We develop, demonstrate and train people in effective approaches
to facilitating participation.
Our approach enables people to actively create and participate
in the changes that affect them - in their own lives, in their
groups, teams and organisations, and in their communities
and societies.
“In this useful book
are a series of lessons and techniques applicable to organisations
of all sizes and types as they learn to use participation
to meet the challenge of change” Rosabeth
Moss Kanter, author of “When Giants Learn to Dance”
and “The Change Masters” from the foreword to
“Winning Through
Participation”: the group facilitation methods of
the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA).
Benefits of the Technology of Participation (ToP)
We specialise in a methodology developed by ICA over its
50 year history working with people, communities and organisations
in the UK and worldwide. This is known as the Technology of
Participation (ToP).
The Technology of Participation provides a structured approach
to facilitation – a system of practical methods that
can enable you, as a facilitator, to:
- actively involve all members of a group in decision making
- maximise individuals' commitment and engagement
- build a team spirit that lasts
- achieve consensus
- articulate a shared vision
- make plans that really happen
ToP methods have been featured in publications including
ToP is our speciality and informs all of our work. However,
in our tailored facilitation work our experienced people use
a wide range of methodologies and approaches.
Elements of the ToP approach
ToP comprises two basic group facilitation methods and a
system of techniques for planning and organising events. These
tools can be combined to design processes that enable people
to effectively accomplish a wide variety of tasks.
The basic methods are known as the Focused
Conversation method and the Consensus
Workshop method. Common applications include the Action
Planning method, the Participatory
Strategic Planning process, the Historical Scan (or Wall
of Wonder), and many more.
Biases of the ToP approach
Compared to other approaches to facilitation, ToP methods
are biased toward:
- participation – our approach enables
everyone to have a say and influence the decision of the
group
- teamwork & collaboration –
our approach builds a deep sense of team spirit and achievement
- creativity – our approach brings
out new and creative ideas that people never knew they had!
- action – our approach ensures
that your meetings are not just talk – individuals’
sense of ownership of the group’s decisions means
that they are actually implemented
- reflection and learning – our
approach enables people to learn more about themselves and
each other from the process of working together
Origins of the ToP Approach
Download a 2001 article by Brian Stanfield for ICA Canada,
“The
Evolution of ICA’s facilitation methods” (pdf)
Find how you can benefit from our public
courses and books
and sticky walls, or our in-house
training and tailored
facilitation at your place.
Not for you?
Visit our facilitation
resources for links to alternative providers of facilitation
and facilitation training. |
