World Café is a conversational pattern where small groups talk about a topic at different “stations”. Each station has a topic. One group talks about the topic and leaves notes (or a station facilitator who can pass on thinking from one group to another). When groups switch stations, they discuss the station topic and do their own sensemaking. Seeing the other groups’ notes means there is cross-pollination – weaving – happening between them.
Each station is a temporary frame, but the frames get woven together within and across groups.
The goal is not to come to particular outcome or conclusion. It’s simply a practice to weave and deepen the context that may (or may not) inform next steps.
Wiser organizations 