Method guide · Progress through phases
Fast Pair Exchange and Pause
Explore a range of responses through brief pair exchanges and a quiet writing pause.
- People
- 6–60
- Base procedure time
- 25 minutes
- Recording
- Shared record
Purpose: Explore through dialogue; Begin together.
English guide
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How this method works
A conversation method that broadens responses by exchanging several sentence starters in 30-second turns. For each of up to 4 sentence starters, each partner speaks for 30 seconds, changes roles, then moves to a new partner. People who do not want to change partners can stay in a fixed pair; people who do not speak can choose writing, staying in place, or passing. Written cards can optionally be submitted to a box. The facilitator mixes them and reads them aloud without showing the handwriting to participants. This is not fully anonymous because the facilitator can see the original text and handwriting. Reflect only on the range of responses as a whole; do not retain names, agreement, or evaluations. This description is an original adaptation of the Liberating Structures method under CC BY-SA 4.0. Do not use it where sensory sensitivities cannot be accommodated or psychological safety cannot be ensured.
Phase schedule
Minutes are cumulative from the start of the base plan, not a live timer. Read scaling for any additional time. Phase controls do not advance automatically.
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- Choose rules for participation, changes, and passing0–5 minutes from the start (5 minutes)
Action: Choose. Participation: Everyone.
Shared record
- Read and prepare up to 4 sentence starters5–9 minutes from the start (4 minutes)
Action: Prepare. Participation: Everyone.
Shared record
- Rotate roles and partners at 30-second intervals9–19 minutes from the start (10 minutes)
Action: Rotate. Participation: Pairs; one group of 3 if the total is odd; fixed pairs; or written participation.
Shared record
- Pause for quiet written responses19–21 minutes from the start (2 minutes)
Action: Pause. Participation: Individually.
Shared record
- Reflect on the range of responses21–25 minutes from the start (4 minutes)
Action: Reflect. Participation: Everyone, with the option to pass.
Shared record
Facilitation steps
- For 5 minutes, choose among speaking, writing, staying with the same partner, staying in place, passing, and leaving. Do not assess volume or the number of contributions.
- For 4 minutes, show no more than 4 sentence starters that do not ask for personal information, and practise 30-second role changes and partner changes.
- For 10 minutes, take turns for 30 seconds per person for each sentence starter, then move to a new partner. Fixed pairs and written participation may continue.
- For 2 minutes, people participating in writing may submit an unnamed card to the box or write only on their own paper. The facilitator mixes the box contents and reads the cards aloud without showing the handwriting to participants.
- For 4 minutes, reflect together only on the range of responses and unexpected common ground. Do not retain names, agreement, or evaluations.
If something changes
If
Even one person indicates once that they choose silence, writing, staying in place, passing, or leaving.
Then
Without asking why, switch to the person's chosen option and do not require speaking or changing partners.
If
After simultaneous speaking starts, at least one pair cannot make out a partner's response because of volume or overlapping speech.
Then
Stop speech in all groups and switch to quiet written exchanges or brief alternating speech by one pair at a time.
If
At least one response contains sensitive information the person has not disclosed, such as personal characteristics, harm experienced, health, or employment evaluations.
Then
Stop repeating and recording it, return that account to the person or destroy it at their choice, and switch to a different neutral question.
Preparation
Materials
- Original cards with sentence starters that are safe to share publicly (4 for the whole group)
- Cards for speaking, writing, staying with the same partner, staying in place, passing, and leaving (1 set per person)
- Quiet note paper for each person's own use (1 sheet per person)
- Unnamed cards for simultaneous writing (1 per person)
- One lidded collection box for mixing the unnamed cards
- Thick pens (1 per person)
- Facilitator signal cards for 30-second role changes, partner changes, and finishing (1 set)
Room and setup
- Display speaking, writing, staying with the same partner, staying in place, passing, and leaving as equally valid ways to participate. Do not assess volume, speed, or the number of contributions.
- Use no more than 4 sentence starters and only content safe to share publicly. Show 30-second role changes and partner changes visually as well. Provide seats for fixed pairs and for people to write on unnamed cards at the same time.
- Submitting a written card to the box is optional. The facilitator mixes the cards and reads them aloud without showing the handwriting to participants. Display a notice that this is not fully anonymous because the facilitator can see the original text and handwriting.
Adjust for people and time
With fewer than 6 participants, do one round in fixed pairs. With 6–60, use pairs; if the total is odd, make just one group of 3 and allow 30 seconds per person. People may choose fixed pairs, writing, staying in place, or passing. Do not share spoken contributions or personal note paper outside the pair or small group. The facilitator mixes submitted cards, does not show handwriting, and does not retain names. With 61 or more participants, run separate sessions.
Safety and non-applicable situations
All participation options are equally valid; do not require speech or partner changes, or ask people to justify passing or leaving. Cards read by the facilitator are not fully anonymous. Do not retain names, agreement, or evaluations. Do not use the method where sensory sensitivities cannot be accommodated or psychological safety cannot be ensured.
Manuscript's recorded references
These translate the original manuscript's source and rights claims. They remain separate from any current-page notice below; they do not establish new verification.
- Liberating Structures: Five Structural Elements; Steps and Time Allocation
https://www.liberatingstructures.com/mad-tea-calm-tea
Adaptation under CC-BY-SA-4.0; changes made
- Conditions of CC-BY-SA-4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Current-page licence notice
This explanation is an adaptation for Taiwa no Fumen based on the official Liberating Structures page linked below. The manuscript's recorded references are listed separately from the web page checked on 17 October 2026.
Changes: the Japanese explanation and facilitation plan have been edited for Taiwa no Fumen. The English edition translates that Japanese manuscript; it is not a verbatim translation of the official page.
The LS-adapted text on this page, including this site's editorial and translation contributions, is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. When reusing it, credit the creators, identify the source and licence, indicate changes, and follow the licence's ShareAlike terms when sharing adaptations.
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Credits on the checked source page
- Developed by: Henri Lipmanowicz, Nancy White, Keith McCandless
Source page checked on 2026-10-17: Mad Tea and Calm Tea.
Source lineage
- Original repertoire (2013): Henri Lipmanowicz, Keith McCandless
- 2026 Fieldbook: Keith McCandless, Nancy White
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International · Legal code · Official source policy
This material-specific notice does not itself establish publication clearance. Preserved manuscript references above remain separate from the current page's credits and licence evidence.
Diagram, print, and video language
Original Japanese guide, diagram, and print view. Their labels and print text have not been translated; an English print edition is not provided here.
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Editorial provenance
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