Project Constellations

What participants gain

• Articulate individual aspirations and expectations for the project.
• Identify potential synergies and interdependencies within the team.
• Develop a shared understanding of individual motivations and goals.
• Enhance communication and collaboration skills.

Materials needed

• Large sheets of paper or whiteboard
• Colored markers or pens
• Sticky notes
• Images or symbols representing different aspirations
• Tape or glue

How to run Project Constellations, step by step

1. Introduce the activity and its purpose (5 min).
2. Explain the concept of a 'constellation' as a visual representation of interconnected ideas (5 min).
3. Distribute materials and instruct participants to create their individual constellations, representing their aspirations and expectations for the project (20 min).
4. Facilitate a sharing session where participants present their constellations and explain the connections between their ideas (10 min).
5. Guide a discussion to identify common themes and potential synergies within the team (5 min).
6. Discuss how this method helps to create a shared understanding of individual motivations and potential synergies.
7. Encourage participants to use symbols and images to represent their ideas.
8. Facilitate a sharing session where participants present their constellations and explain the connections between their ideas.
9. Guide a discussion to identify common themes and potential synergies within the team.
10. Conclude the activity by summarizing the key insights and action items.

Facilitator tips

• Encourage participants to use symbols and images to represent their ideas, making the constellation more visually engaging.
• Remind participants that there are no right or wrong answers, and that the goal is to explore diverse perspectives.
• Emphasize the importance of active listening and respectful engagement during the sharing phase.
• Use open-ended questions to prompt deeper reflection and connection-making.
• Manage the energy in the room by encouraging movement and interaction during the constellation-building process.

Common challenges

• Participants struggle to articulate their aspirations - Provide guiding questions and examples to help them get started.
• The constellation becomes too cluttered and difficult to interpret - Encourage participants to focus on the most important connections and simplify the visual representation.
• Some participants dominate the discussion - Use a talking stick or round-robin approach to ensure everyone has a chance to share.
• Participants disengage due to lack of interest - Connect the activity to their personal goals and highlight the potential benefits of the project.

Running it virtually

Adaptable to Miro or Mural. Create a shared digital whiteboard where participants can drag and drop images and text to create their constellations collaboratively.

Expected results

A visual map representing individual aspirations and expectations for the project, fostering a shared understanding of team motivations and potential synergies.

Build a session around Project Constellations

METODIC drops Project Constellations into a complete session plan with timing, materials, worksheets, and a facilitator guide — for any workshop, meeting, or team session.

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