How to run a Lean Coffee

A Lean Coffee is a meeting without a fixed agenda. The people taking part decide what to talk about, vote on it, and then work through the most wanted topics in short, timed rounds. It suits team check-ins, retrospectives, community meetups and any group that has more to talk about than time to talk in. A session usually lasts 45 to 90 minutes, for about 5 to 15 people.

What you need

One person to facilitate, and everyone with a phone or laptop. With Retrobrew, the facilitator starts the meeting in their browser and shares a link or QR code; everyone else joins from their own device with just a name. The meeting runs on the facilitator's device, so they keep that page open until the end.

Running it, as the facilitator

1. Collect topics. Start the meeting, invite people, and give everyone a few minutes to add topics. Ask for short ones: a question or a few words is enough. One idea per topic makes voting fair.

2. Vote. Each person has three votes. They can spread them across topics or put several on one they care about. If people want more say, allow more votes. You can turn Show votes off while people vote, so early votes don't sway later ones.

3. Start the discussion. When the votes are in, start the discussion. Topics line up in To discuss, most votes first. Pick the top one and choose a timebox: five minutes is a good start, shorter for a big group or a long list.

4. Talk. The topic's author usually opens with a sentence or two of context. Keep an eye on the clock but let the conversation run. If a topic turns out not to be ready, return it to To discuss and pick another.

5. Time's up: keep going or move on. When the timer runs out, everyone votes: keep going, no preference, or move on. The vote guides you, but you decide. Keep going for a few more minutes if the room is still engaged; move on if the energy has dropped or the point has been made. Repeat with the next topic.

6. Close. Leave a few minutes at the end. End the meeting, copy the outcome as text, and paste it wherever your group keeps notes. Back up the meeting file if you might want it later.

Taking part

• Join from the link or QR code the facilitator shares, and add your name.
• Add topics you'd like to talk about. Your name shows on the topics you add. You can edit or delete them while they're waiting to be discussed, but not once their discussion starts.
• Vote for the topics you most want to talk about. You can put more than one vote on a topic, and take votes back while it's waiting to be discussed. Once its discussion starts, those votes are spent.
• Talk. Listen as much as you speak, and keep to the topic on the board. New ideas can go in as new topics at any time.
• When time's up, vote to keep going or move on. Retrobrew never shows or stores who chose what; the totals help the facilitator decide.

Tips

• Keep topics short. A topic people can read at a glance gets more votes than a paragraph.
• Don't fear moving on. A topic that ran out of steam has done its job. If one needs more time, add it again as a new topic, now or at your next Lean Coffee.
• Make room for quieter voices. A timebox makes it easier to ask someone who hasn't spoken yet.
• Note what matters. At the end, everyone can copy the list of what was discussed, in order.