--- title: "Fishbowl Review" description: "A volunteer person or pair repeats a completed roleplay or presentation in front of the whole room. Observers record structured feedback on paper or forms, followed by a guided group debrief." last_updated: "2026-09-20" canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/fishbowl-knowmium-the-un-training-consultancy/" --- # Fishbowl Review A volunteer person or pair repeats a completed roleplay or presentation in front of the whole room. Observers record structured feedback on paper or forms, followed by a guided group debrief. **Time:** 15 minutes. UWT suggested standard 15-minute review block based on Knowmium 5 to 15 minute band **People:** 4 to 24. 1 or 2 performers in the center, all remaining participants acting as observing reviewers ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Demonstrate a live performance sample to examine specific behavioral criteria and gather targeted peer feedback. **Use it when:** Directly after small groups or pairs complete a practice exercise like a negotiation, pitch, or customer conversation, when reviewing one shared example clarifies common challenges. **Skip it when:** Skip when participants have not yet practiced the skill in smaller groups, or when high evaluation anxiety makes public performance counterproductive. ## Materials and tools - One observation sheet or notebook per person - One pen or pencil per person - A countdown timer display visible to the performers and room ## Before participants arrive 1. Arrange seating so the center demonstration space has clear sightlines from all observer chairs. 2. Ensure small-group or paired practice has fully completed before starting this activity. 3. Distribute the observation sheets and pens. ## Say this to open Now that everyone has practiced in pairs, we will watch one live example in our fishbowl circle. Seeing one conversation in front of the room lets us spot common patterns and sharpen our evaluation skills. I need one volunteer pair or person to repeat their run for 5 minutes. While they demonstrate, everyone else will write down specific observations under two headings: what worked well, and one practical suggestion. Performers, focus on each other rather than the audience. ## How to run it ### 1. Set observation criteria and invite volunteers (3 minutes) Call for one volunteer person or pair who just practiced the exercise. If no one volunteers immediately, allow a pre-notified participant to step forward, or invite volunteers to perform a shortened 2-minute version. Reviewers write two columns on their observation sheet: Strengths and Suggestions. Example: if practicing a negotiation, reviewers watch for clear boundary setting and active listening rather than general charisma. ### 2. Conduct live demonstration (5 minutes) The volunteer performer or pair enacts their practice scenario in the center of the room. Observers remain silent and write specific, descriptive notes on their sheets. The facilitator tracks time and gives a nonverbal 1-minute warning, then calls time at minute 5. ### 3. Performers reflect and peers write feedback (3 minutes) Ask the volunteer performers first: 'What felt effective, and where did you hit friction?' Give them 90 seconds to speak. Meanwhile, observers finalize two concrete, constructive written notes. If using a digital rubric or physical note cards, observers hand or submit their written notes to the performers now. ### 4. Debrief observations with the room (4 minutes) Facilitate a structured room debrief focusing on technique rather than personal critique. Invite up to three observers to share one specific behavior they noticed and why it mattered. Connect these observations back to the core assignment rules. ## Debrief questions - What specific verbal phrasing or behavior in this demonstration made the interaction clear? - Where did the conversation hesitate, and what alternative move could keep it moving forward? - How does what we observed here apply to the conversations you ran in your own pairs? **Finished output:** Written observation notes handed directly to the performers, plus shared identification of key performance patterns across the room. ## Remote Pin or spotlight the video feeds of the volunteer performers in the main meeting room. All other participants turn off microphones and cameras while taking notes. Collect peer notes using a shared online form or private direct messages sent to the performers. The facilitator calls on 2 or 3 observers to unmute during the final debrief. ## Hybrid Performers stand in front of both the in-room audience and the room web camera. Remote participants keep cameras on gallery view or pin the performer camera. Remote observers post written feedback in a digital shared document or form that in-person participants also use or that the facilitator prints/forwards later. Balance debrief comments by taking one from an in-person attendee and one from a remote attendee. ## Access and participation choices - Observation notes can be written by hand, typed on a personal device, or dictated privately. - Performance in the center is strictly voluntary; participants may choose to remain silent observers throughout the exercise without providing a reason. ## If the session gets stuck **No one volunteers to perform in front of the entire group.** Switch immediately from a full live performance to having pairs stay in their seats while one pair volunteers to read just their opening 30 seconds, or review a short recorded video example instead. **Observer feedback turns harsh, personal, or defensive.** Intervene and reframe comments toward observable actions. Ask: 'What specific sentence or physical action did you see, and what alternative phrasing would you test next time?' ## Terms used here - Fishbowl: A group format where a small center group acts or talks while the surrounding larger group watches and takes notes. ## Participant material: Observer Note Card Template Fishbowl Observation Record Performer(s): Scenario / Topic: 1. Observable Strengths (What concrete actions, phrases, or choices worked well?): - - 2. Concrete Suggestion (One specific adjustment or alternative move to test): - 3. Takeaway for My Own Practice (What did I see that I can adopt?): - ## Sources and adaptation Observed in Knowmium tool catalog under the title 'Fishbowl' written by Joshua Davies (2020). The core mechanic of conducting a live performance after breakout practice with observer evaluation is preserved from Knowmium's writeup. UWT added explicit time limits, balanced step divisions, clear observer note-taking prompts, performer-first debrief sequencing, and psychological safety guidelines regarding strictly voluntary participation. [Knowmium](https://knowmium.com/tools/2020/6/2/fishbowl) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/fishbowl-knowmium-the-un-training-consultancy/