The Charrette-A Technique for Large Groups

Charrette is a French word meaning "an intensive group- planning effort in an open forum format to achieve creative solutions."1 This approach has been used mainly by architects to elicit community input when designing public buildings. Extension educators have used it to help clientele plan mission statements and as a needs assessment tool with large groups.

The charrette is a brainstorming method for generating and prioritizing ideas. The setting is typically a large room, with small groups of six to eight arranged in circles. Each group leader collects ideas from a small group, then takes the list to a different group that adds to, refines, and prioritizes the input from the first group. The groups stay put; the group leaders and lists move. The groups must be numbered or arranged so leaders can easily understand in what direction to move.

Group leaders may be preassigned or selected by the group. Each leader is given one or more pieces of newsprint and a marker, then records the ideas from the group on the newsprint, and at a signal takes the recorded ideas to a new group. At the new group, the leader explains the ideas on the newsprint and asks for comments, additions, revisions, and, finally, prioritization of ideas. Groups may then select a new leader, receive new discussion topics and newsprint, and repeat the procedure. At the end of the session, some or all of the group leaders may report top priorities to the entire group. Or, group leaders may meet together after the session to synthesize and prioritize.

The time needed varies widely, from an hour to eight days, depending on the topic. For example, Rice has suggested a weekend or every evening for a week might be used for a community discussion of vocational education for the handicapped.2

A strength of the charrette process is it fosters a sense of commitment and cohesiveness, and positive feelings of involvement. Ideas lose their original identity and become group property. Problems may be broken into small parts, with each small group considering a unique aspect. The flexible time and cost are pluses.

Limitations include the need for a manager skilled with large groups and the possibility of wasting time and effort if goals aren't clear. In unskilled hands, a whole roomful of people can end up in chaos. With a skilled person, however, hundreds of people can be actively involved in solving a problem.

Relatively little research has been done on the effectiveness of the charrette. It's an interesting variation of brainstorming and builds on the cumulative expertise of different groups examining the same question.

1. John Holt, "Involving the Users in School Planning," School Review, LXXXII (No. 4, 1974), 706-30.

2. E. Rice, Access to Vocational Education: A Planning System for Local Secondary and Post-Secondary Program and Facility Accessibility. Step 3: Generating Strategies (Washington, D.C.: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 1980).