Techniques - Charrettes. A charrette is a type of workshop in which large numbers of people are involved in the generation of ideas for a project. The methods name is believed to originate in teaching practices at French beaux arts schools in the 19th century where architecture students had to place their models on a cart (charrette in French) for examination. The story is that the students would frantically continue working on their models even after they had been placed on the cart.Todays charrette workshops share this frenetic atmosphere with the 19th century original, but they are much more about group work than individual work. Charrettes are workshops in which large numbers of people work together, sitting in groups at small tables, brainstorming, putting ideas and keywords on paper, making and discussing small sketches. The participants are not just architects, but all kinds of stakeholders: the buildings users, top decision makers, facility managers, special interest groups, city officials, neighbours. The central idea is to give everybody an opportunity to provide input to the project. The more, the merrier, so to speak. Just like a future workshop (see page 110), a charrette is usually divided into three phases. In the first phase, the participants are given an introduction to the project and the purpose of the workshop. The second phase is all about brainstorming. Usually the participants are divided into subgroups that are asked to generate ideas about specific topics. In the third and last phase, all the generated ideas are gathered, presented and discussed with the entire group. Ideally, this results in a shared vision for the projector, if that is not possible, at least in an understanding of the different expectations and interests that people have.It is important to note that in a briefing process, the goal of the charrette is not to produce design ideasno matter how tempting that may be. The aim is to formulate goals, needs and a general vision for the project. The workshops facilitators play a large role in maintaining this focus. Facilitators also play an important role in managing the expectations of the participants. Charrettes can deliver a great many number of ideas, but it is unlikely that they can all be incorporated into the project. The facilitators therefore play an important role in channelling the groups thinking and the selection of viable ideas. Recommendations-Think about what each of the sub-groups should discuss. Are all groups asked to think about the same question (e.g. how to create a productive office?) or should they each focus on a different topic (e.g. sustainability, efficiency, health).-Be clear about the limits and purpose of the charrette before it takes place.-Start the workshop with an engaging presentation to generate enthusiasm and to infuse the group with new ideas and alternative lines of thinking.-Involve the projects top decision makers. They can participate in the brainstorming process, but they can also be used as an audience or review board to which the final proposals are presented.-Make sure the workshop takes place in the very early stages of the project when there is still room to accommodate unexpected ideas.