Somebody the Food and Agriculture Organization recently asked about the difference between moderation and facilitation of meetings, events and knowledge sharing networks and communities. She also asked when to opt for one and when for another. Here is what I responded to her:
The difference between moderation and facilitation is often either over-looked or unintentionally blurred despite being quite substantial.
Moderation:
In my view, moderation of meetings, events, networks and communities, focuses on keeping the information and communication flow clear and accessible to all who participate, at all times. In this sense, the moderator is at least in some ways an information manager. In an online environment, s/he monitors the communication flow, makes summaries and digests, approves participants’ requests and posts, and even maintains the online environment. The moderator is often quite invisible for those who participate in meetings, events and communities, but nevertheless indispensable!
Facilitation:
To the contrary, the facilitator of meetings, events, networks and communities is much more visible and active. S/he steers the communication flow and keeps it on track. In this way, facilitation focuses on including all participants in the discussion, even the ones who are less comfortable with speaking and contributing, ensuring all voices are heard and discussion is vibrant, interesting and useful to those who participate. The facilitator makes it clear to all when milestones as part of the meeting, event, or network/community activity, have been achieved and then moves on to the next milestone. Having good people skills, the facilitator enables a comfortable and inclusive environment of openness and trust for those who participate.
When to opt for moderation and when for facilitation? I would say you mostly need both in effective interplay. Understanding the differences though is important as each requires a different set of skills.
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June 9, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Steve Williams
Interesting question form your customer/colleague.
a key word that I would emphasise for the facilitator is ‘help emerge’ or ‘bring to the surface’. This is why you need good people skills to observe the ‘comments’ below the surface and then create the conditions in which they can be brought out into the open.
we have found recently with a very difficult group of stakeholders that little snippets of training in facilitation helped enormously to get the group to gel and produce better. The transfer of this kind of knowledge and skills (not naturallly present in our group) eased the workload of the facilitators, leaving them more time to dedicate to more important issues.
June 9, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Nadejda Loumbeva
Thank you very much Stephen, really interesting thought! Thanks!
I agree with you. The most sensitive and sensitised participants and team members are to the basics and art of facilitation, the easier it becomes to work together. It is because doing this ends up cultivating a certain mindset I think, a very, very good mindset in my opinion.
October 19, 2010 at 9:06 am
Candy
I love the way you define between ‘facilitation’ and ‘moderation’. It is quite true, regardless the contexts in virtuality or reality.
I like to look in the perspective of how involved the person needs to be in the discussion. ‘Facilitator’ is inclusive in the session, and ‘moderator’ is more or less exclusive. I think, ‘moderator’ also needs to keey a clear mind all along and ensure the communications flow in outlined directions and on agenda.
October 19, 2010 at 10:45 am
Nadejda Loumbeva
Thank you Candy. I agree with you completely. Yes, I also think it is important to be (healthily) involved in the discussion in order to effectively facilitate. If it works well then it is being a very fruitful and satisfying discussion. If not, the facilitator approach and style do not match the issue and culture at hand. And yes, the moment one starts just moderating, one gets more detached, more structured, perhaps less creative. Both are important. Every body needs a flesh and all else just as much as it needs bones. Thank you!!