TECHNIQUES

The Messy Room

Imagine walking into a room that looks ‘strange’, ‘messy’, ‘carnaval-esque’ and nothing like what you expect a workshop to look likeWhat happens when our first act as a group is to create the space the way we want - to actually think about what would feel good? The first step to take ownership of the process, is to learn how to co-create a collectively owned space.

Written by

Quime Williams

Edited by

Denisse Albornoz

Developed by

We first piloted this technique during our training course on Participatory Action Research (PAR) in Colombia. We watched participants nervously enter the space in its messy state. A look of confusion crossed their faces while we welcomed them into the space as warmly as possible – equally nervous to see if it would work out. Once they all settled uncomfortably on the floor, we asked them the first question: so, how are you all feeling? After establishing that they felt sufficiently awkward, we asked them to recreate the space in the way they want. We put a song on and they started reorganizing. We then checked with them again to see how they feel, their faces and bodies looking visibly more relaxed. Already the group felt more cohesive after its first collective act, and the space felt warmer.

For us, it was an important way to get participants involved in co-creating space, as a first act of taking ownership in the process.

What are we trying to understand about the community/group?

We are observing what are the kinds of spaces that make participants feel most comfortable. We pay attention to how they are able to find a collective vision around creating a space, how they work together, and how they interact. People’s preferences can reveal what feels comfortable, cultural tendencies, understanding of power dynamics and willingness or not to break from the norm (do they set up the room so that we sit in a circle or a traditional ‘teacher-student’ classroom style, or boardroom set up, or do they create multiple spaces in the room?).

Why is it important for the community’s/group's development?

It's important to give people ownership of the space they're in. If people walk into a pre-arranged space, they walk into a space that is not theirs. We want to change the tone, and put them in the steering seat from the get go. It also allows us to welcome diverse experiences. In the opening moment when we ask people how they find the room in its ‘messy’ state - we can hear a range of experiences from ‘disorganized’ and ‘chaotic’ to ‘fun’, ‘inviting’, ‘creative’. It’s important that we create space for diverse interpretations and experiences and remind people that it's ok that we don’t all feel the same way about it but how do we want to make it feel so that it's comfortable for everyone.

At what stage(s) of the research cycle is this method used?

You introduce this technique at the very very beginning since you're setting up the space for the process to start.

What do I need?

Whatever is in the room including all your workshop materials. Create disorder and unexpected shapes in the room with how you arrange the tables and chairs and place your materials messily around the room.

How long does it take?

40 minutes (the exercise with participants only takes 10 mins, but preparation of the room takes time)

Make the room messy or ‘strange’ looking (before the workshop starts). Instruct people to remain outside of the room until the start of the workshop. You can also put a sign on the outside of the door. It's important that everyone walks in together so that it can be a surprise that the group experiences together.

Invite the whole group to now enter the room and play a quirky song while they walk in. Watch participants walk into the room and welcome them and invite them to come in and explore the space.

When a couple of minutes have passed, pause the music and ask the group first: How would they describe the space? Remind them that all interpretations and descriptions are welcomed. After hearing from a few people (be sure to encourage diverse opinions if they exist) ask the second question: How does it make you feel to find the space like this? Once more, hear from a few different people.

Now invite them to arrange the space in the way they would like to work in it today.? Give them 5 minutes. Put on a fun playlist!

When they are done, ask them how does the space look to them now?

Then ask how they feel in the space now?

These are slighter shorter rounds than the first time we asked these questions.

Lastly end this exercise asking them why do you think we started this way? Take a few comments. Usually people name ownership of space, thinking outside of the box, inviting us to work together, signaling that this is a ‘different’ kind of workshop, etc. You can comment on anything that is missing that you feel is important to name at this point.

This exercise encourages people to play with and exercise their agency in the space, it gets people to start working together in the first few minutes of a workshop and it’s a lot of fun! It also already gets us naming our feelings and normalizing diversity. For the facilitators it’s also the opportunity to get a read on the vibe of the group. Are they shy? Playful?

This exercise will challenge you to hold awkwardness in the first minutes as people step in.

The Messy Room - Research Technique — Here is a photo of Gioel coping with participants stepping in and acting awkward.

If used in a training on participatory research/facilitation it can be used to stress that space does matter in workshop settings.

If working in a conflict or sensitive context, you might consider making more shapes in the room as you arrange it as opposed to having tables and chairs flipped over. This is because the chaos of an explosive looking room could be triggering.

You can do two rounds of this exercise: one with and one without music to talk about the power of music in getting people energized.

You can ask participants to do this exercise various times within a workshop as an icebreaker and to change the vibe of the room. Put good music on while they are re-arranging the room. Put a song you know participants like and will get them going.