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Facilitation

ToP Consensus Workshop Method (ICA)

The Consensus Workshop is a Technology of Participation (ToP) method from the Institute of Cultural Affairs. It takes a group from a single focus question, through individual and small-group brainstorming and card clustering, to a named, shared set of answers that reflects everyone's input.

5 phasesFacilitation
When to Use This Framework

When a few voices dominate or quieter people don't contribute

Your group discussions aren't balanced, you need better ways to include everyone, or conversations go in circles.

When a group needs to combine many individual ideas into a shared picture or plan that everyone recognises, especially in visioning, strategy and priority setting.

The 5 Steps
Follow this sequence to apply ToP Consensus Workshop Method (ICA)
1

Context

State the purpose and the focus question, outline the process and timing, and warm up with a short focused conversation. Takes about 5-10 minutes.

2

Brainstorm

People list answers individually, pick their best, then write them on cards in small groups. Ideas are shared with the whole group in rounds.

3

Cluster

The group places cards on the wall and forms clusters of ideas that belong together, starting with a few clear pairs and growing the groups.

4

Name

Each cluster gets a 3-7 word title that answers the focus question, starting with the largest cluster. The names hold the group's consensus.

5

Resolve

Read all titles, discuss their meaning and implications, optionally make a visual, and agree next steps.

What You'll Achieve

Ensures every voice is heard and the group's collective intelligence is unlocked.

Use it as one 60-120 minute block whenever a group needs to build a shared answer to a question such as 'What are the elements of our vision?' or 'What actions will we take?'. It often follows a focused conversation (ORID) and feeds action planning.

Practical Tips
How to get the most out of this framework
  • 1
    Use structured turn-taking to balance voices
  • 2
    Start with individual reflection before group discussion
  • 3
    Create safe spaces for minority opinions
  • 4
    Summarize and synthesize regularly
Best For
  • Strategic planning and visioning
  • Community and stakeholder workshops
  • Team priority setting
  • Groups of 5-50 people
Key Principles
  • Everyone has wisdom; everyone's input is needed
  • Move from individual to small group to whole group
  • Clusters are formed by relationships between ideas, not by pre-set categories
  • Names answer the focus question
Watch Out For
  • The quality of the focus question determines the quality of the result; test it before the session.
  • Clustering and naming need a skilled facilitator to avoid forcing categories.
  • Produces consensus on themes, not a detailed decision; plan follow-up for implementation.
Related Frameworks
Other Facilitation frameworks you might find useful
Belbin Team RolesThe Belbin Team Roles framework identifies nine distinct behavioral clusters that contribute to effective team performance. By understanding these roles, facilitators can build balanced teams, leverage individual strengths, and mitigate potential weaknesses to enhance collaboration and achieve team objectives.
Liberating StructuresA repertoire of more than 30 simple interaction patterns, such as 1-2-4-All, Troika Consulting and 15% Solutions, that replace presentations and open discussion with structured formats where everyone contributes. Each structure is specified by five design elements: invitation, space and materials, distribution of participation, group configuration, and steps and timing.
Six Thinking HatsEdward de Bono's method of 'parallel thinking' in which a whole group adopts the same mode of thinking at the same time, signalled by six coloured hats: facts, feelings, caution, benefits, creativity and process. It reduces adversarial debate because everyone looks at the issue from the same angle before switching.