Keep the Balance OpenAir

What is it?

The game “Keep the Balance OPEN AIR” teaches sociocratic decision-making and inclusive moderation. Designed for public spaces, it helps groups discuss and decide on street or public space use and transformations directly on-site.

Why is it useful? 

This game fosters mutual understanding and builds trust among participants. It ensures that diverse opinions are heard and considered equally. It empowers individuals to contribute to decision-making processes and supports the development of collective solutions, promoting shared ownership of outcomes.  

Who should use it? 

This tool can be used by facilitators such as municipalities, NGOs, cultural organisations, urban planners, educators and community groups who want to discuss specific ideas and challenges or transform public spaces. Users can be people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. 

How to use it? 

“Keep the Balance OPEN AIR” is best played on site – e.g. during a street or public space transformation project – but can also be played indoors. The 80 cm board is placed on the ground, surrounded by up to eight chairs for participants. A facilitator introduces the game. Players (aged 7+) take turns clockwise with coloured bottles as tokens and share their statements on a chosen topic. The process involves several rounds: understanding the problem, proposing solutions and responding to others’ ideas. The facilitator or a player summarises the group’s input and refines the solutions until a consensus is reached. The outdoor version is designed to enhance visibility and engagement, making it ideal for promoting dialogue and co-creation in public spaces. 

The game is a further development of the board game “Keep the Balance” developed by the Sociocracy Centre Austria.