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Shift and share

Shift & Share is designed to surface and spread valuable ideas or innovations that might otherwise remain hidden within a group or organization. 
What Is Made Possible
  • Rapid knowledge sharing: Multiple innovations or programs can be shared quickly and effectively without relying on long, one-way presentations.
  • Peer-to-peer learning: Small rotating groups engage directly with innovators at “stations,” making it easier to ask questions, connect, and understand how ideas work in practice.
  • Visibility of hidden gems: Useful practices or solutions that may not be widely known get a platform to be seen, appreciated, and adopted.
  • Cross-pollination of ideas: As participants move between stations, they can spot patterns, make connections, and even combine ideas into new, creative mash-ups.
  • Confidence and clarity for presenters: Innovators refine their message through repetition and feedback, gaining confidence and insight into how their ideas are received.

  • Time needed

    90 minutes

  • Preparation

    1. Miro Board (online) or paper (F2F)
    2. Setup several station (5-8) for presenters and audience (F2F)
    3. Split into smaller groups - prepare the rooms online in Teams

  • How to start

    1. Invite participants to visit several innovators who will share something new or innovative they are doing and that may be of value to them

  • Step-by-step and timing

    1. Describe the process: explain that small groups will move from station to station for a 10-minute presentation and brief questions and feedback period. If it wasn’t done in advance, identify the 3 to 7 presenters for the innovation stations (can be people who volunteer in the moment). Form the same number of small groups as there are presenters. (5 min)
    2. Each small group goes to a different station, where presenters conduct their sessions (repeated up to 7 times). (10 min. per station/session)
    3. Participants ask questions or provide feedback. (2 min. per station/session)
    4. Small groups move to the next station. (1 min. per move)
    5. Repeat until groups have visited all stations.
    6. Total time for visiting 6 stations is approximately 90 minutes.

  • Hints

    1. Pick presenters by digging deep into the informal social networks (presentation skills and charisma are less important than content for this approach)
    2. Keep tightly to the schedule: use a loud sound or tingsha bells to signal the shift from one station to the next
    3. When possible prepare the presenters: 10 minutes is much shorter than they are used to!

  • Examples of use

    1. Quickly share ideas and innovations
    2. Enable people to recognize that they are innovating or have the potential to innovate
    3. Build trust and a community of practice among members

  • Link with other Liberating Structures

    Link with:

    Improv prototyping

    Open space

    What 3 debrief

  • Link to Liberating Structures page

    Shift and share

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