Where people sit is not neutral.
It decides who speaks. And who disappears.
A long table with a head puts someone in charge before a word is said.
Rows facing a screen tell people to watch, not contribute.
A tight circle says everyone is equal — so more people show up.
Seating is the first instruction you give a room.
Most facilitators never think about it.
Group formation is the same.
Let people pick their own groups, and they sit with who they already know. Same conversations. No new thinking.
Form the groups yourself, and you decide what mixes. New combinations make new ideas.
Size matters too.
Pairs feel safe — everyone talks.
Groups of four hide one quiet person. Groups of six hide three.
So before the content, design the seating.
Before the discussion, design the groups.
Who sits next to whom is not logistics. It is a facilitation decision.
And the room has to allow it.
Fixed tables lock you into the seating you were given.
Movable furniture lets you reshape the room every fifteen minutes.
That is the point of a studio: the room follows the work.
Thank you.
And Free Palestine.