As part of our Think Tank Factory at col.lab and Debate Exímio Lda, the World Café method offers a powerful way to bring stakeholders together in a format that prioritizes listening, idea-sharing, and collaborative thinking.

Whether you're convening a policy roundtable, an innovation sprint, or a civic engagement forum, the World Café helps create a conversational space where diverse voices shape shared understanding and actionable outcomes.

This method is one of several we offer under our Think Tank Factory approach, and can be integrated into both in-person and virtual formats, always tailored to your context, audience, and goals.

What Is a World Café?

The World Café is a structured conversational process that fosters open, creative dialogue around critical questions in small groups. Participants rotate between tables, cross-pollinating ideas, and building on the insights of others, just like in a dynamic café environment.

This approach is ideal for:

• Stakeholder engagement

• Policy development

• Innovation discovery

• Community-driven problem solving

• Strategic foresight

How It Works

• Small group tables (4–6 people) discuss a focused question

• After a set time, participants rotate to a new table

• A "table host" stays to summarize and maintain continuity

• Ideas are captured visually (on paper, graphic templates, or digital whiteboards)

• A harvest session at the end brings together insights and key themes

Whether online or in person, we design and facilitate World Café sessions to be engaging, intentional, and outcomes-driven.

Why Use World Café in a Think Tank Context?

• Democratizes voice — Everyone contributes equally

• Builds collective intelligence — Ideas evolve through multiple perspectives

• Strengthens trust — Informal conversations foster openness

• Generates actionable insight — Themes emerge organically, ready for synthesis and action