A Fishbowl is a type of participatory event that allows for an interactive dialogue on any topic by a large group.
Use a Fishbowl as a participatory alternative to an expert panel and as a way to facilitate a meaningful conversation with a large number of people where everyone has a chance to contribute.
What is a Fishbowl?
The Fishbowl is a type of participatory event that allows for an interactive dialogue on any topic by a large group. The basic concept is that the 3-5 people sitting inside the fishbowl actively participate while everyone else sits outside of the fishbowl, observes, and listens. However, participants can rotate in and out of the fishbowl, ultimately allowing everyone present to play a direct part in the discussion. Furthermore, because people move in and out, the format encourages active listening.
Why organize a Fishbowl?
The Fishbowl format has several advantages:
It allows for active participation and breaking down the separation between ‘panelist’ and ‘audience’; in a fishbowl, anyone can participate and contribute
It provides an elegant means to engage a larger group in a meaningful conversation
Use a Fishbowl as:
An interactive, participatory alternative to an “expert panel” or traditional debate
A feedback session - could provide a richer way to gain insights than a typical focus group
A way to facilitate a meaningful conversation with a large number of people where everyone has a chance to contribute
How do you organize a Fishbowl?
Consider the following aspects of running a Fishbowl:
Logistics/Preparation
The Fishbowl format has variations, so pick the format that makes the most sense for your case
Allow for at least an hour
You could have 20+ participants, and multiple rounds
You could organize a Fishbowl face-to-face as well as virtually, with minor modifications
Agenda
Check-in [5-10 min]: welcome everyone and conduct a brief check-in so that participants can connect to one another and to the space. Check-ins set the context and tone for the event, and invite each member to be present, seen, and heard. (You can read more about check-ins and draw inspiration from these questions.)
Introduce the topic and the format.
Invite 3-4 participants to go inside the fishbowl first (you could also ask certain people before the event itself to be the first in the fishbowl to kickstart the conversation)
Leave an empty chair - open space for a new person to join the fishbowl. An empty chair also signals to someone already in the fishbowl to move out of the fishbowl to create space for others to participate
Start with a thoughtful guiding question (or set of questions). You could also design it as a series of cascading conversations, meaning, you expand from the first question to a subsequent related question, or let the conversation flow naturally.
Follow up
After the Fishbowl, as with all events, make sure that you follow up within 24 hours with notes from the event, information about upcoming events, invitation to community members to connect 1 on 1, or to continue the conversation (or even branch out into different conversations based on what came up during the Fishbowl) on the Community Platform.
Blog » Organizing a Fishbowl
Organizing a Fishbowl
Summary:
What is a Fishbowl?
The Fishbowl is a type of participatory event that allows for an interactive dialogue on any topic by a large group. The basic concept is that the 3-5 people sitting inside the fishbowl actively participate while everyone else sits outside of the fishbowl, observes, and listens. However, participants can rotate in and out of the fishbowl, ultimately allowing everyone present to play a direct part in the discussion. Furthermore, because people move in and out, the format encourages active listening.
Why organize a Fishbowl?
The Fishbowl format has several advantages:
Use a Fishbowl as:
How do you organize a Fishbowl?
Consider the following aspects of running a Fishbowl:
Logistics/Preparation
Agenda
Check-in [5-10 min]: welcome everyone and conduct a brief check-in so that participants can connect to one another and to the space. Check-ins set the context and tone for the event, and invite each member to be present, seen, and heard. (You can read more about check-ins and draw inspiration from these questions.)
Follow up
After the Fishbowl, as with all events, make sure that you follow up within 24 hours with notes from the event, information about upcoming events, invitation to community members to connect 1 on 1, or to continue the conversation (or even branch out into different conversations based on what came up during the Fishbowl) on the Community Platform.
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