KJ technique

This is a variation of the KJ Method described in the preceding entry, and was developed from that technique by Shumpei Kobayashi.This technique searches for the solution to a problem, establishing a common target –which the author calls banner-that allows the group to transform itself into a team, and guides the personal efforts to a shared goal. It is a creative, systematic and participative technique that can foster participants' engagement in a normative character process. Its procedure comprises 7 steps: 1)The creation of the working groups. (affected by the problem. No more than 10 people) 2)The realization of private consulting. The facilitator or coordinator formulates the basic question. Each participant writes down in a card the relevant answers that he considers (no more than 5). 3)Exchange execution. Each participant distributes the cards among the others, who must read them to familiarize themselves with the content. 4)Cards gathering All cards are gathered according to the participants' visualization of relationships. 5)Synthesis elaboration Each group of cards is placed in an envelope: these envelopes are shared out among the participants, who will read their contents and will propose the common essence among them in a brief form. 6)Dialectic and interactions. 7)Graphic presentation of results Advantages and disadvantages: This technique allows the reaching of participative solutions, integrative and with personal commitments. Fosters a convergence-divergence process. It’s a flexible technique. Its main limitation could be the time available among the members that form the group.