Teams and cross-unit collaboration
Set Conditions for Team Collaboration
Draw collaboration conditions from experiences of respect, then create questions for satisfying both sides and shared definitions.
- People
- 4–40
- Session time
- 105 minutes
- Format
- In person
English session plan
Original program status: draft. Source safety category: Medium; this is not a guarantee of safety.
Preparation: Less preparation needed. Facilitation team: Four roles, including someone with facilitation experience.
What this session can decide
Decide team collaboration conditions and review methods. Do not address personnel appraisal, fact-finding, or sanctions.
Outside its scope
- Do not force experience sharing.
- Do not substitute for a harassment investigation.
- Do not try to make everyone's personality the same.
Primary caution: Do not force experience sharing.
Before starting
- Question and scope
- Draw collaboration conditions from experiences of respect, then create questions for satisfying both sides and shared definitions. Before starting, state the subject and time period in one sentence.
- What this session decides
- Decide team collaboration conditions and review methods. Do not address personnel appraisal, fact-finding, or sanctions.
- Output recipient
- The Recorder stores the final collaboration-condition definitions, creating working terms with concrete examples, excluded examples, and review dates.
- Participation and information boundaries
- Explain the choices to pass, take a break, or leave. Keep personal information, confidential information, and attribute-based evaluation off the record surface. Assign Participant support separately.
- Operating roles
- Assign Lead facilitator, Recorder, Timekeeper, and Participant support before starting, and confirm who announces switching and stopping.
- Next review
- Set a review date, viewers, and the person responsible for the next decision on the collaboration-condition definitions.
Who takes responsibility
- Lead facilitator
Keep Set Conditions for Team Collaboration within its purpose and exclusions, and announce the start and end of each stage.
From before the start through the end
- Recorder
Record notes on conditions for respect, questions for satisfying both sides, and collaboration-condition definitions at each stage, then hand them to the recipient at the end.
From preparing record surfaces before the start through storage after the end
- Timekeeper
Notify the Lead facilitator 3 minutes before each stage ends and when switching to breaks or buffer time.
At the start of every stage and 3 minutes before its end
- Participant support
Receive requests to pass, take a break, leave, or check individually, and decide with the Lead facilitator whether resumption is possible.
From before the start through the end
Session flow
Minutes are measured from the session start. Method time, transition time, breaks and buffer are shown separately; they are not additional overlapping activities.
0–38 minutes
Identify conditions from experiences of respect
Method: Heard, Seen, Respected · 0–35 minutes. Transition: 35–38 minutes (3 minutes).
Only people who choose to share describe experiences of feeling heard, seen, and respected. Listeners do not advise; they record the actions and conditions that supported the experience.
Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Participant support
Output: Notes on conditions for respect
Handoff: Pass recurring conditions to the questions for satisfying both sides.
This stage may be shortened only in accordance with the stated conditions.
38–61 minutes
Turn conditions to satisfy together into questions
Method: Wicked Questions · 38–58 minutes. Transition: 58–61 minutes (3 minutes).
Choose pairs of conditions that are both needed but create tension. Write a question about how to satisfy both, rather than a question about abandoning one.
Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Participant support
Output: Questions for satisfying both sides
Handoff: Pass ambiguous words in the questions to definition work.
This stage is not marked as shortenable.
66–89 minutes
Align the language of collaboration
Method: Shared Definition Wall · 66–86 minutes. Transition: 86–89 minutes (3 minutes).
Display key terms one at a time, writing observable states, included examples, and excluded examples. Leave unagreed terms unresolved and set a review date.
Responsible: Lead facilitator; Recorder; Participant support
Output: Collaboration-condition definitions
Handoff: Pass the definition table to the team operations owner and all participants.
This stage is not marked as shortenable.
What is retained and who receives it
Notes on conditions for respect
Owner: Recorder
Express ease of collaboration in concrete behaviour and environmental conditions.
Questions for satisfying both sides
Owner: Recorder
Retain tensions as collaboration conditions rather than either/or choices.
Collaboration-condition definitions
Owner: Recorder
Create working terms with concrete examples, excluded examples, and review dates.
Materials and setup
Material names, quantities, groups and handling instructions retain the fixed draft's original helper-derived guidance. Where a format is marked “Source material specification”, the entire bound English source material entry takes precedence over the old helper-derived format guidance. This format-only correction does not resolve other instruction or safety concerns. English names are not substituted into a Japanese-keyed lookup.
Everyday tools
- Dark writing implements
Quantity: 1 per group
Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers
Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.
- Dark writing implements
Quantity: 1 per person
Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers
Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.
- Dark writing implements
Quantity: 1 per person
Format: Dark broad-tip pens or whiteboard markers
Check that ink flows and place them within participants' reach. Avoid pale-coloured pens.
Sheets to prepare by hand
- Cards for recording conditions that created respect
Quantity: 2 per group
Format: Source material specification: Two cards per pair, A6 or larger, for recording conditions that created respect
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Do not buy special cards; write Conditions that created respect at the top of paper pieces. If participants fill them in, put one entry on each card and handwrite the necessary headings before starting.
- Shared surface for posting conditions
Quantity: 1 per venue
Format: Large paper or a whiteboard
Write Shared surface for posting conditions at the top. Leave enough space for sticky notes or paper pieces not to overlap, and use lettering readable from a distance for whole-group sharing.
- Individual paper
Quantity: 1 card per person
Format: Source material specification: One individual sheet per person, A5 or larger
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Write “Individual paper” at the top. Leave enough space to arrange sticky notes or paper slips without overlap, and use lettering that can be read from a distance during whole-group sharing.
- Clean-copy question cards
Quantity: 1 card per person
Format: Source material specification: One card per person for the final question, A6 or larger
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Do not buy special cards; write Clean-copy question at the top of paper pieces. If participants fill them in, put one entry on each card and handwrite the necessary headings before starting.
- How to write a question addressing two conditions together
Quantity: 1 per venue
Format: Source material specification: One surface per venue for displaying the sentence pattern, at least 90 cm wide
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Write How do we do B while at the same time doing A? in large letters. Add that A and B are two conditions that must both be met for success, and that blame directed at individuals or units must not be included.
- Whole-group sharing surface
Quantity: 1 per venue
Format: Source material specification: One whole-group sharing surface per venue, at least 120 cm wide
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Write Whole-group sharing surface at the top. Leave enough space for sticky notes or paper pieces not to overlap, and use lettering readable from a distance for whole-group sharing.
- Key-term cards
Quantity: 1 per term addressed
Format: Source material specification: One key-term card per term, approximately A3 size
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Write Key-term card at the top. Retain the specified work surface and leave space for participants to place or write content.
- Sticky notes for word meanings
Quantity: 3 per person
Format: Source material specification: 3 meaning cards per person, approximately A6 size
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Write the meaning of the word being addressed as one short sentence per note. Write Exclusions and Specific decision examples on separate notes rather than mixing them into this note.
- Exclusion cards
Quantity: 2 per person
Format: Source material specification: 2 exclusion cards per person, approximately A6 size
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Do not buy special cards; write Exclusion at the top of paper pieces. If participants fill them in, put one entry on each card and handwrite the necessary headings before starting.
- Decision-example cards
Quantity: 2 per person
Format: Source material specification: 2 judgement-example cards per person, approximately A6 size
Source-bound format display correction; the other fixed helper-derived guidance is unchanged.
Before starting, write just one example close to the content used in this method. Show it as an example of how to write, not a correct answer for participants to copy.
Available at the venue
- Face-to-face chairs
Quantity: 1 pair for 2 people
Format: Chairs already at the venue; no new purchase needed
Place venue chairs face to face in pairs and remove the table between them. Keep routes and wheelchair turning space clear, and provide a position for participating without moving chairs. Do not place a table between the chairs.
Setup for each method
Heard, Seen, Respected
- Arrange chairs facing one another in pairs as the standard; only when the number is odd, make one group of 3
- Leave at least 1 m between groups so their stories do not overlap audibly
Wicked Questions
- Island tables for groups of 3–6: divide the participant count by 6 and round up to find the number of tables, with group sizes differing by no more than 1 person
- One display location per venue where every seat has a readable view of the sentence pattern and shared challenge
Shared Definition Wall
- A wall area with 3 columns for each key term: meaning, exclusions, and judgement examples; no more than 10 people per section
- At least 90 cm of space per term to retain up to 3 definitions vertically
When to switch or stop
Fallbacks
- One or more people do not want to share experiences.
Do not ask for personal stories; allow anonymous submission of desired conditions.
Method guide: Heard, Seen, Respected
Stop conditions
- Disclosure of personal experiences or attributes is forced.
- Stop sharing and allow anonymous conditions or passing.
- Disciplinary, appraisal, or harassment fact-finding judgements become necessary.
- Stop the dialogue and refer the matter to formal personnel, support, or investigation channels.
Sources, rights and limits
This site has composed this programme's purpose, connections between methods, facilitation, roles, outputs, and switching conditions. See each method's individual page for its sources and licence.
Original source records and their required notices are retained below. Their presence does not mean a new legal or cultural-safety clearance. Original citation titles are kept in their source language.
Sources and required notices for the 3 methods used
Heard, Seen, Respected
- Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026): Heard, Seen, Respected — Henri Lipmanowicz / Keith McCandless / Nancy White — Adaptation under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes made
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Source: Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026): Heard, Seen, Respected — Henri Lipmanowicz / Keith McCandless / Nancy White | https://www.liberatingstructures.com/heard-seen-respected | Adaptation under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes made
- Source: CC BY-SA 4.0 | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
- Attribution: Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless; Keith McCandless and Nancy White | Original-source author and contributor credit
- Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | Japanese adaptation and this site's own diagrams
- Changes and adaptation: Adapted as a Japanese facilitation score; changes made
- ShareAlike: Provided under CC-BY-SA-4.0
- Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
- Limits of this record: Adapted with changes as a Japanese facilitation score under CC BY-SA 4.0 and provided under the same licence. Only the current page is covered; material from June 2026 or earlier, official icons, and third-party material were excluded.
Wicked Questions
- Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026): Wicked Questions — Henri Lipmanowicz / Keith McCandless / Nancy White — Adaptation under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes made
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Source: Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026): Wicked Questions — Henri Lipmanowicz / Keith McCandless / Nancy White | https://www.liberatingstructures.com/wicked-questions | Adaptation under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes made
- Source: CC BY-SA 4.0 | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
- Attribution: Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless; Keith McCandless and Nancy White | Original-source author and contributor credit
- Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | Japanese adaptation and this site's own diagrams
- Changes and adaptation: Adapted as a Japanese facilitation score; changes made
- ShareAlike: Provided under CC-BY-SA-4.0
- Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
- Limits of this record: Adapted with changes as a Japanese facilitation score under CC BY-SA 4.0 and provided under the same licence. Only the current page is covered; material from June 2026 or earlier, official icons, and third-party material were excluded.
Shared Definition Wall
- 対話の譜面編集部: 定義の壁 — Original description and diagrams
- Source: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team: Shared Definition Wall | Original description and diagrams
- Attribution: Taiwa no Fumen Editorial Team | This site's text and diagrams
- Cultural caution: open-method screening complete: No closed, ritual, or sacred cultural practice is used as a source; declining participation, sensitive information, and power differences are addressed in each method's limits and branches.
- Limits of this record: The editorial team independently created the text, procedure, and diagram. No exclusive rights are claimed over general dialogue operations or ideas themselves.
Historical fixed-draft notes
The original fixed draft notes are retained without deletion as historical records of those fixed source versions. Current material format corrections are separately identified above; these notes do not imply that other concerns have been resolved.
- Respect-condition and clean-copy question sourceRaw cards require A6 or larger, and definition/exclusion/decision-example sourceRaw cards specify approximately A6; their display formats permit approximately 75 × 75 mm notes or quartered A4. No size correction was made.
- The sentence-pattern display sourceRaw requires at least 90 cm width and the whole-group sharing sourceRaw at least 120 cm, while display formats name large paper or a whiteboard without dimensions. These requirements remain in exact sourceRaw metadata.
Japanese resources and historical source records
Original Japanese plan and its print view · Japanese operation pack or starter materials
An English print edition is not provided here. The linked plans, print views and operation materials are Japanese resources.
Historical recorded publication holds
The following original hold statements are retained verbatim with their fixed source versions. They are not a statement of current acceptance, nor does this historical label resolve a source-specific restriction.
- English translation and rendered-page independent acceptance pending
- Method dependency source/text SHA binding and current source-specific rights verification pending
- Publication not cleared
Historical fixed-source and English-draft provenance
Japanese program SHA-256: 0022f37b6cd675ca006f76970280c842a4aef7388960c87548e2ea4bd2423b90
Fixed source context SHA-256: 84549f426796d61f39188699a26fb28d0b582cb85c2fa8ca9666616843128b65
English draft SHA-256: 2484bd62f79cdad93a62eb24371f384e972630c558f6aa1ff274c80ab2268d5f
- heard-seen-respected: source
60a0438a5c6efe21c0690764f50ee4122c24fb161aefaf99ae8e586bb4139466; English draft6e4c0df075d947b00d2ee469fe6a45271127ab240b3d78b77546fa3e9e4aa923 - shared-definition-wall: source
e74038b29c758bf19561b1db20737c6e19b32e9170bfe3344bcf90e01188f1b5; English draftf3ac8198921d391796bb31a5c9e8f4cce6170f96507a2786851311f7331badb3 - wicked-questions: source
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These hashes identify the checked inputs; they do not grant independent acceptance or publication clearance.