Patterns & Metaphors
Discussion group
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This can be a long-term or short-term group for an exchange of ideas between the participants. There is usually a leader or leaders and rotational leadership is especially effective in maintaining an equal level of "group responsibility" amongst the participants. There is usually a focus to the discussion, and generally some kind of report or synthesis is required. In the conference situation the feedback that comes from the group can be in the form of new questions, new data, problems, proposals, etc.
[Advantages] Equality of participation, and a chance for everyone to contribute. Input towards the conference process receives its first refinement, before being passed on to the whole assembly. The exchange encourages the airing of different perspectives, anticipations and needs and works towards the development of common understanding.
[Disadvantages] In a conference situation the use of discussion groups can be undervalued by the participants and organizers and become a "chewing- over" of the ideas that have been presented by the previous speaker, in which case participants experience themselves as mere consumers.
