Roundtable Discussions
Equal-footing discussion format where all participants are invited to contribute on equal terms...
- Sessions
- 1
- Steps
- 5
- Last edited
- Aug 28, 2026
- Created by
- Nova
About this process
A roundtable is an equal-footing discussion format where all participants are invited to contribute on equal terms, rather than a single presenter broadcasting to an audience. Unlike executive stakeholder meetings—which focus on top-down reporting and approving specific decisions—roundtables focus on peer-to-peer dialogue, surfacing diverse perspectives, and solving ambiguous, cross-functional problems.
The process in detail
1 session · 5 stepsRoundtable Discussion
5 steps- 1
Objective & Ground Rules
- 2
Initial Round-Robin (60s Per Person)
- 3
Open Discussion & Theme Clustering
- 4
Shared Consensus & Trade-offs
- 5
Action Items & Role Ownership
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1. Objective & Ground Rules
The core question for today's roundtable is: [insert focus question].
Our goal is peer-to-peer dialogue, not a status presentation. Everyone’s perspective carries equal weight.
Indicate how confident you feel about our current direction on this topic below. 👇
- Option 1
- Option 2
- Option 3
- Option 4
- Option 5
- Option 6
2. Initial Round-Robin (60s Per Person)
We will go around the room—each person has 60–90 seconds uninterrupted to share their primary perspective or biggest concern.
Add 1 sticky note per core point. Focus on surfacing unique insights, risks, or opportunities rather than repeating what has already been said.
3. Open Discussion & Theme Clustering
We will debate the tension points and blind spots across clusters. Tag each cluster with its assigned emoji (🟢 for Cluster 1, 🔵 for Cluster 2, 🟠 for Cluster 3).
Add a thumbs up 👍 to sticky notes that reflect the room's strongest shared points of view.
Mark this step as "complete" once done.
4. Shared Consensus & Trade-offs
Based on the discussion, document where the group reached consensus and where alignment was not achieved.
Explicitly record key trade-offs: What are we prioritizing, and what are we intentionally choosing not to do?
5. Action Items & Role Ownership
Translate our consensus into concrete operational commitments. (Tasks)
Required format: Action Item | Single DRI (Directly Responsible Individual) | Target Date.