Increasingly, people working in teams face complex issues that need resolving in an efficient, participatory manner that honours the group's diverse perspectives and individual creativity. The Workshop Book outlines the best practices of the workshop method, based on the Institute for Cultural Affair's Technology of Participation, and its use in consensus formation, planning, problem solving and research. It also discusses workshop preparation and design, leadership styles, dealing with difficult behaviour, and special applications such as its use in large groups and for planning purposes.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction Part 1. The Consensus Workshop Method 1. Why Use the Consensus Workshop Method?      Those awful meetings      Innocent of process      Common uses of "workshop"      When the method works best 2. Some Background      Development of the Method      The uniqueness of the method      The Impact of the method 3. The Consensus Workshop As Life Method      ICA/ ToP™ methods      Four phases      An example of the method in action      Five steps 4. Two Approaches to the Consensus Workshop      The cards approach      The flip chart approach Part 2. The Finer Points of the Consensus Workshop 5. The Context: Orienting the Group      The Workshop Assumptions      The Workshop Book 6. Brainstorming: Harvesting the Group's Ideas      Brainstorming using a flip-chart      Possible pitfalls      The facilitator's disciplined clarification of data 7. Clustering Ideas: Order out of Chaos      The intent of clustering      Traps in clustering      The clustering principle 8. Naming: One Concept from Many Ideas      The procedures 9. Step 5: Symbolizing the Resolve      Optional follow-up steps after a consensus workshop Part 3. Workshop Leadership 10. Design and Preparation of a Consensus Workshop      Assessing the group's techniques and situation      Creating a focus question      Orchestrating the process      Personal prep      Rehearsing the facilitator's stance 11. The Style of the Workshop Facilitator      The workshop facilitator's job      Launching a consensus workshop      Facilitator competencies      The fundamental requirement      The paradox of facilitators      Facilitation by the boss or the expert      Be the one you are 12. Challenges That Stretch the Facilitator      Difficult people or difficult behaviors      Using the method to deal with the issues 13. Time, Space, Mood and Group      Managing time effectively      Managing space      Managing the mood: creating eventfulness      Managing the group: using short courses Part 4. Consensus Workshop Applications 14. Using the Consensus Workshop Method with Various Group Sizes      A. Workshop for an individual      B. Workshop for a small group of two to four      C. Workshop for a group of five to 40      D. Workshop for a group of 40 to 100      E. Workshop for a group over 100 15. Using the Consensus Workshop Method in a Series      Model-building consensus workshop series      ToP™ Planning Series Appendix 1. Building Consensus Appendix 2. Examples of Focus Questions Appendix 3. ICA: Its Mission and Locations Bibliography Index