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Liberating Structures Design Cards

A quick reference for liberators ready to design great meetings and workshops

by
EK
Elise Keith
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Liberating Structures Design Cards illustration

This deck puts the key information about every Liberating Structure in your hands. The cards are organized into five color suits, so you can quickly find the right one for your group and experience level.

The structures, illustrations, and icons used in this session are part of the Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026). We believe in open-source social innovation. This material is adapted from the original work by Keith McCandless and Nancy White and is licensed for your further use and adaptation under ++Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0++.

Go-To Interactions

These structures don’t assume a topic. They're content-agnostic engines for getting a room talking, thinking, or moving together. Plug in whatever question or challenge you're there to discuss. The facilitator’s effort lies more in asking great questions than in the mechanics.

1-2-4-AllEngage everyone simultaneously in generating questions, ideas, suggestions15 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Impromptu NetworkingRapidly share challenges & expectations while building new connections20 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Troika ConsultingGet practical and imaginative help from colleagues immediately30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Conversation CafeEngage everyone in making sense of profound challenges55 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Shift and ShareSpread good ideas and make informal connections with innovators20+ min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Options PlaceWithout a preset agenda, distribute control of meeting content and process to participants40+ min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Drawing TogetherReveal insights and paths forward through nonverbal expression80 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Mad Tea / Calm TeaGrasp a bigger, richer, funner context for taking a next step10-20 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Spiral JournalCalmly prepare and sharpen observations for the work ahead20 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Folding SpectrogramRecognize genuine differences and similarities on the way to deciding15 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.

Build Understanding

Surfaces what's going on before anyone tries to fix or decide anything. These structures bring a pre-framed perspective and are designed to reveal patterns, root causes, relationships, or more about the current state. The output is increased clarity, not a decision.

Appreciative InterviewsDiscover & build on the root causes of success1 hour
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Wise CrowdsTap the wisdom of the whole group in rapid cycles20 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Nine WhysMake the purpose of your work together clear30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Celebrity InterviewReconnect the experience of leaders and experts with people closest to the challenge at hand40 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
User Experience FishbowlShare know-how gained from experience with a larger community55 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Wicked QuestionsArticulate the paradoxical challenges that a group must confront to succeed30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Discovery and Action Dialogue (DAD)Define the step-by-step elements for bringing meetings to productive endpoints55 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Social Network WebbingMap informal connections and decide how to strengthen the network to achieve a purpose55 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Agreement and CertaintyMap challenges and match them to your solutions50 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Generative Relationships STARReveal relationship patterns that create surprising value or dysfunctions25 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Simple EthnographyObserve and record actual behaviors of users in the field2.5 hrs
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Principles Walk AroundHold a mirror up to your professed values and daily habits25 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Network Relationship PatternsIdentify and shape more productive work patterns25 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.

Move Work Forward

Commits to something: an action, a rule, a design, a next step. These pick up where methods designed to Build Understanding leave off. They focus less on diagnosing the situation and more on deciding what to do about it.

Creative Destruction (TRIZ)Stop counterproductive behaviors to make space for innovation50 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
15% SolutionsDiscover & focus on what each person has the freedom and resources to do now30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
What, So What, Now What? (W3)Together, look back on progress to date and decide what adjustments are needed30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
25/10 CrowdsourcingRapidly generate and sift a group's most powerful actionable ideas35 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Design StoryboardsDefine the step-by-step elements for bringing meetings to productive endpoints50 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Min SpecsSpecify only the absolute must-dos and must-not-dos for achieving a purpose45 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Improv PrototypingDevelop effective solutions to chronic challenges while having serious fun30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
What I Need From You (WINFY)Surface needs and work across functions and disciplines75 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Integrated AutonomyMove from either-or to robust both-and operational solutions70 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.

See the Big Picture

Zooms out to systems, cycles, and long time horizons. Higher setup cost and longer run times than other structures. These are the structures for stepping back from the immediate problem to see the larger shape of things.

Ecocycle PlanningAnalyze the full portfolio of activities & relationships to make progress95 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Critical UncertaintiesDevelop strategies for operating in a range of plausible yet unpredictable futures90 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
PanarchyUnderstand how embedded systems interact, spread innovation, and transform2+ hours
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Purpose to Practice (P2P)Design the five essential elements for a resilient and enduring initiative2 hrs
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Future~PresentNotice tactics in the present that shape a more attractive future25 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Strategy Knotworking (SKW)Answer six questions together to develop strategy everyone owns6 + hours
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.

Take Care of Each Other

Focused on respecting feelings: grief, vulnerability, disrespect, and direct feedback. Lower structural complexity than Big Picture work, but the highest demand on the facilitator's ability to hold the room with care.

Heard, Seen, Respected (HSR)Practice deeper listening and empathy with colleagues30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Helping HeuristicsOffer, request, and receive more precise forms of help20 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Positive GossipStart turning around a destructive pattern of negative gossip15 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Grief WalkingTap into social support after a loss or through a transition35 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.
Talking With PixiesIdentify beliefs and assumptions that may limit your progress30 min
Liberating Structures CC-by-SA 4.0.

Deck created by

Elise Keith
Member