Library of facilitation techniques

If curiosity and empathy can be a driver of creativity, there is no reason why they need be restricted to the observation of others. A range of technologies increasingly allow us to track, monitor and in doing so discover things about our own behaviours. Much of creativity is centred on making visible the invisible and for this reason spending time experimenting tools which allow us to do this may help us reflect on the potential for digital tools to be part of our creative toolbox.

A classic improv game designed to encourage creative thinking, develop improvisation skills, and energize a group - great to break the ice and generate laughter with minimal set-up!

Radical Dreaming invites participants to imagine bold, transformative futures without the usual constraints of feasibility or current limitations. It’s a space to envision what’s truly possible, before practicalities narrow the field. This method centres imagination as a critical part of futures thinking.

A simple exercise that complements exploratory, discursive, and creative workshops with insights and opinions from outside. Use this exercise when brainstorming ideas, developing a new product or service or creating a strategy or plan that will include others. Participants phone a co-worker and ask them questions relevant to the task. This quickly generates meaningful input from a range of “outside” perspectives. Often, participants will be surprised at how simple it was to solicit this input and how valuable it is to the process.

One person sculpts 2 people in relationship. Sculpted people shift their relationship to each other. 

This method helps groups assess the potential impacts of future changes, both positive and negative, and reflect on how resilient they are to different types of disruption. It supports balanced, practical conversations that go beyond excitement or fear, focusing instead on preparation and adaptability.

The river crossing game is one of many simple games that gives your group the chance to sharpen their problem-solving skills while having a bit of fun. Participants need to cross an imaginary river as a team and they need to get all members of the group safely there.

A scripted roleplay highlighting the importance of accountability and good governance.

"ice melter" to connect participants in small groups around something unusual they have in common (created by Jan Keck, of Ask Deep Questions)

An icebreaker game to empower people to be more opened and start a conversation with the others.

Scenario Planning is a structured approach to imagining multiple, plausible futures. Rather than predicting one outcome, it helps groups explore a range of possibilities shaped by uncertainty and change. It’s a powerful tool for preparing strategy, stimulating creative thinking, and stress-testing assumptions