The Knowledge Caf

A knowledge cafe gathers 12 to 24 people together to have a conversation.

It typically consists of a 15-20 minute presentation on a topic
of importance to the participants followed y three rounds of
conversation in groups of three or four! no more no less!
prompted y a "uestion.
#ach round of conversation lasts 10-20 minutes.
$he group si%e! topic focus and time limit mean
conversations flourish and monologues perish.
All the participants then sit in a circle for a whole group conversation for aout 20 minutes.
$he session is concluded with each person in the circle taking 1
minute to pledge a single action that they will undertake as a
result of their conversations.
Although the &nowledge 'afe can e put to a variety of
purposes depending on the topic and the "uestion! its
fundamental strength is to ring the participants together to learn
from each other( to strengthen their relationships! make
connections! glean insights and surface ideas and opportunities
and encourage new ways of thinking.
David Gurteen
)avid *urteen is an international consultant! speaker and facilitator in the fields of &nowledge
+anagement! ,rganisational -earning and ,rganisational 'onversation.
.is trademark is his knowledge cafes which he has developed and run
around the world for the past 12 years.
.e is the founder of the *urteen &nowledge 'ommunity - a gloal
network of 21!000 people in over 1/0 countries and his monthly
&nowledge -etter is now in its 10th year.
.e maintains an e1tensive resource wesite http233www.gurteen.com
In 4une 2010! )avid won the Ark *roup5s lifetime achievement award for services to &nowledge
+anagement.
6It sounds such a simple idea! ut until you have e1perienced a knowledge cafe
you won7t understand 8ust how powerful they can e in connecting people!
generating new ideas and tackling issues. )avid in particular rings a special
kind of energy to the room that really helps! ut when you stop and think aout it!
we are given very little time in our working lives to engage honestly and
authentically with one another in that uni"uely human activity! that fundamental
uilding lock of trust and understanding( conversation.9
James Brown
Head of Performance and Knowledge Management
Surre Count Council