Consider the information people need before entering the shared activity. A welcoming start
includes orientation, an understandable next step and a person who can answer a practical
question.
CONTEXT
Introduce the question before the format.
Explain what the gathering is exploring and how the parts connect. A title alone may not
give participants enough context to know how they can contribute.
ENCOUNTER
Leave space for the material.
A reading, image, performance or discussion prompt needs attention on its own terms. Decide
what should be introduced beforehand and what can remain open for the conversation.
EXCHANGE
Make participation understandable.
Describe how questions or responses enter the meeting. Keep the invitation clear without
assuming that everyone wants to contribute in the same way.
FINISH
Name what happens after the last moment.
Give the close a purpose: a shared reflection, a remaining question or a route to further
material. Include the practical ending in the programme.
02 / A sample invitation frame
Tell people what
they are entering.
“Bring a question about the material. We will begin by looking together, then make time for
different readings.”
State the shared purpose
The invitation should identify what the meeting makes room for. Keep a useful purpose
distinct from a promise that everyone will leave with the same response.
Describe the form of participation
Explain the parts that affect someone’s choice to attend: the kind of activity, the
intended exchange and which practical details still need confirmation.
Keep the practical information connected
Use confirmed information for the actual place and arrangement. Update the invitation when
a programme decision changes what participants need to know.
03 / The room around the programme
Participation needs
more than a slot.
The setting and the information around it affect how someone can engage. Ask about
particular needs and arrangements rather than relying on a broad description.
A route into the meeting
Consider arrival, orientation and the transition into the main activity. Keep the actual
entrance and space arrangements tied to the responsible place.
A way to follow
Identify what people need to hear, see, read or understand. Discuss the relevant
arrangements with the people providing the activity.
A place for the open question
Decide how an unresolved point is acknowledged and where it can go after the meeting. The
programme does not need to force a conclusion on every conversation.
04 / After the gathering
Keep one useful observation.
Record where the programme supported attention and where a transition needed more context.
Separate what was observed from an explanation of how everyone felt.
Use the note to choose a specific change for the next plan. A modest review can be more
useful than a broad verdict about success.