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Harvesting group intelligence
Keep a record of the learnings and outcomes of a group session
Théorie
Introduction
Harvesting is an important phase of a group intelligence session, because it makes the results of each stage visible, from the divergence phase to the convergence phase:
- the information and circumstances concerning the topic at the time of divergence
- the ideas as they emerge
- decisions, plans of action and/or the next milestones identified during the convergence phase
“What do you want to leave with?” This is the right question to ask yourself before the session, to identify with the client the deliverables that will go into the harvest.
Also called “collective capitalisation”, it also makes it possible to give a material form to the less tangible elements such as learnings, emotions or questions.
Description
- What is the scope of the harvest?
A collective harvest is necessary for the group to leave with shared learnings. It can also be supplemented by an individual harvest that allows participants to internalise their personal learnings: in this case, each individual keeps their own harvest and only shares it with the group if they want to. - Who carries out the harvest?
Depending on the case, the collective harvest can be in the form of:
- the pooling of everyone’s personal reflections,
- the product of group work, shared by the group itself,
- a summary of a period of group sharing, carried out by the facilitator (in the case of the dialogue circle for example).
- How to harvest?
All modes of harvesting are possible: writing of course, but also photography, video, a physical Lego model, etc.
Deciding ahead of time on formats that will allow participants to capitalise on their discussions is recommended. These formats are of course to be adapted to the aim and expected deliverables of the facilitated session.
There may be several formats to be filled in in the case of workshops lasting one day or more.
Tips and advice
- Harvesting carried out by the group will always create better engagement moving forward than a harvest led by the facilitator, because ownership remains the key to a motivated group.
- If the number of facilitators allows it, one of them can take literal notes of the full group conversations. This would be useful in preparing for the debrief meeting of the session.