World Café
What it is
A structured way to host a big conversation in small groups. People sit at small tables around a guiding question; after each round everyone but a "host" moves to a new table, carrying ideas with them. A final "harvest" pulls the threads from every table into shared conclusions.
It lowers the threshold for speaking, mixes perspectives, and turns a sensitive or complex topic into concrete, collective proposals — without a few loud voices dominating.
When to use it
- You want many voices heard, not just the confident few.
- The topic is sensitive and feels hard to discuss in one large group.
- You want dialogue that ends in shared, actionable proposals.
How to implement it
Several rounds of small-table conversation, then a plenary harvest that pulls it all together.
- Open
Set the scene
Create a hospitable, informal setting. Seat people in small groups of 4–6, each with a guiding question and a table host.
You produce- Small tables, each with a guiding question
- Mix
Rotate the rounds
After each round, everyone but the host moves to a new table. The host recaps; the new group builds on it. Repeat for 2–3 rounds.
You produce- Ideas carried and refined across tables
- Gather
Harvest together
Reconvene as one group. Share the themes, tensions and proposals that surfaced, and synthesise them.
You produce- Shared themes and concrete proposals
- Decide
Prioritise
Agree which one or two proposals matter most and would have the biggest impact.
You produce- 1–2 priority actions to take forward
A powerful way to explore a theme with a wider group. Its proposals feed straight into prototyping and planning.
- Building Community — to frame the themes you will discuss
- Fishbowl Dialogue — another way to open honest dialogue
- Action & Sustainability Plans — to turn proposals into owned actions
World Café Planning Canvas
Use this canvas to design and run a World Café. Print it at A3, or fill it in with your hosting team.
Theme & purpose
What are you exploring together, and why?
Guiding questions
One open question per round (2–3 rounds). Word them to invite ideas, not yes/no answers.
Setup
Tables, group size (4–6), materials and a hospitable, informal setting.
Rounds & timing
How many rounds, and how long each.
Roles
Table hosts, a timekeeper and a lead facilitator.
Harvest
How you will gather and cluster the ideas from every table.
Prioritisation
How the group will choose the top one or two proposals.
Next steps & owners
What happens after — and who takes each proposal forward.
How to facilitate a session
A guide to hosting a World Café — how to prepare the tables and questions, run the rounds, and harvest concrete proposals.
1 Prepare
- Invite about 16–25 people and arrange small tables of 4–6 in a relaxed, informal space.
- Write one open guiding question per round (2–3 rounds), building from recognising the issue to proposing action.
- If the topic is sensitive, consider inviting practitioners as conversation partners, not lecturers.
- Assign a host per table, a timekeeper and a lead facilitator; provide paper tablecloths and markers.
2 Run the session
- 10 minWelcome — explain the format and café etiquette: everyone contributes, build on others, note ideas on the table.
- 15 minRound 1 — recognise the issue: each table discusses the first question while the host captures notes.
- 15 minRound 2 — everyone but the host moves tables; the host recaps and the new group builds on it.
- 15 minRound 3 — rotate again and move toward concrete proposals.
- 20 minHarvest — reconvene as one group; each host shares highlights; cluster the themes on a wall or board.
- 15 minPrioritise & close — agree the one or two proposals to take forward, and who owns them.
3 Follow up
- Write up the harvested themes and the proposals the group prioritised.
- Share them with participants and any partner organisations involved.
- Hand the priority proposals to your Action Plan or a prototyping session.
- Thank the table hosts and invite feedback.
4 Running it online
- Use a shared whiteboard with one “table” (frame) per group, and breakout rooms for each round.
- Keep one host per breakout room who stays while the others rotate between rooms.
- Bring everyone back to a single board for the harvest, and use quick polls to prioritise.
- Prefer privacy-respecting tools, and keep rounds shorter (10–12 min) online.
Example of implementation from the Labs4Change project
The World Café methodology was implemented through three structured rounds of small-group dialogue, with approximately 20–24 students rotating between tables after each round while designated hosts remained to connect the conversation threads. Representatives from the Women's Center of Karditsa and the Volos Shelter participated as conversation partners rather than lecturers. This generated concrete, actionable outcomes: the harvest phase produced six distinct proposals for adapting organisational practices to the university context, with students prioritising two initiatives for immediate implementation — a clear, well-publicised referral pathway connecting students to external support services, and a mandatory "Gender Equality Introduction" session for all first-year students as part of the orientation programme. University leadership subsequently decided to implement both priority actions within the same academic year, demonstrating the methodology's effectiveness in translating dialogue into institutional policy.
Drawing on the practices the invited organisations presented, students identified several types of actions with clear potential for adaptation within the university.
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Resources & references
- Reference The World Café — hosting method & principles The classic design principles this method builds on.