Focused Conversation ORID

Purpose

The Focused Conversation method (ORID) guides a group through four levels of thinking: Objective (what happened?), Reflective (how did it feel?), Interpretive (what does it mean?), and Decisional (what will we do?). By moving sequentially through these layers, it prevents the common mistake of jumping to action before understanding the situation fully. Use it for debriefs, data review, after action reviews, or any time a group needs to process an experience or information thoroughly before deciding.

At a glance

• Group size: 4–30 people
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Facilitation style: Structured
• Setting: Indoor / Remote-friendly

How to run

1. Objective (5 min): Ask fact-based questions: "What did you see? What data is in front of us? What happened first?" Collect observations without judgement.
2. Reflective (5 min): Ask feeling-based questions: "What surprised you? What was exciting or frustrating? Where did you feel energy or resistance?"
3. Interpretive (10 min): Ask meaning-based questions: "What is the significance? What patterns do you see? What is this telling us? What are the implications?"
4. Decisional (10 min): Ask action-based questions: "What should we do next? What is our first step? What support do we need? Who will take the lead?"

Materials needed

• Prepared ORID questions (4–6 per level)
• Flip chart with the four levels displayed
• Markers
• Timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Jumping to the Decisional level before completing the Interpretive — the interpretation phase is where the real insight emerges.
• Asking leading questions that imply the "right" answer — keep questions genuinely open.
• Allowing debate during the Objective phase — this is for facts only; interpretation comes later.

Inclusion & accessibility

• The Reflective level legitimises emotions, creating space for people who are usually shut out of "rational" discussions.
• The structured progression ensures all types of thinkers (data-driven, emotional, analytical, action-oriented) have their moment.
• For remote: use the chat for the Objective level (everyone types observations simultaneously) and voice for Reflective onward.

Variations

• Written ORID: All four levels are answered in writing before verbal discussion. Great for introverts.
• ORID for data review: Use Objective for "what does the data show?", Reflective for "what surprised us?", Interpretive for "what does it mean for our strategy?", Decisional for "what experiments will we run?"
• Quick ORID (15 min): One question per level for a rapid debrief.

When NOT to use this

Avoid ORID when the group needs free-flowing, emergent dialogue (use Emergent Dialogue Facilitation) or when an immediate decision is needed with no time for reflection.

Source & further reading

Developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) as part of its participatory facilitation methods. See *The Art of Focused Conversation* (R. Brian Stanfield, 2000) and ica-international.org.