Session outline

Small-group dialogue formats such as Conversation Cafe or World Cafe work great in the real world (face to face). But can they be applied in a virtual surrounding as well? That's what we're trying to find out. The idea is to:

• Set up a cafe-style setting (tables, chairs etc.),
• Play with maybe one of the two formats (i.e. do a sample discussion, though we may have to shorten it slightly due to time constraints: CC is usually 90 mins, WC usually 3x 30 mins)
• Gather feedback, and
• Document the experience (so that others can build upon it).

References

• Conversation Cafe -- This method for small group dialogue works very well offline. The goal here would be to explore if and how it can be used online, specifically on Second Life. For more information: http://www.conversationcafe.org/hosts_agree.html and http://www.thataway.org/exchange/resources.php?action=view&rid=1583
• World Cafe -- This is a method for small to mid-sized group dialogue. It's pretty fun if you've ever been to one. Again, the question here would be to see if and how this process can work online, specifically on Second Life. For more information: theworldcafe.com, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Cafe and http://www.thataway.org/exchange/resources.php?action=view&rid=355
• Dialogue and Deliberation -- Read this excellent intro over at the NCDD (National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation) website: http://thataway.org/index.php/?page_id=713

Previous experiments

I'm pretty sure this has been tried before (to some extent). List any previous experiments here:

• http://www.deliberative-democracy.net/ebulletin/20060425.shtml

Dialogue topic of the day

Feel free to suggest another topic you'd like to talk about in our sample discussion:

• Intrepid/Tim: I suggest we actually talk about what's needed in order to make dialogue formats such as the above work in a virtual surrounding. More generally put, what are the success factors for meaningful discourse on Second Life?

Participants:

1. Intrepid Replacement, Tim Bonnemann (USA) -- Founder, Intellitics, Blog: http://www.plansphere.com
2. Amy Lenzo
3. Tracy Ruggles -- http://www.reinventnow.com / tracy at reinventnow dot com
4. sl: Mattis Voltaire, rl: Mattis Manzel (Germany) -- Mattis-Manzel-wiki
5. Maxie Schneider (SL), Martina Schubert (RL)

Prep work

Intrepid/Tim: Originally, I had planned to to a prep session on August 11/12, but had to cancel it due to other plans that weekend. Not too much to prepare anyway, so I guess we can just set everything up the day of.

• Provide links to resources (glossary)
• Set up a World Cafe (or Conversation Cafe) and do a couple rounds of dialogue
• Try out new SL voice feature
• Build furniture
• Traning material for newbies
• etc.
• etc.

Who's blogging?

• 2007/07/25 -- tracyshaun: Upcoming world café and barcamp in second life