Lean Coffee is an activity that provides a structure for discussion of multiple topics. Participants build an agenda of items to discuss, vote on the agenda and then work through each topic one by one.
Informal, open discussion
In place of any other retro!
Lean Coffee is a freeform meeting without any agenda! Well, that's only partly true. Lean Coffee is a collaborative meeting that usually starts with participants suggesting topics that they would like to discuss. These topics can be anything related to the team's work, including current projects, upcoming tasks, or general work-related issues. Each participant then has the opportunity to briefly pitch their topic and explain why they think it is important.
After all the topics have been suggested, the group votes on which topics to discuss. Participants are given a set amount of time to discuss each topic, typically around five minutes. The facilitator of the meeting uses a timer to ensure that each topic is discussed for the allotted time.
During the discussion, participants are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas about the topic. The conversation is generally free-flowing and can cover a wide range of related topics. Participants are also free to ask questions and clarify any points that are unclear.
At the end of the allotted time, the facilitator asks if the group would like to continue the discussion or move on to the next topic. If the group decides to continue the discussion, they can either extend the time for the current topic or move it to the next round of voting.
The meeting ends when all the topics have been discussed or when the allotted time for the meeting has expired. Participants are encouraged to take notes during the meeting and share any action items or next steps that were discussed. The notes can then be used to guide future discussions or to follow up on any action items that were identified.