Rotating roles

Rotating roles, variations and procedure steps

Rotating between roles allows participants to bring forward different views in that role or position as a process owner or stakeholder, views that often do not surface unless you “act out” a particular role.

Variation 1

Procedure Steps

1. The facilitator prepares a wheel with role titles and writes the problem in the center of the wheel. Role cards and a flip chart for each role must also be prepared.
2.  Participants are seated around the table .
3.  Every participant views the problem from his/her present role and records concerns, insights, ideas, or recommendations on the appropriate flip chart prepared for this role.
4. After everyone has finished, the wheel is rotated one position or, as an option, participants move to the next chair.
5. This process of rotation continues, and ideas are recorded on the flip charts, until all participants have rotated through all roles. No “pass” is allowed.
6. The facilitator ends the session and compiles flip chart information for the team’s next step in the problem solving.

Variation 2

Procedure Steps

1. Participants brainstorm ideas from the perspective of a character not in the room.
2. They record the ideas on the posted sheets of paper with the name of imaginary personalities.
3. Have people walk from sheet to sheet to write their ideas from that perspective.