Method guide · Arrange people and ideas
Bombs and shields
Use to experience interdependent positions through private reference choices and safe, non-contact walking.
- People
- 6–30
- Base procedure time
- 10 minutes
- Recording
- No record
Purpose: Begin together; Build working relationships.
English guide
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How this method works
Experience an interdependent arrangement by watching the positions of two people chosen privately. Choose one person as reference A and another as reference B, who is to stay between you and A. Everyone walks simultaneously without running or touching, keeping one arm’s length of space. If a stop card is raised, everyone stops where they are, widens the spacing and restarts only once. Do not reveal the two chosen people at any point, chase anyone or evaluate performance. Do not record who chose whom, stops or passes, and do not invite guesses at the end. Do not use this where stationary participation, observation and passing cannot be treated as equal participation, or where no safe walking zone is available.
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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- Check non-contact walking and stopping0–2 minutes from the start (2 minutes)
Action: Check. Participation: Everyone in the safe zone.
No record
- Privately choose two reference people2–3 minutes from the start (1 minute)
Action: Choose. Participation: Everyone in the safe zone.
No record
- Walk with one person between you and the other3–6 minutes from the start (3 minutes)
Action: Walk. Participation: Everyone in the safe zone.
No record
- Stop together and widen spacing when crowded6–8 minutes from the start (2 minutes)
Action: Stop. Participation: Everyone in the safe zone.
No record
- Return without revealing the choices8–10 minutes from the start (2 minutes)
Action: Close. Participation: Everyone in the safe zone.
No record
Facilitation steps
- For 2 minutes, confirm that role names refer only to positions, and check the rules: no running, no touching, one arm’s length of space, and everyone stops when a stop card is raised.
- For 1 minute, each person privately chooses two different people: reference A and reference B, who is to stay between them and A.
- For 3 minutes, start walking on the signal and keep looking for a position in which reference B is visible between you and reference A.
- For 2 minutes, everyone stops on the stop signal, widens the spacing and restarts walking only once.
- For 2 minutes, return to the starting positions and finish without revealing the chosen people, chasing or making contact.
If something changes
If
Before or during walking, even one person raises a stop, stationary-participation or pass card.
Then
Stop everyone where they are. Without giving a reason, the person chooses stationary participation, observation or ending participation.
If
While walking, at least 2 people cannot maintain one arm’s length of space.
Then
Stop everyone and divide participants into separate zones of 6–15 people. If separate zones cannot be provided, end the activity.
If
At the 6-minute point from the start, running, touching or revealing the two chosen people has occurred at least once.
Then
Stop that round, check the three rules of private choices, walking and no contact, then restart only once.
Preparation
Materials
- Stop, stationary participation, observation and pass cards: one per person
- Boundary markers for walking zones: 4 per zone
Room and setup
- A space where people can walk without running, with a safety strip beside the wall.
Adjust for people and time
For 6–15 people, use one safe zone. For 16–30 people, split into two groups differing by no more than one person and run them simultaneously in separate zones that cannot see each other. Choose the two reference people again within each group; do not track across groups. Do not run this with 31 or more people, or where a safety strip and one arm’s length of space cannot be maintained.
Safety and non-applicable situations
Do not run or touch; maintain one arm’s length of space and a safety strip. Stop everyone for any stop, stationary-participation or pass card. Treat stationary participation, observation and passing equally, without requiring reasons. Keep reference choices private, do not chase, guess choices or evaluate, and do not record choices, stops or passes. End if safe separate zones cannot be provided.
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.
- Seeds for Change Facilitation Tools: Bombs and shields
https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/tools
anti-copyright adaptation; changes made
- Conditions applying to anti-copyright
https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/resources
anti-copyright
Diagram, print, and video language
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Editorial provenance
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