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Research

  • The Liberating Structures Menu [new tab]- Jump off from this page to view all LS structures AND you can also get to them through the LS Menu drop downs. (Hint: LS Structures info is also available on the Liberating Structures app Android  [new tab] and  iOS)[new tab]
  • The Liberating Structures Principles  [new tab] - There are 10 principles that guide our behaviour using LS.
  • MicroStructures and the Five Design Elements [new tab] - This page tells us why Liberating Structures are different from 'conventional' structures and the five design elements that all LS structures have which make them so powerful.

Design Tips

  • If you've tried many of the structures that are part of the original set of 33 maybe you're ready to challenge yourself by trying a new, emerging structure on the LS in Development [new tab] page.
  • Each structure in the LS menu has a structuring invitation; use the ones that in the menu descriptions or modify for your own purposes. Try a few drafts of the invitation that you will use with participants as part of the structure. This article on the Characteristics of Powerful Invitations for Liberating Structures [new tab] should give you some early guidance.
  • To help you sharpen your invitation, try "playing it out" a bit in your mind - or with an LS-exploring or savvy friend - to see how it would go, asking yourself what participants might think about or say in response to that invitation. Is it too broad or too narrow? Just right? Creating an excellent invitation is a little like Goldilocks trying out all three of the bears' beds [new tab] in this giphy! 
  • This Liberating Structures Design Storyboard (blank template) [PDF] is a great tool to help you in your planning of LS.
  • Think about whether you want to try one Liberating Structure or a string of two or more structures in a row. Keep your purpose in mind as you work on LS "strings" [new tab].

Further Connections

  • Learn more about Liberating Structures from a very active global community by joining the LS #Slack group [new tab]. They are very active in exploring how to facilitate using Liberating Structures online and share many visuals and resources.
  • Consider following or joining the activities of local/regional Liberating Structures User groups based in Victoria/Vancouver Island [new tab] and Vancouver [new tab].