Resources for facilitators

A friend has asked me about resources on facilitation of planning workshops. This makes me realise that my approach in facilitation is fed by many different streams. Some favourite resources in English:

• One is the "Technology of Participation", developed over a period of about half a century by the Institute of Cultural Affairs. Apparently a recent ToP handbook has been published (late 2013 or early 2014).
• Another favourite source: "Time to Think" by Nancy Kline. Maybe a bit wordy (pleasant for people who enjoy reading stories about the author's many clients), but definitely worthwhile.
• On effective low-tech visualisation, "The back of the Napkin" by Dan Roam is full of lovely ideas.
• Also nice, "Game Storming" by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo and "Visual Meetings" by David Sibbet.
• If you're into systems and complexity, "Systems Concepts in Action" by Bob Williams and Richard Hummelbrunner offers inspiration.
• And then there is that fat compendium of facilitation methods alled "The Change Handbook" compiled by Peggy Holman, Tom Devane and Steven Cady. The descriptions are rather short, but if you don't look for step-by-step guidance, it is quite adequate.

I recommend you start with the first 3 items on the list. More time-tested facilitation tips are on the page "Planning, Strategies, Tools" on this blog. I particularly recommend the posting "Tips for Multi-Everything Facilitation". (Apologies for the messy layout of that page - this blog is an personal unpaid spare time initiative and I find too little time to make it all look neat and smart.)