Fishbowl

Fishbowl is a conversation format for large groups suitable for 10 to 80 participants. A small inner circle of 4 to 6 chairs, the bowl, engages in dialogue while the rest of the group listens silently around it. The game is designed to address a complex topic, bring forth different viewpoints, and make listening as important as speaking. It can be facilitated in an open or closed version, either in-person or remotely.

Walkthrough

1. 1

   Setting up the bowl and establishing the framework

   5 to 10 min

   The facilitator places 4 to 6 chairs in the centre of the room and arranges the remaining seats in a circle around them. They announce: "The inner circle is the bowl: only those sitting inside speak. The outer circle listens in silence, without side conversations or reactions that reignite the debate." They clarify the topic of conversation and the intention: to explore, understand, and circulate viewpoints. Participants take their seats, leaving the centre clearly visible.

   Tip — Pay attention to the physical space: if the outer circle is too far away, listening decreases; if it is too cramped, entering and exiting becomes awkward.

2. 2

   Explaining the two possible modes

   5 min

   The facilitator clearly presents the operational choice before starting. In the open version, one chair in the bowl remains empty: anyone from the outer circle can come and sit there to contribute, and someone already in the bowl must then vacate their seat. In the closed version, the inner circle discusses for a set time and is then replaced by other participants. They ask the group to validate the chosen mode and remind them that speaking is reserved for the bowl.

   Tip — For a first experience, choose the simplest mode to manage for your group: the open version encourages spontaneity, while the closed version reassures less confident audiences.

3. 3

   Launching the first conversation

   5 to 10 min

   The facilitator invites 3 to 5 people to join the bowl if the open version has an empty chair, or 4 to 6 people if the closed version fills the entire circle. They give a brief instruction: "Speak from your experience, react to ideas rather than individuals, and aim to advance collective understanding." They pose the opening question and then step back. The outer circle observes the ideas, tensions, agreements, and blind spots without intervening.

   Tip — Formulate a question that invites experiences and trade-offs, not a yes/no question; the bowl thrives better with real material to explore.

4. 4

   Facilitating circulation in open mode

   10 to 30 min

   If the open mode is chosen, the facilitator ensures that one chair always remains empty in the bowl. When someone from the outer circle wants to speak, they come and sit in the empty chair; immediately, someone from the inner circle stands up to free a spot. The facilitator can remind: "We enter to contribute, not to monopolise; we exit to allow the conversation to breathe." Participants thus self-regulate the diversity of voices.

   Tip — If no one exits spontaneously, calmly look at the circle and say: "Who will free a seat?" then wait; do not fill the silence for them.

5. 5

   Facilitating rotations in closed mode

   10 to 30 min

   If the closed mode is chosen, the inner circle discusses for the announced time, then the facilitator ends the sequence with a clear statement: "Thank you, we are changing the bowl." Participants from the centre join the outer circle, and a new group of 4 to 6 people takes their place. The same topic can continue, or the facilitator can introduce a complementary angle. The outer circle remains silent until their potential entry into a new round.

   Tip — Give a one-minute warning before the end of the round: this helps the group formulate essential ideas without abruptly cutting the dynamic.

6. 6

   Maintaining the quality of listening

   Throughout the conversation

   The facilitator observes both the outer circle and the bowl. They intervene briefly if side conversations arise: "I remind you of the rule: outside, we listen in silence; inside, we speak." They can note recurring themes on the board without summarising on behalf of the group. Their role is to protect the setup, not to take sides in the content.

   Tip — Position yourself slightly back rather than in the centre: your posture indicates that the conversation belongs to the group, while you maintain the framework.

7. 7

   Closing and debriefing

   10 to 15 min

   The facilitator concludes the conversation by first thanking those in the bowl and then the silent observers. They open the debrief by separating content from form: "What have we understood about the topic? Then, what have we learned about our way of dialoguing?" Participants can finally speak from the outer circle. The goal is to transform the listening experience into useful learnings and decisions.

   Tip — Do not skip the debrief: the Fishbowl often produces insights for those who spoke little, and these emerge only after silence.

Variants

• Open version: set up 4 to 6 chairs in the bowl while always keeping one chair empty. Anyone from the outer circle can come and sit to contribute, and someone already in the centre must vacate their seat.
• Closed version: fill the bowl with 4 to 6 participants, let them discuss for a set time, then completely replace the inner circle. This variant works well when you want to ensure several structured speaking rounds.
• Remote: only participants in the bowl turn on their cameras, while others remain camera off and listen in silence. To enter the bowl in open mode, a person signals their wish according to the chosen tool, then a participant in the bowl turns off their camera and gives up their place.
• Large group: with a high number of participants, favour frequent rotations or a very visible entry rule to avoid the same small group dominating the conversation.