Kotter Groups

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Process presented material in small groups and record collective questions or takeaways.

Use it when: Directly following an informational briefing, lecture, or project update when listeners need to digest content and frame follow-up questions.

Skip it when: When attendees need quiet solo reflection time, when no substantive content was just delivered, or when the room requires a full-assembly decision rather than small-group processing.

Group arrangement: Subgroups of 3 to 4 people

Timing: UWT structured plan fitting the 15-minute lower bound from source evidence

Materials and tools

• One index card or half-sheet of scratch paper per group of 3 to 4
• One pen per group
• Flipchart and marker or slide displaying the discussion prompt

Before participants arrive

1. Write the discussion prompt clearly on a flipchart or slide before beginning.
2. Place index cards and pens within easy reach of seating areas.

Say this to open

Please turn to two or three neighbors to form a group of three or four. Before discussing the presentation, take two minutes for quick introductions around your circle. Then work together on the prompt on the screen and write down your group's top response on your card.

How to run it

1. Form groups and introduce 3 minutes

   Participants form groups of 3 or 4 by turning to adjacent neighbors. If an odd group has 2 or 5, fold them into a trio or quartet. Each person shares their name and one brief check-in detail. The facilitator signals when two minutes have elapsed to ensure content discussion starts on time.

2. Review the prompt and assign roles 2 minutes

   Point to the posted prompt. For example: 'What was the clearest takeaway from the presentation, and what single question remains unanswered?' Each group designates one volunteer scribe to capture notes on their index card and one timekeeper.

3. Discuss and document takeaways 6 minutes

   Groups converse about the presented content. Each member shares their perspective. The scribe records common themes and writes one prioritized question or takeaway on the group's card. People who prefer not to speak may write a thought on the card directly.

4. Share highlights and conclude 4 minutes

   Reconvene the full room. Invite up to three groups to read their single written question or takeaway aloud. Collect all cards from remaining groups so unanswered questions can be addressed in follow-up communications.

Debrief questions

• What common theme or unresolved question surfaced across your discussions?
• Which concept from the presentation became clearer after hearing your peers' perspectives?

Finished output: One index card per subgroup containing their main takeaway and top unresolved question.

Remote

Create breakout rooms of 3 to 4 participants for 9 minutes covering introductions and discussion. Display the prompt in the main room and broadcast it to breakout chats. Direct each group to type their top question into a shared digital document or chat channel upon return for plenary review.

Hybrid

Keep in-person attendees in trios in the room and assign remote attendees to dedicated virtual breakout rooms of 3 to 4. Collect written outputs via a shared online document accessible to both room scribes and remote scribes so everyone sees all submitted questions.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may contribute by writing points directly onto the card rather than speaking aloud.
• Any participant may pass on speaking during introductions or group debrief without explanation.

If the session gets stuck

Groups spend the entire time on personal introductions and run out of time for content.

Give a firm verbal time check at minute three stating that introductions must wrap up and content discussion must begin.

A participant is left without a group.

Promptly place the individual into an existing trio to make a quartet, keeping all groups between 3 and 4 people.

Terms used here

• Scribe: The person in a small group who notes down ideas on paper or digital text for the group.