Patterns & Metaphors
Buzz group
Template:
A two-person group. Can be used in a general session by having each participant turn to a neighbour to discuss a presentation. Usually of short duration. It can also be used very effectively to "warm-up" a large group by having them meet several people through several dyads which can be formed on the basis of various arbitrary criteria.
[Advantages] Extremely informal and simple to set up. Buzz groups virtually guarantee total participation and have great potential for individual involvement. They provide a measure of support to individuals preparing to risk a contribution to the whole assembly. Many separate aspects of the issue at hand can be considered simultaneously and there is the widest possibility of expression of the different characteristics of the members with respect to background, knowledge, or point of view.
[Disadvantages] A large number of people talking causes an increasingly high noise level. The informality can get out of control. An extremely dominant member of the dyad can submerge any contribution that the other might make, although time allotted to each member can help to avoid this. Turning to your neighbour may mean turning to your colleague with little prospect of a new discussion; or it may mean turning to someone with whom it is rather uncomfortable to communicate, for personal, linguistic, or ideological reasons. There may be wide variations in the time required to cover a subject by the different dyads which can lead to mild attacks of boredom or frustration.
