Popular concept: The House of Commons-style debate

Your organization wants to implement changes or introduce a new policy. You want to develop a future vision for your municipality or province and you attach importance to the input of your constituents. Your company has a new strategy or new values that require support from your employees. The ‘House of Commons’ debate helps you because everyone has the opportunity to speak out based on a number of hypotheses. Experience shows that employees, citizens or customers are more supportive when they become involved and are being 'heard'.

The House of Commons is a discussion format of about one hour in which between ten to a hundred people discuss with each other a number of topics. In collaboration with you, I will turn your relevant topics into hypotheses or statements that provoke discussion. Per statement or hypothesis, there will be a six to ten minutes discussion. An appointed 'Speaker of the House' will judge the debate and appoint winners. Who articulated his or her position best? Who had the most humour? Who convinced most people? Who presented the strongest arguments?

Examples of other concepts based on popular (partly Dutch) TV formats:

• Late Night show; talk show style interviews or debate of about one hour during which several guests are interviewed.
• The World keeps spinning; a conversation or debate in which several guests are interviewed, sitting at a table. The moderator is assisted by a 'side-kick' to keep it light-touch.    
• College Tour; a fire side conversation with one person of maximum one hour with the emphasis on questions from the audience (usually students).
• The Glass House; a series of revolving pitches or short expert speeches in open air or in an open room or hall, in which spectators can walk in and out of.
• In the Spotlight; an event centred around one person in the form of a stage interview about his or her life, career or a specific achievement. Important persons from his or her (business) life are invited to join by surprise and give their perspective.
• Around Ten; the audience present enters into a moderated debate with each other in an informal setting. The audience itself is central, there are no special guests on stage.