Method guide · Arrange people and ideas
Folded Opinion Line
Fold a line of positions in half to listen across different perspectives.
- People
- 6–50
- Base procedure time
- 45 minutes
- Recording
- Shared record
Purpose: Explore through dialogue.
English guide
Text acceptance is not approval of this rendered page, its media, or publication.
How this method works
A method that folds a line of positions at its centre so people can listen to different perspectives. Use it when opinions seem likely to settle into two camps: each person chooses a position on a continuous scale and looks across the distribution. Physically folding the straight line at its centre brings people from different positions face to face to listen to differences and common ground without rebuttal. People may choose standing, a seated position marker, participating without explaining reasons, or passing. Retain only issues that influence judgement and items to verify, not individual positions or names. This description is an original adaptation of the current 2026 Liberating Structures method under CC BY-SA 4.0. Do not use it where political beliefs or personal cases could be identified, or where decisions about law, authority, or professional judgement are required.
Phase schedule
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- Set up a continuous scale and participation options0–5 minutes from the start (5 minutes)
Action: Arrange. Participation: Groups of 6–12.
Shared record
- Choose and show a position on the scale5–13 minutes from the start (8 minutes)
Action: Show. Participation: Individually or with a seated position marker.
Shared record
- Look across the distribution and listen to different reasons13–23 minutes from the start (10 minutes)
Action: Survey. Participation: Groups of 6–12.
Shared record
- Fold the line at the centre and listen face to face23–35 minutes from the start (12 minutes)
Action: Fold. Participation: Pairs; one group of 3 if the total is odd.
Shared record
- Record issues without identifying people35–45 minutes from the start (10 minutes)
Action: Record. Participation: Groups of 6–12, with the option to pass.
Shared record
Facilitation steps
- For 5 minutes, check the continuous scale's endpoints and centre, participation options, what will not be recorded, and safe movement routes.
- For 8 minutes, each person chooses a position on the scale or uses a seated position marker. Allow participation without explaining reasons and the option to pass.
- For 10 minutes, look across the distribution. Only volunteers from different positions briefly explain their reasons; do not add evaluations or rebuttals.
- For 12 minutes, physically fold the straight line at its centre. In the resulting face-to-face pairs or group of 3, listen for differences and common ground.
- For 10 minutes, write only issues that influence judgement and items to verify on the group's sheet, without retaining positions or names.
If something changes
If
Even one person indicates once that they do not want to move, stand, explain reasons aloud, or disclose publicly.
Then
Let the person choose from a seated scale marker, pointing, a private note, participation without explaining reasons, or passing.
If
At least one written account infers political beliefs, health, harm experienced, or employment evaluations that the person has not disclosed from their position or statement.
Then
Stop the inference and recording, and rewrite it as an issue that does not identify the person. Return any record that cannot be rewritten to the person or shred it.
If
Any of the following fails the safety conditions: aisle width, floor surface, evacuation route, or intensity of conflict.
Then
Stop the folding movement and switch to unnamed scale markers used while seated. Cancel the method if safe conditions cannot be established.
Preparation
Materials
- A self-made scale line labelled only with the meaning of each endpoint (1 per group)
- Cards for standing, a seated position marker, not explaining reasons, passing, and leaving (1 set per person)
- Unnamed position markers placed only by the person concerned (1 per person)
- A sheet for recording issues without identifying people (1 per group)
- Thick pens (2 per group)
Room and setup
- Set up one straight line with a centre point for each group of 6–12. Provide a safe route for physically folding the line at the centre and seats where markers can show the same scale.
- Define the endpoints as perspectives along a continuum, not right and wrong or for and against. Allow changes of position, participation without explaining reasons, passing, and leaving.
- Do not record individual positions, names, photographs, or statements. Retain only issues that do not identify people for the whole group. Do not use the method to decide matters of law, authority, or professional judgement.
Adjust for people and time
With 6–12 participants, use one scale line. Divide 13–20 into 2 groups, 21–30 into 3, 31–40 into 4, and 41–50 into 5, with 6–10 people in each group. Do not combine individual positions or statements; bring back only issues from each group that do not identify people. With 51 or more participants, run separate sessions.
Safety and non-applicable situations
Participation without moving, standing, explaining reasons, or public disclosure must be respected. Do not record individual positions, names, photographs, or statements. Stop or cancel if safe movement and participation cannot be established. Do not use the method where political beliefs or personal cases could be identified, or to decide matters of law, authority, or professional judgement.
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/folding-spectrogram
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.
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Credits on the checked source page
- Adapted by: Nancy White, other LS practitioners
Source page checked on 2026-10-17: Folding Spectrogram.
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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