Dynamic Facilitation

Dynamic Facilitation is a citizen participation method to determine ethics aspects in planning of public spaces as an open, chaired group discussion with a variable number of participants. Dynamic Facilitation is particularly suitable for issues such that the definition of severe and difficult problems, the solutions tabled and the objections to these solutions arousing emotions in the participants.

Process description
The method relies on the participants' creativity in finding a solution, and deliberately avoids conventional, linear facilitation structures.

Creative searching for solutions is initiated while developing mutual trust within a defined group. All the participants are genuinely anxious to achieve a solution, and the issue is emotionally charged.

Dynamic Facilitation is a group moderation method used extensively in organisational and management consulting, but can be transferred to other areas.

How does it support in planning of secure public spaces?

 * Supports the definition of security problems;
 * Supports determining citizens' perception of (in)security and risks;
 * Supports determining ethical aspects of security measures;
 * Supports identifying ethical emotions and objections to security solutions and measures.

Links and further reading

 * Participation & Sustainable Development in Europe. Retrieved from: http://www.partizipation.at/dynamic_facilitation_en.html [last access: 2012-07-18].
 * Dynamic Facilitation Associates - Network of Organizational Change Consultants Skilled in Dynamic Facilitation. Retrieved from: http://tobe.net/DF/dynamicfacilitation.html [last access: 2012-07-18].