The primary purpose of the Peer consulting method is to engage individuals from the same institution or with similar professional backgrounds in providing advice, ideas and experiences within an open and psychologically safe environment. This approach allows participants to address issues raised by a presenter or a presenter group, offering new perspectives on challenges and identifying potential solutions.

OVERVIEW

The Peer consulting method is a structured activity that involves a group of people working together to find solutions for a challenge or problem. This approach leverages the knowledge, experience and perspectives of peers, rather than relying solely on external experts.

WORKSHOP PHASE

CORE

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

5-8 participants

In a workshop context of a larger group, participants can be divided into several groups.

TIME |
MODE OF DELIVERY

Minimum 60 minutes | F2F & Online

TOOLS/MATERIALS

Flip charts and markers, or notepads.

PREPARATION

In a workshop context, the facilitator should inform the participants in advance and identify case presenter(s). A briefing to the case presenter is recommended if they are new to this method.
The facilitator should decide whether to divide participants into smaller groups and create a list accordingly.
If the participants are divided into smaller groups, the facilitator should ensure each group has a case presenter and a group facilitator.
Each group should have at least one or two flip charts for taking notes.

Online version: If the exercise is facilitated online, the facilitator should inform participants beforehand that they will need to be able to use their microphone and (optionally) turn on their camera.

Step 1

The exercise starts with the workshop facilitator announcing the general rules of peer consulting and identifying the participant(s) who will take notes. If the participants are divided into small groups, the groups should be set ready.

Step 2

The facilitator invites the case presenter to introduce the challenge or problem within five minutes. The presenter should describe the case concisely addressing the situation that the case is embedded in, the people involved, the encountered problem, the measures taken and their results and the question to the peers.

Step 3

The participants ask questions to clarify any ambiguities regarding the case. The facilitator should ensure that no comments are made by the peers about the problem. During this phase, only questions regarding the case should be asked. It usually takes five to ten minutes.

Step 4

Participants then have opportunities to brainstorm for diagnosing on how the situation has arisen, or what has led to this problem. During this phase, the case presenter should not interfere with the discussions of the participants and should take a passive role. When the diagnosing phase comes to an end, the case presenter is invited to verify the accuracy of the diagnoses. Case diagnosing can take up to 15 minutes.

Step 5

Participants attempt to formulate solutions based on the diagnoses above within a 20-minute timeframe. The solutions should be noted down, with the case presenter taking on the role of observer during this stage.

Step 6

The case presenter reflects on the peer consulting solutions and provides feedback on the conclusions drawn and the next actions to be taken.

The exercise should be well-structured and time allocation should be adhered to.
When exercising the peer consulting method, the facilitator should ensure that every thought is respected, confidentiality is maintained within the consulting group, and the final decisions for actions are made by the case presenter.

This exercise summary draws from the practical experience of the database contributors.

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