Flipcharts
- Flipcharts**
…on the versatile use of Flipcharts
TYPE: collaborative tools
TEAM SIZE: 2-10, 11-30, 30+
- What, when & why**
Flipcharts themselves are these white, clean, paper holding boards that at first glance look like nothing productive may ever come from them. But as a facilitation tool, **they are a low-threshold source of quick, structured and sometimes even creative collaborative working**. Do flipcharts mean, that one is constantly flipping through charts? Not really – **there is also “art” in flipchart!** They can be anything you want them to be – yes, sometimes quite chaotic or boring, but often also analogue masterpieces.
And what to do with the results? That will most probably be context dependent. It is possible to use them to start new projects, improve team structures, agree on new modes of communication, inspire a reflection process…
You need: a flipchart, pens, people, optional: moderation cards, sticky notes or dots (for a more detailed list of moderation suitcase material, _click here LINK_).
- Goals**
One could say that a flipchart is the old-school, **analogue version of a fancy brainstorm/mind map software** - but it still has a lot of potential. To get the most out of it, make use of colors, headlines, font sizes, pictograms, bubbles and other shapes of moderation cards or drawings.
- The goal is to make a visually stimulating, inviting and (pre-)structured room to collect ideas and to get as many viewpoints on topics as possible** in a brainstorm-manner. The structure part does not have to be prepared prior to the occasion, it can also be structured along the way by a _moderator (LINK)_.
The 7 key aspects of flipcharts are therefore:
1) group size and setting
2) structure (on the pages, e.g., by grouping ideas)
3) clear goal of each sheet
4) clean writing
5) figures/ colors/ effects/ symbols to increase stimulation and creativity
6) time planning
7) reducing hesitations, mixing up groups
- Getting started**
There are different modes of using flipcharts as a facilitation tool.
The more classical and static form is to have **one or more flipcharts or paper sheets on the wall in front of a group and to collect in an open group discussion (plenary mode).** Participants can add sticky dots or plusses or tick marks next to responses they agree with or ideas they like. This mode can make sense for moderated brainstorming, feedback and idea collections that are important to have in the whole-group setting.
Depending on the group size, this mode has more or less advantages. In a small to medium group size (up to 15-20), is has the potential to foster a lively discussion where one idea inspires the next. For larger groups (> 20) the main problem is the speaking time and the risk that not everybody gets the chance to speak up or feels empowered. It might also be the more time-consuming mode when every participant individually speaks in turns.
A more flexible approach is the so-called “**wandering/rotating flipcharts**” (subgroup mode) where there are multiple flipcharts prepared in a room, each designated to a specific topic. In groups, there are multiple rounds of idea collection, each within a certain time frame. Once the time is up, the participants rotate or move across the room to another flipchart. **The process is then repeated multiple times, so that every flipchart is visited and enriched by every participant.** To finish it up, there will be a final plenary round of presenting each flipchart.
The following aspects can be modified according to the setting, group size, group interaction and goal.
Groups
The original group is either split by a facilitator into subgroups or by asking the participants to go to one of the flipcharts, ideally the one they feel most comfortable with or that inspires them the most. Groups then form naturally at the respective spots. This starting point in the “comfort zone” might ease first flipchart collections for groups of strangers.
Rotation after first round
The rotation through the room can be a free rotation to whatever flipchart the participants opt for, consequently, each round of standing and collecting in front of a flipchart has a different dynamic, since the groups constantly change. Alternatively, the whole group from the first wall moves on together. Here, it still has different dynamics, since there is more and more information and ideas already on the chart to react to.
Material
Ideas can be collected by either simply writing on the flipchart paper or by writing on moderation cards and pinning/taping them to the paper. There is the optional instruction for the groups to collect and record the responses on the flipchart individually **and** as a group.
Collection mode
A nice modification to keep it more organized is to put a dot/plus/tick mark next to ideas from prior groups and only add new aspects to the list. This can also be re-grouping if the flipchart works with moderation cards instead of writing directly onto the paper sheet. The groups should be reminded from time to time a) to write precise, almost self-explanatory ideas, b) to cluster the collected ideas and c) to also collect questions for the plenary round at the end.
Beware that sometimes, even though the paper sheets are prepared and structured, the final result may be quite messy. For a brainstorming facilitation in the big group, a next step can then be to reduce, combine or prioritize ideas and aspects. This narrowing down help for e.g. agree on a list for next project steps.
Moderator
The collection process can either be accompanied by a constant moderator (from within the original big group) at each flipchart wall, so that the grown structure of e.g. the mind map can be explained or the discussion can be moderated. This mode has some overlaps with the _world café_ _(LINK)_ tool.
It can however be kept unmoderated, which might empower the constellation of participants to find an own rhythm.
- Pitfalls**
There may be even more, but at least every key aspect of flipchart use has some pitfalls that you should be aware of. There are also initial solution steps included.
1) group is too big/ too uncomfortable with each other/ room is too small split up into subgroups, start with a game to get to know each other, move to bigger room
2) no structure (on the pages) and in the collection process by the group make a break/ stop the idea collection and remind to cluster more clearly, go around or join the groups to find out what the problem is, assist in finding a structure
3) no clear goal or topic of each sheet clarify goals with the participants along the way
4) unreadable writing start new and copy with clearer writing
5) no figures/ colors/ effects/ symbols, no creativity not the biggest issue, ask if someone wants to get creative, consider handing out more fun and colorful material
6) you planned too much for too little time shorten the collection time, reduce the number of rotations (not every person sees every flipchart, ideally still keep the final plenary round
7) many hesitations, no mixing of groups, few new ideas difficult, consider complementary facilitation tools (games to get to know the group), re-mix groups
- Links and further reading**
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/using_rotating_flip_charts_as_a_facilitative_tool
https://www.activepresence.com/blog/facilitation-tools-wandering-flip-charts
The author of this entry is Linda von Heydebreck.
