Small Group Workshop, Random Seating Matrix
This technique is useful for mixing up participants into groups, so that everyone has the opportunity to work with different people, rather than staying with their colleagues. The process facilitates a cross-fertilization of ideas. Each set of double numbers below represents a card to be placed on tables. By choosing cards for each table from the matrix in a diagonal pattern, participants will always move to a table with new people. An example is outlined below:

Instructions: (example below includes 16 groups of 6 participants, total 96 persons)
1. Print 96 small participant cards, each with two numbers, as shown on the matrix above.
2. Print 16 larger table cards with a number 1 - 16.
3. Arrange 16 tables with 6 chairs at each table.
4. Place a table number card on each table.
5. Choose 6 cards from the matrix below in a diagonal line for each table. For example, table one
    might include 1,2; 2,3; 3,4; 4,5; 5,6; 6,7.
6. Place one participant card at each seat (the first # on each card is table 1, the 2nd is table 2).
7. After the first exercise, instruct each participant to move to the table with the first number.
8. After the 2nd exercise, instruct each participant to move to the table with the 2nd number on
    their card.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

1

1, 2

1, 3

1, 4

1, 5

1, 6

1, 7

1, 8

1, 9

2

2, 1

2, 3

2, 4

2, 5

2, 6

2, 7

2, 8

2, 9

2, 10

3

3, 1

3, 2

3, 4

3, 5

3, 6

3, 7

3, 8

3, 9

3, 10

3, 11

4

4, 1

4, 2

4, 3

4, 5

4, 6

4, 7

4, 8

4, 9

4, 10

4, 11

4, 12

5

5, 1

5, 2

5, 3

5, 4

5, 6

5, 7

5, 8

5, 9

5, 10

5, 11

5, 12

5, 13

6

6, 1

6, 2

6, 3

6, 4

6, 5

6, 7

6, 8

6, 9

6, 10

6, 11

6, 12

6, 13

6, 14

7

7, 1

7, 2

7, 3

7, 4

7, 5

7, 6

8

8, 1

8, 2

8, 3

8, 4

8, 5

8, 6

9

9, 1

9, 2

9, 3

9, 4

9, 5

9, 6

10

10, 2

10, 3

10, 4

10, 5

10,6

11

11, 3

11, 4

11, 5

11, 6

12

12, 4

12, 5

12, 6

13

13, 5

13, 6

14

14, 6

This matrix was used at the Council of Educational Facility Planners Conference, Vancouver, BC, 10/98, "Changing Patterns in Education Facility Planning," moderated by Randy Fielding / Design Share; Tammy Magney / ATS&R; Jeff Lackney & Dick Menzel.