Introduction to Liberating Structures

1. Liberating Structures:
Creative Approaches to Facilitate
Trust, Inclusion, and Engagement
May 2019

2. Agenda
● Introduction on Liberating Structures (LS)
● Overview about LS
● Experience LS
● Resources

3. What are Liberating
Structures?
imple
ngaged
tructured
roup activities
A repertoire of 33+ options for organizing generative interactions
that include and unleash more people in shaping the future
S
E
S
G

5. What we will learn today from the LS Portfolio
Impromptu
Networking
1-2-4-All
TRIZ
15%
Solutions
What,
So What,
Now What

6. Impromptu Networking
Rapidly share challenges,
observations or expectations
while building new connections

7. Impromptu Networking
Rapidly share challenges,
observations or expectations
while building new connections
What brings you here today?
What challenges are you hoping
to address using LS?

8. What just happened?

9. Impromptu Networking
What was
STRUCTURED
about Impromptu
Networking?
What was LIBERATED
through Impromptu
Networking?

10. Impromptu Networking
What was
STRUCTURED
about Impromptu
Networking?
What was LIBERATED
through Impromptu
Networking?
When might you use
Impromptu Networking?

11. There are 5 micro-organizing dynamics
within every group interaction
● An Invitation
● Arrangement of Physical Space
● Sequence of Steps in an allocation of Time
● Configuration of Groups
● Distribution of Participation
These microstructural elements,
just like DNA, are always
present yet easy to overlook!

12. PRESENTATION
Thou shall not bore people!
CONVENTIONAL STRUCTURES

13. MANAGED DISCUSSION
I’ve called this meeting
to discuss a decision
I’ve already made
???????
CONVENTIONAL STRUCTURES

14. Let’s go around
the table and
share updates
I’ve literally done
nothing but I can
talk for 5 minutes
This is
boring
STATUS UPDATE
CONVENTIONAL STRUCTURES

15. Can’t think
of anything…
BRAINSTORM
CONVENTIONAL STRUCTURES

16. “The Goat Rodeo”
Open Discussion
CONVENTIONAL STRUCTURES

17. Attributes of Liberating Structures
• Expert-less: requires only a few minutes to
introduce; novices can succeed after a first
experience
• Results-focused: likely to generate better-
than-expected purposeful results
• Rapid cycling: fast iterative rounds are very
productive
• Seriously fun: boosts joy, freedom &
responsibility
• Inclusive: together, everyone is invited to
shape next steps
• Multi-scale: works for everyday solutions,
projects, strategy, movements
• Self-spreading: simple to copy without
formal training
• Modular-Minimalist: the parts can be
combined & recombined endlessly
• Licensed via Creative Commons

18. 1-2-4-All
Engage everyone simultaneously in
generating ideas, questions,
or suggestions

19. 1-2-4-All in
Motion
1-2-4-All in Motion
Invitation
1 Minute
Alone
2 Minutes in
a Pair,
Sharpen &
Shape
4 Minutes in a
Foursome,
Synthesize
3 – 10
Minutes in
the Whole
Group, only
Best in Class
Ideas
1-2-4-All
serves as a
fundamental
pattern in many
of the other
Liberating
Structures
Multiple short
cycles are more
productive than
one longer
session.

20. • Alone, generate a response to the invitation (1 min)
• Pairs, share what you came up with and mutually shape the ideas (2 mins)
• Quartets, try to synthesize a contribution (4 mins)
• All, hear from any groups with something everyone needs to hear (3 mins)
• Repeat in rapid cycles to add clarity, depth, or diversity
1-2-4-All - Sequence of Steps & Timing

21. What opportunities do you see for
making meetings more effective at
Colby?

22. Microstructural Debrief: Pairs
What did you notice
about the structure?
When might you use 1-2-4-All?

23. TRIZ
Stop counter-productive behaviors to
make space for innovation

24. The Force Field of Change
● In order for change to occur, driving forces
have to outweigh restraining forces
● There are 2 ways to make change possible:
○ You can strengthen and add more
driving changes
OR
○ You can weaken or subtract restraining
forces.
● In this next structure, we’ll be looking at
ways we can reduce the restraining forces.

25. TRIZ: Schedule and Sequence of Steps
2. First alone, then in
your group, go down
your list and ask:
Is there anything we
are doing that
resembles in any
shape or form to-do’s
on our list?
STOP
3. First alone, then in your group,
compile the list of what needs
to be stopped1. First alone, then in
your small group,
compile a list of to-
dos in answer to:
How can I/we
reliably create…the
opposite of what
we want to achieve
Go wild!
Ask: How am I and how are we going to stop it?
What is your first move to STOP this behavior?
• Be as concrete as you can
• Bonus questions:
• What triggers this behavior?
• What competing commitments and
assumptions may be holding you back?
• What do you need from others to STOP?

26. When it comes to unleashing creativity and innovation, what is
everything we could do to guarantee that
• People play it safe
• New ideas and behaviors are discouraged
• Differences of opinion are glossed over in the name of a fake harmony
• Continue doing things the same way we’ve always done them
• Stop exploring
• Narrow our point of view
• Focus only on what is asked
TRIZ

27. Is there anything on our list that resembles a current behavior
or practice? Be unforgiving...
TRIZ
How could we STOP doing those things?

28. What was
STRUCTURED
about TRIZ?
What was
LIBERATING
about it?

29. TRIZ
Stop counter-productive behaviors to
make space for innovation
When could you use TRIZ to come
at a problem or goal differently?

30. Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh
Zadach (TRIZ)
Theory of Inventive Problem Solving

31. 15% Solutions
Discover and focus on what
each person has the freedom
and resources to do right now

32. A 15% Solution is something you can do
right away without needing any more
freedom, resources, permission,
authority, or control.
i.e. you have discretion to act right now.

33. 15% Solutions
Discover and focus
on what you have
freedom/resources
to do now
What is your
15% solution
Chairs for
(unlimited
number of)
pairs or trios
Everyone
included with
equal
opportunity to
contribute
1-3-All
(many
options)
Generate 15%
solutions alone
then share for
support
15% Solutions – in TRIOS
Invitation
Space, Materials
Participation
Distributed
Groups
Configured
Steps, Sequence

34. 15% Solutions
Alone:
What is one thing from the TRIZ list that resembles a
behavior you witness on your campus?
What are 15% solutions you could implement next
week to reduce or stop the negative behavior you just
identified?

35. Share 15% Solutions in
trios and try to amplify
one another’s ideas.
Be prepared to share.

36. What was
STRUCTURED
about 15%
Solutions?
What was
LIBERATED or MADE
POSSIBLE?

37. What, So What,
Now What?
Look Back on an Experience
and Decide How to Apply It

38. What, So What, Now What?
Look Back on an Experience and
Decide How to Apply It
38NCCI-LS Presentation for
Alone first, then in groups.
⮚What? What stands out about our time
together?
⮚So what? Why / what about that is
important to you?
⮚Now what? What are your takeaways
from the material we have already
covered?
Sense Making

39. What did you notice
about the structure?
When might you use What, So
What, Now What?
Microstructural Debrief: Pairs

40. Counterintuitive Results
SAME
Different
Micro-Structures
Better
than
expected
results
Enduring
cultural
change
SAME

41. Thank
You

43. Generating Ideas
Write down one BOLD IDEA that would create an
ENGAGED & INCLUSIVE culture.
★ Add a first step that could help this happen.
No names & write legibly

44. Generating Ideas
1. Pass cards around while milling around
2. STOP when the Bell *DINGs*
3. Read the idea on the front of the card
4. Mentally rate the idea: 1 = ho-hum to 5 = fabulous
“Would work!”
(Decide BEFORE turning the card over)
5. Put your rating on the back of the card
Repeat (5 rounds altogether)

45. Generating Ideas
6. Add all the scores after the last round*
7. Call out highest scoring items (Top 10)
8. Write them on newsprint
9. Take a picture
10. Collect all the cards
*If you have more than 5 scores, add them together, divide
by the total number of scores, then multiply by 5

46. Microstructural Debrief: All
What did you notice
about the structure?
What was made possible or
liberated?

47. When could you use 25/10
Crowdsourcing to generate bold ideas
or solutions?