempt and cynicism in themselves and push
beyond them in their interchange with participants. They keep
their personal options in the background and exert every means
to gain the objective insights of participants.
FACILITATORS are guides, not participants. They ask open-
ended questions designed to elicit the utmost creativity and
insight. They assume every contribution has an insight behind
it, further, that is their task and that of the group’s to gain insight
for the corporate good. They do not give answers, but ask
question after question to draw out wisdom, clarify it, build on it
with other insights and help the group forge out a concrete
consensus to which the whole group can commit itself. They
sometimes ask intentionally naïve questions, intending to get
the roots of apparent disagreement, thereby revealing a
difference in understanding or values and providing a basis for
resolution. They assume that every participant has an important
perspective to continue and draw out naturally quiet people
even that requires asking naturally dominant people to listen
more often than their habit. They promote clarity by enabling
participants to contribute to their wisdom is in short, succinct
phrases which convey concise images.
FACILITATORS prepare extensively. They then set a clear
context for the task at hand, requesting data from participants
on their anticipations regarding desired results from the group’s
interaction. They have clearly in mind the
objective of interaction, the time allotted to consideration and
the needed impact on participants. In many interactions, one
experiential objective is for the group to conclude that it already
has the power and authority to implement its decisions. They
familiarize themselves with the organization’s history, current
external operation environment and internal working
atmosphere.
FACILITATORS are concerned both with process and results.
They keep the interaction moving toward a decision. When
there is no consensus in a critical arena, they facilitate a
decision about the process necessary to produce consensus.
Consensus within the group becomes the building factor, not
presumed right or wrong. They assume the reality will reveal
itself in due time as the group continues its work. They facilitate
intuitive leaps which utilize right brain capacities and which
spark corporate creativity, a highly motivating force which
produces commitment. They require clear conclusions
regarding decision made and ensure objective documentation
of the group’s work for every participant, thereby paving the
way for implementation.
MANAGING YOUR SPACE LOGISTICS

Over-all Room Set-up

Tables:
• Main work area table arrangement alternatives:

• One table in back or on side of the room for snacks, coffee and other refreshments
• One table for materials and display, in back or side of room
• One small table to put in center or hollow square, used for décor
• One table near room entrance for registration, check in, name tents, schedule, payments
• Chairs, one for each person
• Flip chart stands, with solid back, one per team
• Blank walls to hang charts on, a large wall space unbroken by windows, shelves, etc., approximately 9-12 feet
• Good lighting; natural light from windows, or good overhead lights
• Breakout spaces for team, need one table and chairs for half the group. If main meeting room is large enough, and
the acoustics are good, these spaces can be one of the room
Secretariat or Registration Table
• Registration list with fee payment data Fresh Flowers/Plants: To use on registration and buffet
• Envelop to put checks and cash in table and as a centrepiece.
• Receipt book
• Seminar or training kit/participant
• “Tent” name place cards or name tags
• Masking tapes: one roll for each break out groups Refreshments
• Post-its 3 × 5 and 1½ × 3 for workshops • Coffee, tea, water, creamer, and sugar, assorted
• Markers: variety of colors (blue, green, purple, teas, including herbal
brown) one for every participant. Avoid pink or • Juice, water, iced down
other pastels. Avoid red for participants • Fruits, muffins, pica-pica
• Flip chart pads and stands • Napkins, small plates, spoon, forks, knives
• Colored papers: for titles • Coffee cups, glasses, pitcher
• White papers: half sheets for idea cards • Hot water

Decor
Quotes: 8-10 laser printed on 8 ½ × 11 sq. in. paper,
artfully mounted on colored paper and placed in
appropriate spaces on the walls of the seminar room.
Poster, as appropriate:
• The ORID process
• The Workshop process
• The Action Planning process
• 3 flip chart pages filled Discussion, Workshop, and
Action Plan
Table Decor: Three dimensional objects (sculptured
figures, geometric forms, natural objects – rocks,
driftwood, etc.) arranged on a background cloth or colored
paper. Place on the center of the seminar table space,
registration table, buffet table, etc., as appropriate. These
are used to focus attention, intrigue the imagination, to
delight the eye, to intentionally claim empty space.
PROVIDE US WITH YOUR FEEDBACK

1. What was the most helpful topic and/or feature of the manual?

2. What part was the most difficult to understand?

3. What did you learn about participatory processes?

4. How can we improve the ToP? Basic Group Facilitation Methods manual?

5. On a scale of 1-5 (5= great, 1= waste of time), rate the following

The DISCUSSION (ORID) METHOD 1 2 3 4 5

The WORKSHOP METHOD 1 2 3 4 5
The ACTION PLANNING METHOD 1 2 3 4 5
Overall Content 1 2 3 4 5
Layout Design 1 2 3 4 5

6. Other comments/recommendations:
STAFF BOX

Kenneth H. Ellison, PhD

Chief of Party

Rose Marie R. Nierras

Participation Development Specialist

Rosalinda G. Paredes
Facilitation Specialist

Basilisa P. Padua
Lay-out and Graphics Consultant

Contributors:
Alberto Agra, Agnes Cargamento, Marliza Pilarin, Steve Rood, and Gary Ford

Support Staff:
Ronnie S. Ymul, Art Fernandez, and Margarita Calaod