Introduction to the Knowledge Cafe

The Knowledge-Caf é If only we knew what we know By David Gurteen and Dan Remenyi

What is a K-Café?
A knowledge café is a means of bringing a group of people together to have an open, creative conversation on a topic of mutual interest to share ideas and to gain a deeper collective understanding of the subject and the issues involved.

What are the objectives of a K-Caf é ?
To gain mutual understanding of a complex issue
To gain a deeper understanding of other people’s perspectives
To gain a deeper understanding of one’s own views and thinking process
To flush out issues which need airing & exploring
To help build a consensus around an issue or topic

Where is it used?
We have used this technique many times in public forums and within companies to explore complex issues
The Royal Society for the Arts are using a form of K-Café in conjunction with a coffee house in the UK later this year all over the country to discuss social issues relevant to the societies aims
I have also recently used it in the NHS to explore how people might better communicate and work together

When would a K-Café be run?
Knowledge share
Develop a Code of Practice
Get Networking going
Gain new perspectives
Gain new ideas

What is the history?
How long has it been around & where did it come from?
The term knowledge-café has been around for the last 7 years or so
But only in the last 2 or 3 years has it come into more common use
Has its roots in work of David Bohm, William Isaacs, Juanita Brown
Also has roots in OST (Open Space Technology) which goes back to 1989

How is it different from OST?
It is quite different
The OST process is more complex
OST is used for purposes other than gaining mutual understanding e.g. problem solving and defining agendas
OST meetings tend to be larger - often 100s of people compared to dozens for K-Cafés
OST meetings tend to last longer - often days rather than hours

Is it a talking-shop?
No its NOT a talking-shop. A talking shop is normally used pejoratively and it implies no useful outcome other than the airing of ones own ideas
A K-Caf é is different in that everyone leaves enriched by a deeper level of understanding of the subject in question

Why is the K-Caf é important?
The world is a much more complex place than it used to be - at times even chaotic - it is not always clear what is going on - we need to take time to UNDERSTAND
We do not find the time these days to have open conversations, we are under pressure to make quick decisions
KM for example should not be about creating and sharing ever increasing knowledge but understanding more fully the knowledge that we do have!

What does a K-Café do for the individual?
The K-Caf é operates on the assumption that people really have within themselves a greater level of insight than they are often conscious of. The K-Caf é can tease this out.
You hear yourself say things in k-café conversations that you did not know that you knew
A k-café kind of crystallises your knowledge
New ideas are sparked
Fresh perspectives emerge ...
And with increased observation and reflection comes understanding and this paves the way for change

What does a K-Café do for the individual?
Some people just have problems expressing themselves
Sometimes you just don’t know what you think until you have said it!
Learning how to hear and to understand yourself
The K-Café is a little like an anti-inhibitor and thus stimulates discussion

What resources are needed to run a K-Caf é?
Not a lot to run to a simple format
A group of people
A facilitator or host
A room with plenty of space
Tables and chairs - ideally round tables to seat about 5

Do you need anything special in the room?
Some K-Café formats have special requirements such as round tables, paper table cloths, felt tip pens, flowers on the table and coffee
The aim being to create the right ambience
An unthreatening and hospitable environment
Everyone must feel save to free express themselves without any potential recriminations
But the K-Cafés that I run need none of these props but of course you could add them if available

How do you run one?
K-Cafés can be run in a number of different ways. Some formats are very simple others are more complex
I use a very simple format and it’s the one I am going to describe
A K-Caf é runs for 90 minutes to a couple/few hours
They work best with between 20 and 30 people
But they can be run with as few as a dozen or as many as 100 people

What's the process?
1. Explain the k-café concept
2. Set the theme and questions
A facilitator or host introduces the K-Caf é and the subject under discussion. The optimum time for this less than 10 minutes
The purpose of the K-Caf é is made clear to everybody
The facilitator poses one or two key open ended questions.
The participants group themselves into groups of 4 or 5 and are invited to discuss the subject for 45 minutes.
The whole group re-assembles for an exchange of ideas as a whole for 45 minuets

What subjects are can be covered?
Any subject can be addressed
Explore questions that matter to those who are participating in the K-Caf é
Remember the K-Caf é is not a debating forum
A K-Caf é would normally explore only one theme
A K-Café is NOT about decision making.

What is the Role of the Facilitator ?
The facilitator need not be a subject specialist. If not you might use a subject specialist to introduce the question/s
Nor disciplined in facilitation
Simply a good listener and chairperson skills
The facilitator should not take a lead in the discussions. He or she should wander around and listen into the groups but should not lead them .
Should listen out for problems and remind people gently of the rules of ‘dialogue’

What’s the role of the individuals?
In the words of Theodore Zeldin : to be prepared to emerge a slightly different person
To see people with different views not as adversaries but as sources from which you can learn
To enter into open conversation
To listen more than speak
To welcome differences
To withhold judgment
Position taking should be avoided
Minimum political correctness should be followed

How do things work within the small groups?
Don’t appoint a leader or chairperson
Everyone should be equal and fully engaged in the conversation
Don’t appoint a note taker either
Anyone can make their own notes if they want to
Everyone reports back their own perspectives to the final group if they want to

How does the large group sit?
If possible bring everyone back into a relatively tight horse-shoe shape group so that every one can easily see each other as well as hear each other
Only use microphones if absolutely necessary as they inhibit the natural flow of the conversation

Describe the large group discussion?
Individuals are asked to remember that their comments are for the whole group and not for the facilitator. They are not reporting back to the facilitator!
The objective is the hold a ‘group conversation’
The facilitator needs to work at encouraging this

How does the facilitator work with the large group at the end
The group should be doing the work with minimal intervention from the facilitator
Facilitator needs to encourage participation
Facilitator needs to ensure that no one person or group dominates the discussion
Connect diverse perspectives
Facilitator needs to keep time

How do you record the outcomes of a K-Café
The real outcome is what people take away with them in their heads and the new connections with other people that they may have made
What ever you record things you should avoid disrupting or influencing the conversation in anyway
You record it (audio or video) but I would advise against it
Best to appoint an outside person to take notes
Participants should not be burdened with routine recording as they need to be fully engaged in the conversation

The Outcomes of a K-Caf é
The real outcome is what you take away with you in your head
New connections with people
A deeper understanding of the issue discussed
A deeper understanding and insight into other people’s perspectives
A better appreciation of your own point of view and how it is seen by others
A better knowledge of what you know and don’t know and what others know and don’t know
In a position to make more informed decisions

Other Formats
theworldcafe.com
Flipcharts/flowers/table cloths/pens etc
Can get in the way
Need additional cost/budget
If have that luxury then ok
Groups can move around
takes longer
ok if you can afford the time

Where can I learn more about K-Cafés?
That’s simple
There are a lot of resources on the web
A good stating point is gurteen.com
Where you will find a link on the home page to other resources including theworldcafe.com

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Introduction to the Knowledge Cafe

by David Gurteen on May 24, 2007

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Introduction to the Knowledge Cafe — Presentation Transcript