Event exercises
Exercise # 1 Make animal sounds and find like-minded people
Part # 1 The moderator asks each participant to make a sound of an animal that he or she likes. Make sure you sound relatively loud, so other participants can hear you. Part # 2 The moderator asks each participant to go and find like-minded people by listening to the sounds other participants make and approach participants who make sounds that come closest to one’s own sounds. Inspiration http://www.kommunikationskollektiv.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Moderationsmethoden-S4C-KoKo.pdf
Exercise # 2 What do we have in common?
In groups of 3-4 people, please find out what you have in common.
Inspiration https://www.amazon.de/Sell-Human-Surprising-Influencing-ebook/dp/B00AO3K05S location 1230.
Exercise # 3 What postcard shows your feelings best?
Postcards with different images are spread out on a slide or – if on a physical room - on a table. Each participant is asked to pick one card that expresses his / her current feelings in the best possible way. Inspiration https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/zfh/methodenbar_2012.pdf
Exercise # 4 Make a vernissage
Step # 1 Each person creates a photo or drawing about the topic of the event. Step # 2 In 2-3 person groups, each participant talks about the photo or drawing he or she created.
Inspiration https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/zfh/methodenbar_2012.pdf
Exercise # 5 Agree – disagree exercise
Ask participants to place themselves where they have their opinion on a certain topic. Totally disagree
Totally agree
Ask people to share with another person why they placed themselves where they did.
http://www.kommunikationskollektiv.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Moderationsmethoden-S4C-KoKo.pdf p. 6.
Exercise # 6 Finish the sentence
Unfinished sentenced are shown, for example on slides or on walls. Then participants are asked to finish the sentences.
https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/zfh/methodenbar_2012.pdf p. 12.
Other examples of questions
1. 2. 3. 4.
What did you learn from the presentation? What do you think about x? How can you contribute to this? What do you need to know more about?
Example # 1 When cars drive by themselves, people will.............. Example # 2 A great city is a city where people......
Exercise # 7 3 minute chat with the person next to you
3 minute chat with the person next to you
What is important to you in what has just been presented?
Sources of inspiration https://hbr.org/2014/08/four-ways-to-fix-the-qa-session/ http://www.kommunikationskollektiv.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Moderationsmethoden-S4C-KoKo.pdf p. 4. http://legacy.hbr.org/tip/2014/10/30/turn-your-boring-qa-session-around Ib Ravn: Facilitering, p. 93-94.
Exercise # 8 What’s your idea to solve the problem?
30 seconds per person
Each of you, please communicate 1 idea to solve the problem.
Exercise # 9 Please share a success experience you had
1 minute per person
Each of you, please share a success experience, you had in your life related to the event topic.
Exercise # 10 How can you help?
One at a time, each participant asks everyone for help to solve a problem he / she has. After a participant has shared what he / she needs help with, all other participants use their knowledge, resources, and connections to help the person.
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/organization/givers_take_all_the_hidden_dimension_of_corporate_culture
Exercise # 11 Appreciative inquiry exercise
3 questions to be discussed in groups of 2-3 people: 1. What is the best meeting you have participated in? 2. What was really good about this meeting? 3. How can we do more of this in coming meetings?
Inspiration http://oqi.wisc.edu/resourcelibrary/uploads/resources/Facilitator%20Tool%20Kit.pdf p. 11-12.
Exercise # 12 How can we improve the questions?
Step # 1 The workshop moderator suggests a topic to work on. Example: Farming innovation. Step # 2. 3 minutes Each participant develops questions individually.
Step # 3. 3 minutes Participants develop 5 questions in groups of 2 people, write each question on Post-It notes and put them on the wall. Step # 4. 3 minutes The moderator defines criteria for prioritizing questions. Participants prioritize questions. Inspired by http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2011/09/11/learning-to-ask-the-right-question-2/
Exercise # 13 Advice from 2 people
First, create groups of 3 persons.
Part # 1. 2 minutes
 Person A talks about a challenge he/she has at work.  Persons B and C listen.
Part # 2. 5 minutes Persons B and C Persons B and C speak to each other, as they both give feedback to person A in the roles as consultants. During their talk, they ignore person A. Examples: I need to understand better why he/she....…. because.......? What do you think would happen if he/she.…? This is what I would do:….. Person A When listening to the conversation between persons B and C, person A writes down what he/she can use.
Part # 3. 5 minutes
Person A picks out what he or she thinks is the best idea he / she heard when listening to persons B and C talk. Person A discusses this idea with person B and C.
Further inspiration http://www.managerseminare.de/downpdf/moderieren.pdf page 17.
Exercise # 14 Create multiple choice questions
Part A. 5 minutes Each of you, please create 3 multiple choice questions about the topic we discuss. Each question must  be relevant, and concrete, and simple.  have minimum 3 different answers of which minimum 1 answer is correct.
Part B. 2 minutes
Please pass the multiple choice question to the person on your left, and let him/her do the multiple choice test.
Part C. 5 minutes
Please hand the multiple choice test, you have just taken, to the person on your left and ask him / her to correct the test. The person correcting the test gives a short feedback to the person, who did the test - arguing for why the answer of the question is right or wrong.