Protocol15 Core Facilitation Principles

Primary Facilitation Principle

Discussion quality matters more than correctness. The score creates tension, but the debrief creates learning.

Shared Control Mechanic

Teams work on one shared ranking list. Only one participant can actively edit the list at any given moment. Participants must take control before changing the ranking and release control so others can contribute. This constraint is intentional: it exposes coordination patterns, conversational dominance, negotiation styles, and decision-making under limited interaction bandwidth.

The Facilitator Job

• Create a clear frame
• Protect the rules
• Explain that teams use one shared list with one active controller at a time
• Maintain time pressure
• Observe decision dynamics
• Avoid biasing the discussion
• Help the group reflect after the reveal

What Facilitators Should Avoid

• Do not reveal optimal rankings during gameplay
• Do not validate team answers too early
• Do not explain survival logic before submission
• Do not rescue teams from disagreement too quickly
• Do not describe the activity as independent individual rankings unless you are adding that step outside the app
• Do not let one participant dominate without noticing
• Do not turn the game into a lecture

What Facilitators Should Encourage

• Clear reasoning
• Participation from quieter members
• Healthy disagreement
• Evidence-based persuasion
• Awareness of assumptions
• Reflection after decisions are made