Facilitation Game – Blossoming Ideas

The Petal Power Facilitation Game

Objective of the Game

The Petal Power Facilitation game is designed to guide teams through a structured process for idea generation and prioritization. Using a large flower metaphor with eight petals representing different ideas, participants will collaborate to brainstorm, explore, and evaluate concepts, leading to actionable outcomes. The game’s objective is to spark creativity and build consensus around key ideas, helping teams move from divergent thinking to aligned decision-making.

When to Use This Facilitation Game Play

Use Petal Power Facilitation when you need to:

• Generate fresh ideas or solutions to a problem.
• Help teams collaborate on a wide range of ideas.
• Prioritize multiple ideas and decide on actionable steps.
• Break the ice in workshops or brainstorming sessions, making the process engaging and inclusive.

This game is particularly effective in team retrospectives, project kickoffs, or innovation meetings when there’s a need to evaluate various ideas and come to a consensus.

Facilitation Game Setup

Materials Needed:

1. Flower Template with Eight Petals (each petal represents an idea: Idea 1, Idea 2, etc.)
2. Post-its (variety of colors for different phases)
3. Timer (to ensure time-bound phases)
4. Dot votes (for idea prioritization)
5. Dice (to randomize idea discussion)
6. Markers
7. Flipchart or whiteboard

You can purchase visual facilitation charts for this game at Visual Thinking School Charts.

Game Phases

1. Petal 1-4: Ideation (Divergence Phase)

Objective: To brainstorm a wide range of ideas related to the topic.

Game Mechanics:

• Each participant receives four post-its and is asked to write down one idea per post-it based on the topic or question at hand.
• Set the timer for 5 minutes to encourage fast thinking.
• Participants place their post-its on the first four petals (Idea 1, Idea 2, Idea 3, and Idea 4) of the flower template.
• After the timer goes off, each person briefly explains their ideas, but deeper discussions are saved for the next phase.

By limiting time and post-its, the group is encouraged to share a variety of ideas without overthinking. For more insights on why quick brainstorming works, check on https://visualthinkingschool.eu/charts

2. Petal 5-6: Discussion and Expansion (Convergence Phase)

Objective: To delve deeper into selected ideas and refine them.

Game Mechanics:

• Roll a dice to randomly select two petals (Idea 5 and Idea 6).
• The group now focuses on discussing and expanding these two ideas, asking questions like, “How can we improve this idea?” or “What would make this idea feasible?”
• Use a timer to keep the discussion limited to 5-7 minutes per idea, allowing for focused exploration.

This phase allows participants to collaborate and refine the initial ideas, giving them more depth and consideration before moving forward.

3. Petal 7: Prioritization (Voting Phase)

Objective: To prioritize the best ideas for implementation.

Game Mechanics:

• Using dot votes, each participant is given three dots to place on any of the ideas they believe hold the most promise (on any of the seven petals).
• Set a short timer (2-3 minutes) for voting to keep the energy up.
• The petals with the most votes are highlighted as the priority ideas.

Tip: Participants should be able to distribute their votes strategically based on the criteria for success, feasibility, or impact. Voting helps create a clear visual consensus of the group’s priorities.

4. Petal 8: Action Planning (Execution Phase)

Objective: To create actionable steps for the top ideas.

Game Mechanics:

• The final phase focuses on the top-voted ideas. Participants work together to break down the chosen ideas into actionable steps, writing each action on a post-it and placing it on Petal 8.
• For each action, roll the dice to determine which team member will take ownership of the task, adding an element of randomness and fun.
• Document the action items on a flipchart or whiteboard for clarity and future tracking.

At this point, it’s crucial to ensure that every actionable idea has an owner and a timeline for execution.

Wrap-Up and Reflection

At the end of the game, take a moment for reflection. Ask participants for feedback on the process and whether any ideas from earlier phases deserve further attention.

Petal Power Facilitation is a highly visual, structured, and fun way to guide teams through idea generation, discussion, prioritization, and action planning. For those looking to deepen their skills in visual facilitation and lead engaging sessions like this, check out our Visual Facilitation Certification Course at Visual Thinking School Courses.

Why Petal Power Works

This game around the principle of visual thinking, helping teams not only to generate ideas but also to see connections, vote on priorities, and execute actionable plans. Using visual metaphors like the flower petals enhances memory retention and encourages holistic thinking, while game elements such as dice and dot votes keep the activity dynamic and engaging.

Ready to try Petal Power Facilitation? You can get the facilitation charts for this activity at Visual Thinking School Charts and make your next meeting or workshop bloom with creativity!

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Piyuesh is the founder of Visual Thinking School, Netherlands. He is passionate about empowering organizations and classrooms with Visual Thinking Skills. He conducts trainings onBusiness Sketchnotes™ , Classroom Sketchnotes™, Visual Business Storytelling™, Graphic Facilitation™

In his free time, piyuesh likes practicing Aerial Yoga, Acro yoga, Krav Maga and Pole workouts.

He can be reached out at his Instagram and Linkedin