Impact Potential
Data Collection
In the PLANET4B educational case study debriefing, discussions were not audio-recorded to avoid disrupting the atmosphere of trust. Instead, detailed notes were taken, including direct quotes, group dynamics, and moments of interaction. In other PLANET4B case studies debriefings were recorded both via digital audio recorders and note-taking on flipchart paper, with the consent of participants.
Photography may be used sparingly, and only with consent, to visually capture elements of the session without undermining the safe space.
In this video Kármen Czett discusses the impact of the Debriefing Method and its connection to the outcomes of the engagement being reflected upon:
Potential Impacts of the Debriefing Method
1. Individual Reflection and Empowerment
- Helps participants process emotions, clarify thoughts, and make sense of their experiences
- Encourages confidence, self-expression, and personal insight
- Supports the development of critical thinking and reflective practice
- Reflection and reflexivity play a significant role in encouraging behaviour change, as they prompt individuals to critically examine their actions, underlying assumptions, and potential alternatives, creating space for more conscious and intentional choices
2. Strengthening Group Cohesion
- Fosters trust, empathy, and solidarity among participants
- Creates a shared space for dialogue across differences
- Enables groups to identify common concerns or aspirations
3. Identifying Pathways for Action
- Supports the co-production of ideas for change, action, or advocacy
- Makes visible where participants may want to intervene in their communities or systems
- Can be a springboard for future workshops, campaigns, or collaborative projects
4. Shaping Interventions and Strategy
- Provides feedback on the effectiveness and reception of an activity or intervention
- Reveals unintended consequences or barriers to engagement
- Informs the design of more inclusive and responsive programmes
5. Influencing Institutions and Policy
- Insights can be synthesised into recommendations that shape organisational practices, community initiatives, or public strategies
- Stories and themes can humanise and contextualise complex issues, making them more accessible for strategic planning
- Visual or creative outputs may be shared through exhibitions, reports, or campaigns, where they can influence priorities and resource allocation
Alternative Strategies
Alternative Strategies for the Debriefing Method
There are many ways to adapt a debriefing, and it can be tailored to the needs and capacity of your group. Below are some suggested approaches, though you can be creative and use any format that you feel would work well. Mant of these adaptions work well if you are short on time and incorporating the debriefing into the original session.
1. Written or Visual Debriefing
- Invite participants to respond to prompts through journaling, drawing, or other non-verbal communication. There should be some format of collective sharing, otherwise this is a self-reflection and not a collective debrief.
- Use tools such as reflection cards, sketch-notes, or collaborative murals to express insights non-verbally
2. Walking Debriefing
- Invite participants to break into small groups for walking conversations, which can support reflection, informal debriefing, and, where appropriate, provide an opportunity to engage with nature. Ensure that accessible alternatives are available for those who may not be able to participate in walking activities.
3. Digital Options
- Offer online boards (e.g. Padlet, Jamboard) where participants can continue to add reflections after the debrief
4. Participant-led Facilitation
- Encourage participants to lead parts of the debriefing, set the agenda, or choose the structure
- Use co-facilitation models where roles and responsibilities are shared
5. Object- or Artefact-Based Reflection
- Invite participants to bring or select objects that symbolise their experience and use these to prompt discussion. In the UK case study Opening up Nature and the Outdoors to Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities, people wrote their reflections on a paper leaf that was hung onto a small wooden tree.
