Participatory Methods

What If

The What If dynamic is a participatory activity that invites participants to explore hypothetical scenarios related to a specific problem or situation. Through thought-provoking questions like “What if…?”, participants generate creative ideas, identify potential risks, or visualize innovative opportunities, fostering critical thinking and group analysis.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Establish the objective of the activity:
    • Explore creative solutions?
    • Identify potential risks?
    • Visualize future opportunities?
  2. Prepare materials:
    • Cards with pre-defined “What if…?” questions or space for participants to create their own.
    • Flip charts, whiteboards, or digital tools to collect responses.
    • Markers or sticky notes to record ideas.
  3. Set up the space:
    • In-person: Arrange tables or work areas for small groups.
    • Virtual: Use digital platforms for collaborative work.
  4. Define initial questions:
    • Prepare example questions to inspire participants, such as:
    • “What if we doubled our budget?”
    • “What if we eliminated a key step in the process?”

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Introduction to the purpose
    • Explain the objective of the activity and how “What if…?” questions can help explore new perspectives.
  2. Presentation of initial questions
    • Provide predefined questions related to the topic or problem.
    • Optional: Allow participants to create their own hypothetical questions.
  3. Work in small groups
    • Divide participants into groups of 4-6 people.
    • Assign one or more questions to each group, asking them to discuss and generate creative responses or solutions.
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Recommendations
  • Provide inspiring examples: Start with creative questions to motivate participants.
  • Encourage diversity: Ensure that groups include different perspectives and experiences.
  • Focus ideas: Encourage participants to connect their responses with concrete objectives.
Inspiration
Examples of “What if” questions:
  • What if we doubled our budget?
  • What if we eliminated a key step in the process?
  • What if we had access to advanced technology?
  • What if we involved more people in decision-making?
  • What if we had no time constraints?
  • What if everything was done automatically?
  • What if we cut costs in half?
  • What if we removed all current barriers?
  • What if we prioritized only one goal at a time?
  • What if our target audience completely changed?
  • What if we took a completely opposite approach?
  • What if we worked in smaller teams?
  • What if we could collaborate with our competitors?
  • What if we implemented ideas without analyzing them first?
  • What if we limited our resources to encourage creativity?
Materials
  • Cards with questions or space to write them.
  • Whiteboards, flip charts, or digital tools to record ideas.
  • Markers or devices for writing.
Online platforms
Purpose
The purpose of What If is to foster creativity, critical thinking, and solution generation through the exploration of hypothetical scenarios, allowing participants to consider new possibilities and approaches.
Type of activity
Participatory InteractionParticipatory Learning
Level of participation
Collaboration, Knowledge generation
Target audience
Educators, Facilitators, Students, Community leaders, NGOs and social collectives, Business teams, Government, Creative designers, Researchers
Fields of application
Education and training, Community development, Organizational and business management, Urban and rural planning, Health and social well-being, Art, culture, and creativity, Sustainability and environment, Public policies and governance, Innovation and design, Research and evaluation, Conflict resolution, Technology and digital environments, Citizen and social participation
Estimated duration
From 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the number of questions, format, and groups.
Ideal number of participants
From 6 to 20 people, organized into small groups.
Topics related to this activity
Active CollaborationBuilding Possible FuturesCauses and EffectsCollaborative ReflectionCreative Problem SolvingCreative ReflectionFuture ScenariosInnovative SolutionsKnowledge GenerationParticipatory DocumentationProblem SolvingReflectionRisk AnticipationRisk IdentificationRisk ManagementSolution GenerationStrategic PlanningTeamworkVisual DocumentationVisual Methodology
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