Chapter: Knowledge Café Applications


Café conversation

This “us and them” problem is exacerbated by our reliance on impersonal communications technologies.

One of a leader’s greatest challenges these days is getting people to actually talk to each other; one-on-one meetings and old-fashioned brainstorming are vital to the success of any growing business.

Improving the flow of information is just one part of the communications challenge; getting employees to actually listen to each other is much more difficult.

A big part of the problem is that the only word that gets more play than “they” is “I.”

Credit: Richard Branson

In this chapter, I explain how you can adapt the Knowledge Café for a variety of purposes.

If you wish to read some stories of how organizations have used or adapted the primary Café process to their own ends then go to the Conversational Stories chapter.


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Introduction: Knowledge Café Applications The Knowledge Café is as much a state of mind as it is a fixed process

Conference Café ** Reading Group Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close The Knowledge Café is as much a state of mind as a fixed process. It is a way of viewing the world through a  conversational Continue reading Introduction: Knowledge Café Applications The Knowledge Café is as much a state of mind as it is a fixed process

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Reading Group Café A reading group, reading circle or book discussion club

Introduction: Knowledge Café Applications Engagement Café Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close A powerful application of the Knowledge Café uses the process as the backbone of a reading group, reading circle, or book discussion club. Book discussion Continue reading Reading Group Café A reading group, reading circle or book discussion club

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Engagement Café Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about.

Reading Group Café Marketing Café ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close An Engagement Café is a form of Knowledge Café designed to help people engage with an issue such as a new policy or procedure in Continue reading Engagement Café Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about.

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Focus Group Café An improvement on traditional focus groups?

Scenario Café ** Ideation Café: Beyond Brainstorming Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close There are several ways to obtain people’s opinions and feedback. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups are three of the most common. The Focus Group Continue reading Focus Group Café An improvement on traditional focus groups?

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Ideation Café: Beyond Brainstorming Generating and developing ideas through conversation

New ideas often emerge when we talk, listen and think together. Traditional brainstorming focuses on generating as many ideas as possible, leaving little room to explore and develop them. An Ideation Café offers a conversational approach where ideas can emerge, connect, and develop through collective thinking. Continue reading Ideation Café: Beyond Brainstorming Generating and developing ideas through conversation

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Collective Sensemaking Café Making sense together before making decisions

Meetings often bring together people who have already chosen an outcome and others who still want to explore the issue. When decision-making begins too soon, dominant voices prevail, and people leave unheard, unconvinced, and without ownership. Separating dialogue from debate allows shared understanding to develop before a decision is made Continue reading Collective Sensemaking Café Making sense together before making decisions

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Question Storming Café ** Questions can be more powerful than answers at times

Collective Sensemaking Café Conference Café ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close The purpose of a Questionstorming Café is not to come up with ideas but to generate questions. Designing a Café to come up with lots Continue reading Question Storming Café ** Questions can be more powerful than answers at times