Snowballing

Goals:

Collectivize resources and ideas, create a collective brain to come up with an idea, make a decision or define a solution.

Variable

30'

Writing material (physical or digital) and a timer

Any area in which the group can move and discuss.

None

The facilitator leads the group through the protocol, reading and then carrying out each point, one after the other.

The facilitator also keeps track of time and lets participants know when the time is up.

Define the space to be explored.

Bring materials for taking notes.

The snowball will take us from individual reflection on our issue to a pooling of ideas in pairs, then in fours, until the whole group is together. The usefulness of the exercise lies in the accumulation, merging, and possible transformation of scattered ideas.
Before starting, we clearly identify the issue (the problem to be solved, the solution to be found). Once this is done, we begin walking around the space.
Individual research:
While walking, we take three minutes to come up with one or two ideas on the given issue/theme. Without judging them, no matter how bad they may seem.
Pair meeting:
Now, for ten minutes, walk around the space to find someone to pair up with. If there is an odd number of participants, form a trio.
Once you have found your partner, spend ten minutes discussing and sharing ideas, creating a new one, or choosing one of the ideas brought up to develop it further. Again, without judging it.
Meet in groups of four:
Now, the pairs join to meet another pair to form a group of four and discuss for 15 minutes. We exchange ideas and decide whether this leads to a new idea or whether they choose to develop one further. (If the group has fewer than 8 members, gather the entire group together.)
We continue the process until the whole group is together.
Gathering ideas: We gather the notes and write down the whole group's idea(s) on a large piece of paper. Make a mind map if it helps.

At the end of the exercise, work can continue on implementing or formalizing the ideas created together.
When this works, the result can be magical, starting with a weak initial idea and culminating in an unforeseen, brilliant solution devised by everyone.