Facilitation Technique Number 8: Lotus Blossom Technique

The group starts with a central theme and surrounds it with up to eight aspects or characteristics. Each of these are 'petals' on a lotus blossom. Each of the petals then becomes a central theme which is subsequently expanded. This process continues until ample levels of ideas or details have been gathered about the central problem, issue or opportunity.

This is a similar technique to mind-mapping. However, it is slightly more organized in its approach.

How it Works:

·   Step 1:    The facilitator works with the group to articulate and document the central idea or concept to be explored. This is written, usually on large flip-chart paper, for all the group to see.

·   Step 2:    The group 'brainstorms' up to eight significant characteristics or attributes of the topic under discussion. These are 'sub-ideas' which are to be explored later. This original diagram becomes the original 'Lotus Blossom' diagram. Each of the sub-ideas are 'seeds' for more Lotus Blossoms.

·   Step 3:    Each sub-idea seed becomes the central idea for a new Lotus Blossom diagram. This process is repeated for each of the original sub-ideas.

·   Step 4:    Once all the Lotus Blossom diagrams have been created, they can be used as an agenda and topics for further discussions or analysis. Example:

Example:

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