KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT:A PATTERN LANGUAGE FOR STUDY GROUPS

Joshua Kerievsky
Industrial Logic, Inc.
Version: 0.9, Updated: July 1, 1999
This is a draft, which is constantly being revised.
Please do not distribute it – a final version will beavailable soon. Please send feedback tojoshua@industriallogic.com

Copyright © 1999, Joshua Kerievsky. All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Introduction ..................................................................................................... 2
Navigating The Language................................................................................ 3
Summary Of The Language............................................................................. 5
1 Knowledge Hydrant..................................................................................... 7
2 Pool Of Insight........................................................................................... 11
3 Safe Place .................................................................................................. 15
4 Enduring Energy........................................................................................ 18
5 Kindred Collaborators .............................................................................. 21
6 Common Ground ...................................................................................... 24
7 Public Living Room .................................................................................. 29
8 Intimate Circle .......................................................................................... 32
9 Virtual Space ............................................................................................ 36
10 Enthusiastic Leader ................................................................................. 39
11 Motivated Moderator .............................................................................. 42
12 Active Participant ................................................................................... 48
13 Prepared Participant ................................................................................ 51
14 Distinguished Participant......................................................................... 55
15 Opening Question ................................................................................... 58
16 Sequential Study ..................................................................................... 62
17 Agenda .................................................................................................... 65
18 Subgroup ................................................................................................. 68
19 Study Cycle ............................................................................................. 71
20 Distributed Diary ..................................................................................... 74
21 Afterhours ............................................................................................... 78
References ..................................................................................................... 82
Photo Acknowledgements ............................................................................. 83
Acknowledgements........................................................................................ 84

Educating ourselves is a life-long endeavor. To learn and grow, we often
attend classes, consult teachers, read articles and books, or seek help fromcollegues and friends. Of the many educational tools available to us, one of
the greatest is called a study group.
A study group can make a difficult book easier to understand, it can succeed
where an unsatisfying class fails, and it can support you if your environment
doesn't support your ongoing learning and growth.
A study group is a collection of individuals who meet regularly to improvetheir understanding of some non-trivial subject, like a body of great literature,by participating in dialogue.
Study groups are conducted all over the world today, but their origins go backto the dialogues of the ancient Greeks. This learning tool has endured because
it works so well.
If you analyze successful study groups you can discern their patterns. These
patterns energize, inspire and sustain a group over time.
In the landmark books, A Pattern Language and A Timeless Way of Building,
Christopher Alexander and his colleagues introduced the world to the idea ofa pattern language. A pattern language is a very practical network ofimportant, related ideas that provide a comprehensive treatment of a subject.
But while they are intended to be comprehensive, pattern languages are notwritten for experts: they convey expert solutions for laypersons, empowering
those individuals to generate high-quality works in their own unique way.
This pattern language is intended to help people generate or improve a study
group.

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Navigating The Language

those smaller patterns in the language, which are needed tocomplete this pattern, to embellish it, to fill it out. [Alexander,
p. x-xi]

The authors and architects of the original pattern language understood that
individuals vary in how they obtain knowledge. Some don’t have a lot of time
and want to gain knowledge as fast as possible. Others prefer to extract asmuch knowledge as they can by pondering a work’s every paragraph andpage. Still others prefer to study a work’s visual elements–its photographs
and sketches–before diving into the words.

A reader can take in a large amount of knowledge in a short amount of timeby following particular paths through the pattern language.

Good pattern languages make this possible because they can be navigated innumerous ways. The form of the patterns makes this possible. Every pattern
follows a consistent form, which the authors of the original pattern language
described as follows:First, there is a picture, which shows an archetypal exampleof the pattern. Second, after the picture, each pattern has an
introductory paragraph, which sets the context for the patternby explaining how it helps to complete certain larger
patterns. Then there are three diamonds to mark the
beginning of the problem. After the diamonds there is aheadline, in bold type. This headline gives the essence ofthe problem in one or two sentences. After the headline
comes the body of the problem. This is the longest section.
It describes the empirical background of the patterns, theevidence for its validity, the range of different ways thepattern can be manifested, and so on. Then again, in bold
type, like the headline, is the solution—the heart of thepattern—which describes the field of physical and social
relationships which are required to solve the stated problem
in the stated context. This solution is always stated in theform of an instruction—so that you know exactly what you
need to do, to build the pattern. Then, after the solution,
there is a diagram, which shows the solution in the form of adiagram, with labels to indicate its main components.

For instance, to get an overall understanding of what generates successful
study group, take 15 to 25 minutes to read the name of each pattern, looking
at each pattern’s picture, and then read each pattern’s problem and solution
headlines, which are offset in a larger, bold font.
For a more in-depth study, scan the patterns in 15 to 25 minutes, and follow
this with a patient reading of each and every pattern. As you read the body ofeach pattern, you’ll notice that certain sentences are written in italics. This is
another reading aid. If you don’t have the time or inclination to read every
paragraph, simply read the italics to get to the heart of the idea.
This pattern language is a living document and will improve over time. I
welcome your thoughts and feedback.

After the diagram, another three diamonds, to show that themain body of the pattern is finished. And finally, after the
diamonds there is a paragraph which ties the pattern to all

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Summary Of The Language

Summary Of The Language
ROLES
There are 21 patterns in this pattern language. They are grouped into four
sections called Spirit, Atmosphere, Roles, and Customs. As you study thepatterns from each section, consider the structure of this language: thepatterns from the Spirit section, at the beginning of the language, help todefine the study group's core, its spirit of learning. The patterns that follow
this section, in Atmosphere, Roles and Customs, are all intimately tied to theearliest core patterns and serve to re-enforce them.

Lead and energize the group, come prepared, and help guide dialogues sothat they are insightful and productive.

10. ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER
11. MOTIVATED MODERATOR
12. ACTIVE PARTICIPANT
13. PREPARED PARTICIPANT
14. DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANTSPIRIT
After identifying a great source of knowledge in a subject, work to create arewarding, intellectually safe environment for the study of that subject.

1. KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT
2. POOL OF INSIGHT
3. SAFE PLACE
4. ENDURING ENERGY
5. KINDRED COLLABORATORSATMOSPHERE
Establish a home for the study group that is centrally located, comfortable,
aesthetically pleasing, and conducive to dialogue.

CUSTOMS
Follow customs that will re-enforce the spirit of the group, piquing
participant's interest in dialogues, accommodating different learning levels,
making the study of literature easier, recording group experiences, anddrawing people closer together.

15. OPENING QUESTION
16. SEQUENTIAL STUDY
17. AGENDA
18. SUBGROUP
19. STUDY CYCLE
20. DISTRIBUTED DIARY
21. AFTERHOURS

6. COMMON GROUND
7. PUBLIC LIVING ROOM
8. INTIMATE CIRCLE
9. VIRTUAL SPACE

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1 KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT

1 Knowledge Hydrant **. . . where can one obtain knowledge in its fullest, unfiltered, unsimplified,
form?
!!!

People have a great need to acquire knowledge. They thinkthey know where to get it, and yet one of the greatest sources
goes untapped.
For nearly every subject in the world, there are people who aim to get a deep
understanding of it. The trouble is, they often don't know how to obtain theirobjective.
With so many different learning styles, so many competing books, articles,
schools, classes and tutorials in the world, it can be incredibly hard to choose
the right path, the source of knowledge with the potential to provide the mostimportant knowledge in the least amount of time for the individual student.
The world doesn't make this easy. Schools and companies and authors all
have competing agendas. They hope to attract the most people by promisingthem what they need.
But what people really need usually isn't well known. Many of the best
knowledge sources don't advertise and consequently, are often forgotten or
ignored.
Such is the case with great literature. While it may be a stunning storehouseof knowledge, distinguished from all other writings by having supreme levelsof knowledge, great literature is either not studied, badly re-written, or
watered down by so-called educators.
This is a shame.
Imagine people running around thirsty for water. There is an open fire
hydrant, spouting water into the world at a furious rate. Yet these people
aren't aware of it--they don't know that what they seek is readily available incopious quantities.
So what is the meaning of their ignorance?

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SPIRIT

1 KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT

There may be several meanings. Great literature tends to be hard to study andunderstand. Unlike lesser, watered-down writings or classes, which may
spoon-feed knowledge, one may struggle to understand the ideas contained ingreat literature. Many people either aren't prepared to do this hard work or
simply don't want to.

Discover the great literature in your profession or area ofinterest—the finest books, articles, and speeches everwritten—and then begin an earnest study of these works.

Great literature also tends to participate in a larger dialogue. Authors of great
literature commonly reference, extend, or refute ideas communicated by theirancestors or peers. This can make it doubly hard to understand their writings,
since one may need to understand referenced works in order to understand theauthor's own work.
Finally, as great literature ages, people don't believe it will contain the"modern" knowledge they need. So even if some great book written 30 years
ago contains the exact knowledge they seek, people won't find it, for they areunaware of the abundance of knowledge contained in older works ofliterature.
This ignorance about great literature is widespread. It exists today primarily
because several important ideas about great literature have been forgotten.
These include some of the following facts:•

The hard work put into the study of great literature is worthwhile because
it ensures that people retain the knowledge they wish to obtain•

Great literature is much easier to understand when it is studied in an
intelligent sequence–SEQUENTIAL STUDY (16)•

It is easier and more rewarding to study great literature with other people–POOL OF INSIGHT (2)writings
in a fieldearnest study!!!

So how do you find the great literature worthy of study? Ask people. Ask
knowledgeable people which authors they like, what are their favorite books,
what profoundly influenced them?
After identifying the works, form or join a study group–POOL OF INSIGHT(2), order the works to be studied–SEQUENTIAL STUDY (16), and compose
an AGENDA (17).

The patterns that follow will help to clarify how to effectively study great
literature for the purpose of acquiring knowledge.
Therefore:

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2 POOL OF INSIGHT

2 Pool Of Insight **. . . once you've discovered your KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT (1), it can be
overwhelming to drink from it. This pattern suggests how to make the studyof great literature easier and more rewarding.
!!!

There's nothing wrong with reading and studying literatureon one's own. But great literature is worth knowing well, andindividual study pales in comparison with the study ofliterature in a group dialogue.
To obtain the fullest understanding of great literature--to penetrate its
meaning – it is tremendously helpful to read and study a work on one's own
and then engage in meaningful dialogue on the work with others.
In dialogue, people get the chance to learn from themselves and from theircolleagues. In communicating how they understand something, people may••••

clarify what confused others
expose their own misunderstandings
reveal new ideas
articulate that which they didn't know they knew

In the book On Dialogue, theoretical physicist and philosopher David Bohm
said:
In a dialogue nobody is trying to win. Everybody wins if
anybody wins. There is a different sort of spirit to it. In a
dialogue, there is no attempt to gain points, or to make yourparticular view prevail. Rather, whenever any mistake is
discovered on the part of anybody, everybody gains. It's asituation called win-win, whereas the other game [i.e.
Bohm's definition of "discussion"] is win-lose - if I win, youlose. But a dialogue is something more of a common
participation, in which we are not playing a game against
each other, but with each other. In a dialogue, everybody
wins.([Bohm1996],p.7)

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SPIRIT

2 POOL OF INSIGHT

As David Bohm suggests, there is a spirit present in dialogues that one doesn't
find in many other learning environments. Frequent meetings help sustain thisspirit. When a group doesn't meet frequently, it can struggle to keep its
momentum and enthusiasm; lively subjects and debates can fade between
meetings, and if people miss just one meeting, they will be absent for a very
long period. Many groups sustain a group's spirit by meeting weekly or
biweekly.

Atmosphere plays an important role in a dialogue. Some environments
promote dialogues–COMMON GROUND (6), PUBLIC LIVING ROOM
(7)–and some don't.
The most enriching study happens when a group has a MOTIVATED
MODERATOR (11) and PREPARED PARTICIPANTs (13). . . .

Group study also helps motivate people to learn, especially when they are nolonger officially "in school." A reading assignment every week or every otherweek can help individuals continue to learn while balancing work and family
life.
Therefore:

Read and study literature on one's own, but discuss it withothers in a regular study group. Aim to ask questions about
what you don't know and explain what you do know. Your
exchanges with colleagues will enrich your understanding
immensely.

individual
study

group
dialogue!!!
The best study groups are those in which individuals feel comfortablelearning with others–SAFE PLACE (3).

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3 SAFE PLACE

3 Safe Place **. . . a good physical environment (COMMON GROUND (6), PUBLIC
LIVING ROOM (7)) is vital for any study group. Equally vital, is theintellectual environment, which this pattern describes.
!!!

Loud-mouths, show-offs, know-it-alls and people who are
overly competitive, adversarial or confrontational, can makeothers uncomfortable or insecure, and create anenvironment that is not conducive to learning, sharing or thebuilding of ideas.
It is so important that a place of learning be a safe place. People need to feelthat they can experiment, or be wrong, for almost everyone becomes
uncomfortable if they fear that anything they say will be harshly criticized.
When places of learning have highly critical or judgmental natures, anindividual's ability to learn can easily be compromised.
In dialogue, participants must be comfortable to ask questions, even illogical,
overly simple, or silly questions. It is the group's task to handle suchquestions in such a way that individuals aren't stifled, or embarrassed, but
encouraged to continue learning.
When people are comfortable to admit that they don't understand something,real learning can happen. And when someone has the courage to admit thatthey don't understand, others are grateful, for often they were a bit unclear
about a passage as well.
All participants within a dialogue need to help establish the safe place.
Usually, it is up to the MOTIVATED MODERATOR to be especiallyvigilant. With great diversity in a group--people who are provocative orreserved, skeptical or generous, newcomers or veterans --it is very easy forstudy group sessions to become unsafe.

815Treating each other with respect, despite differences in opinion, is essential in
the establishment of safety, as Peter M. Senge observed in The Learning
Organization:

Seeing each other as colleagues is critical to establish apositive tone and to offset the vulnerability that dialogue
brings. In dialogue people actually feel as if they arebuilding something, a new deeper understanding. Seeing
each other as colleagues and friends, while it may soundsimple, proves to be extremely important. We talk differently
with friends from the way we do with people who are notfriends. Interestingly, as dialogue develops, team members
will find this feeling of friendship developing even towards
others with whom they do not have much in common. Whatis happening is the willingness to consider each other ascolleagues. In addition, there is a certain vulnerability toholding assumptions in suspension. Treating each other ascolleagues acknowledges the mutual risk and establishes
the sense of safety in facing the risk. ([Senge1990], p. 245)

Maintaining a safe place is easier if a group establishes customs. Suchcustoms can help participants and moderators know what to do when different
types of discord arise.
For instance, it is quite common for arguments to break out during a dialogue.
This can make some people uncomfortable, while it will excite others.
Generally, as long as the people arguing are remaining civil towards eachother (i.e. they aren't yelling or being impolite), and as long as the argument
isn't too far off the subject being studied, it can be quite instructive for agroup to listen and learn. But it will help if people understand that passionate
arguments are part of a group's local customs, and not something the group
has decided to discourage.
One problem arises if participants don't realize that they are the ones creating
the hostile, unsafe environment. These people may mean well, but may notunderstand how their words are affecting others.

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3 SAFE PLACE

So how does a group deal with such an individual? Usually, it is best forsomeone who is intimate with the group's customs to approach the individual
during a short break or AFTERHOURS, to discuss their behavior and its
effect on members of the group.

4 Enduring Energy **. . . this pattern identifies what is needed in a study group to bring it to life,and sustain it over time.
!!!

Therefore:

Establish a warm, tolerant, polite and focused environment
in which individuals help each other and where everyone is
comfortable to ask questions and make mistakes.

disrespectbullying

hostility

showing off

safe place!!!

In practice, there will always be some level of personality conflicts or discord
within a group. It can help if people get together after a session–
AFTERHOURS (21), to talk about the issues. . . .

917

It's fairly easy to start a study group. But keeping it going,
so that members are active, dialogues are insightful, and thegroup is long-lived, is another matter altogether.
A study group's energy initially comes from its founder. If the founder isgenuinely interested in creating a thriving, long-lasting POOL OF INSIGHT(2), to improve himself and his community, the group will start life with apowerful energy. But if the founder is merely interested in short-term gains,or personal recognition, the group will be short-lived.
In considering the long-term vitality of the group, there are many decisions to
make. Where will the group meet? How long will its meetings be? What will
be studied? If poor or uninformed decisions are made about these issues, agroup may never take root or be long-lived. In practice, either an experienced
founder, or a founder and his group, need to patiently consider the best
options and what will add the most life to the group. One of the mostimportant issues to consider is the frequency and duration of a group's
meetings. The following represent best-practices:•

Frequent Meetings
It is difficult to maintain any sort of flow, or continuous energy, if agroup doesn't meet very often. When a group is studying a body ofknowledge, a month between meetings is usually far too long for people
to maintain focus and enthusiasm. Therefore, have the group meetweekly or bi-weekly. These frequent meetings will allow a group to
study effectively, and may lead some members to become KINDREDCOLLABORATORS (5).

•Hour Meetings
A one hour meeting is typically not enough time for a group to have an
insightful dialogue on a piece of literature. But three hours is too much

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SPIRITtime, since most participants can't actively engage in dialogue for that
long. Therefore, limit dialogues to a maximum of 2 hours, and if energy
has waned significantly before that time, finish the meeting early.
•

Short Breaks
At a certain time in a dialogue, a group's intensity, focus andeffectiveness will begin to diminish. If the group doesn't take a break at
this time, the quality of the dialogue may begin to deteriorate, and people
will become uncomfortable. Therefore, allow for a short (ten or fifteen
minute) break in the middle of a study group session, to let members
reflect, chat, use the restrooms, and prepare for the next half of the
dialogue.

4 ENDURING ENERGY

pure motivation

great literaturerelaxing atmospherefrequent meetings

enduring energy!!!

Equally important, is a goup's meeting quarters, since the location and space
will play a huge role in sustaining a group's energy. People need to be excitedabout attending a group. And yet, how can they get excited if the groupmeets in a dull, stuffy, maybe windowless, conference room?

For an ideal meeting environment, look for COMMON GROUND (6) and a
PUBLIC LIVING ROOM (7).

Places that attract people–spacious, comfortable, energetic places–make thedifference: groups bond there, people want to be there, and somehow, eventhe atmosphere helps dialogues gain life.

Create SUBGROUPs (18) and STUDY CYCLEs (19) to let people place theirenergy where they best see fit. And when group energy is low, have a
DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANT (20) join the group for an evening.

Groups also gain or lose energy based on the quality of the literature they
study. If a group studies a great piece of literature, chances are they'll have agreat dialogue. But if they study a poor, uninteresting piece of writing,usually, their dialogue will be lifeless and stale. Each member of a groupmust therefore research or review any writings which they propose for study.

It is a custom of some groups to go out after meetings (AFTERHOURS (21)),
to partake in food and drink. This social time can go far towards sustaining
relationships and adding energy back to a group. . . .

Therefore:

Create study groups out of genuine enthusiasm to study a
subject in-depth. Meet weekly or bi-weekly for two hours,
and have a short break in the middle. Choose a meeting
location where people will enjoy passing time, and study only
those writings which are worthy of the group's attention.

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5 KINDRED COLLABORATORS

5 Kindred Collaborators *. . . When a study group has an ENDURING ENERGY (4), people get toknow each other, a community forms, and there is a lasting possibility forcollaborations and working relationships.
!!!

So many people dislike networking. They want to growprofessionally, and they think that networking can help, butthey don't know how, where and with whom to network
effectively.
Many people feel isolated in their jobs. So much of their time is spentworking that there is little time left to pursue what genuinely interests them.
To counter this, some try to organize study groups within their own
companies. This may have some success, but often it fails due to lack ofinterest, or because many people prefer to be outside of work when they haveany free time.
Some people go to conferences, lectures, user groups and parties in the hopeof advancing their careers and themselves. Often, they end up frustrated–inreality, they don't grow professionally at these meetings, and their networking
is ineffective. The trouble often results from what may be described as weakconnections that develop between people who meet in large groups.
Contrast this with what happens in an intimate, frequently meeting study
group. In such a group, people get to know each other over time: They learn
what they like and dislike, what they excel at and where they are weak, where
they are in their careers and where they'd like to go. This level of familiarity
forms the foundation for a rich network that can yield very real career andcollaboration possibilities.
Such an environment may be particularly useful to those who need to
dynamically build effective teams to work on specific projects. As one getsto know others within a group, one can get a very good idea of who would begood for specific projects.
Therefore:

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5 KINDRED COLLABORATORS

Join or form a small group that meets regularly and studies ideas that areimportant to you. As you get to know people, valuable, career-enhancing
collaborations will develop.

6 Common Ground **study groupisolated individuals

collaborations!!!
Quality networking happens best when a study group is a SAFE PLACE (3)composed of diverse individuals and true peers. The best time for networking
is either before a study group meets or AFTERHOURS (21). . . .

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ATMOSPHERE

6 COMMON GROUND. . . where a study group meets is nearly as important as how the study groupruns and what it studies. This pattern helps direct the initial attempt at
finding a suitable location.
!!!

People lack a place where they can have regular, meaningful
dialogues with other people in a casual, social setting. Workand home don't provide it, and many clubs or groups also
don't provide it because they meet in lifeless environmentsthat feel like someone else's turf.
A pregnant woman reported that she was invited to participate in a regular
discussion group with other pregnant women at a local hospital. While she
was interested, she was repelled by the thought of spending copious time in a
hospital. She also related that she was looking for something a little morehuman in scale, not something sponsored by a huge organization.
As this case points out, people want to connect with others but aren't willingto do so in settings that make them feel uncomfortable. Location plays a vitalrole in the life of a group.
In the early days of the Design Patterns Study Group, the meeting location
was in a small apartment located on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Thislocation was great for some members of the group, but not very good forothers, especially those coming from New Jersey, who had long commutesand problems finding parking. The location was quickly changed to a
spacious cafe in SoHo, a more central part of the city, which represented a
midpoint for nearly all members of the group.

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A cafe in SoHo

Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks, noted the importance ofcomfortable meeting places in his book, Pour Your Heart Into It:
In America, we are in danger of losing the kind of casualsocial interaction that is part of the daily routine for many
Europeans. In the 1990s, coffee bars became a centralcomponent of the American social scene in part because
they fulfilled the need for a nonthreatening gathering spot, a"third place" outside of work and home. Ray Oldenburg, aFlorida sociology professor, wrote most eloquently of thisneed in his book, The Great Good Places 1989.
Oldenburg's thesis is that people need informal public places
where they can gather, put aside the concerns of work andhome, relax, and talk. Germany's beer gardens, England's
pubs, and French and Viennese cafes created this outlet inpeople's lives, providing a neutral ground where all are equaland conversation is the main activity. America once hadsuch spots, in its taverns, barber shops, and beauty parlors.
But with suburbanization, they are vanishing, replaced by the
self-containment of suburban homes. As Oldenburg
observes:

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ATMOSPHERE

Without such places, the urban area fails tonourish the kinds of relationships and the diversityof human contact that are the essence of the city.
Deprived of these settings, people remain lonely
within their crowds. ([Schultz1997], p. 120)
Shultz goes on to say that he had not anticipated people's need for meeting
places when Starbucks first opened many of its early, urban stores, which
offered little room to congregate.
It can take time to find a place that will be comfortable and serve as common
ground for a diverse group of people. But there are clearly some types ofplaces to avoid.
For instance, when individuals who work in large office buildings decide toform groups, they often consider using one of their company conference
rooms as a meeting location. This is a perfectly natural choice, since the room
may be spacious, quiet, filled with white boards, available after hours, andfree. However, such rooms are rarely good choices because people -- both
employees and visitors to the company -- generally don't like to spend their
free time in stuffy, stale, office environments.

6 COMMON GROUND

commonground!!!
Once common ground has been selected, a group must find a PUBLIC
LIVING ROOM (7): a comfortable, relaxing, dialogue-friendly place. . . .

Over the years, New York's Design Patterns Study Group has been offeredmeeting locations in numerous corporate offices, all of which lacked thecharm, convenience, and expansiveness of the SoHo location. Since study
groups meander between learning and hanging out with peers, they are best
located between member's offices and homes. If they're too close to or too far
away from member's offices or homes, individuals will consistently missmeetings, show up late, or leave early.
Therefore:

Hold public study groups where diverse individuals will all
be on common ground. The best locations are easy forpeople to get to, but not too close to their offices or homes.

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7 PUBLIC LIVING ROOM

7 Public Living Room *some very old, some new, with arms, without arms, some wicker, some wool,
some cloth.". . . consider now the character of the study group's COMMON GROUND(6). What will the space provide to make people comfortable and foster great
dialogue?

Dialogues also tend to be more alive if the lighting around the meeting tables
is good. Pools of Light, another pattern from A Pattern Language, advises
people to look for places that "place the lights low, and apart, to form
individual pools of light which encompass chairs and tables like bubbles toreinforce the social character of the spaces which they form."!!!

Inhospitable physical locations - stale, lifeless, badly lit, anduninviting - stifle individuals and thereby hinder lively,
engaging dialogues.
Great locations for study groups resemble large, comfortable living rooms.
There are various types of chairs that may be rearranged, perhaps a sofa andrugs, some lamps or other warm lighting, and windows. When people feel
comfortable they forget about themselves and may freely engage in dialogue.
Some of the best locations are quiet, aesthetic places that invite reflection: acentrally located cafe, a spacious gallery or bookstore, a room with amagnificent view, or some nook or corner of a hotel or lodge.
All great meeting places exhibit certain physical patterns, which arethoroughly and beautifully described and depicted in the book A Pattern
Language [Alexander+1977]. One pattern, called Sitting Circle, helps people
understand how to arrange furniture to best accomodate small groups:
Place each sitting space in a position which is protected, notcut by paths or movements, roughly circular, made so thatthe room itself helps suggest the circle - not too strongly with paths and activities around it, so that people naturally
gravitate toward the chairs when they get into the mood tosit. Place the chairs and cushions loosely in the circle, andhave a few too many.
Another pattern from A Pattern Language, called Different Chairs, helps
people understand that the seating preferences of diverse people differ andthat a group will be most comfortable if a space is outfitted with "a variety ofdifferent chairs, some big, some small, some softer than others, some rockers,

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a cafe in San Francisco

Groups that grow in numbers will need a certain amount of space. So the best
locations will let groups grow by accommodating the formation of
SUBGROUPs (18), seated in INTIMATE CIRCLEs (8).
Great locations also allow members to show up before a dialogue begins, or
linger around after it ends. And since members often arrive late, leave early,
get up for snacks or use the restrooms, the best places allow traffic to flow
with minimum disruptions.
Therefore:

Choose a warm, spacious establishment where people will
enjoy mingling before and after study sessions, where there
is comfortable, rearrangeable furniture, plenty of warm
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7 PUBLIC LIVING ROOM

lighting, and a variety of foods and drinks.

warm lighting

8 Intimate Circle **different chairs

refreshments
rearrangable furniture!!!

Some public places may be perfect in nearly every way except one: they may
be too noisy at certain times of day, or you can't guarantee that there will beenough seating. Faced with these constraints, some groups may choose toreserve space or arrange to meet at a location when it closes to the public.
Communication between members will be greatly enhanced with a
VIRTUAL SPACE (9). . . .

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ATMOSPHERE

8 INTIMATE CIRCLE. . . this pattern helps groups understand how to arrange furniture and spacewithin a PUBLIC LIVING ROOM to create a communications-rich dialogue
environment.

The author's of A Pattern Language discuss group spaces in a pattern called
SMALL WORK GROUPS:!!!

Awkward seating arrangements alienate people and thwart agroup's ability to work together. The best configurations
allow participants to easily see and hear each other. Yet
many establishments don't provide either the furniture orspace to make this happen, or don't let groups rearrange thefurniture.
A group's ability to have a good dialogue is closely tied to the physicalarrangement of the group: if people are too spread out, too close together, oron the outer edge of an inner group, communication between participants
suffers.

people at opposite ends of table
can't communicate very well...people will feel oppressed, both when they are either
working in an undifferentiated mass of workers and when
they are forced to work in isolation. The small group
achieves a nice balance between the one extreme in which
there are so many people, that there is no opportunity for an
intimate social structure to develop, and the other extreme inwhich there are so few, that the possibility of social groups
does not occur at all.
...
In our own survey of attitudes towards workspace -- taken
among workers at the Berkeley City Hall -- we found thatpeople prefer to be part of a group that ranges from two toeight. When there are more than eight, people lose touchwith the group as a human gathering. ([Alexander+1977], p.
702)
Sometimes, a group may need to reserve a room ahead of time, in order toguarantee enough space or to meet at time when it is relatively quite.
Therefore:

Choose a location with ample room, many tables and chairs,
and the freedom to rearrange the spaces to form roughcircles or ovals that may dynamically expand or contract.
people are too close for comfort

The best seating arrangements let groups form rough circles or ovals, aroundwhich all participants may effectively communicate. The circle will often
need to grow or contract as members arrive and depart. To accommodate this,a group will need to choose a meeting location that has many tables andchairs, which may be rearranged at will. This is important for supporting
SUBGROUPs (18), particularly when they need to be formed spontaneously,
due to a large influx of participants.

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intimate circle

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8 INTIMATE CIRCLE!!!

9 Virtual Space **A Pattern Language contains numerous patterns that will help to complete an
INTIMATE CIRCLE: WORKSPACE ENCLOSURE describes how to create
an atmosphere in which people can work effectively, particularly in small
groups. SITTING CIRLCE describes good physical layouts for groups.

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9 VIRTUAL SPACE. . . COMMON GROUND (6) and PUBLIC LIVING ROOM (7) established aphysical center for the study group. This patterns expands that center bygiving people an online gathering place.

Establish an online presence where the study group's
mission, activities, and DISTRIBUTED DIARIESs (13) areposted, where members may continue dialogues, or chat, andwhere prospective members may learn more about thegroup.

!!!

Without an online presence, a study group will lack a costeffective way of advertising its existence, organizing events,
staying connected and attracting new members.

meeting logistics
missionrelated links

mailing list

Since Web sites are inexpensive to create and easy to build, they are perfectfor study groups. A good site will define what a group is about, who is partof the group, what the group is studying, and when and where the groupmeets.
The trick to building a good site, is to avoid loading the site with too muchcontent that will regularly change, and to enlist the group's participants tomaintain the content that will need routine updating.
If the study group keeps a DISTRIBUTED DIARY (20) or provides feedback
to authors, it is a good idea to post this material to the site, for the edificationof group members, and to foster online dialogue. For conducting suchdialogues, a simple, group email server or service (such as eGroups) is useful.

agendasvirtual space!!!

A group's virtual space need not be fancy, ought to load quickly (i.e. forpeople with slow connections to the Internet) and be easy to navigate.

AGENDAs (17) are particularly helpful for members and non-members of agroup and are therefore best placed on the site. A good agenda will spanseveral months, giving people the chance to plan their schedules and study
readings prior to group meetings (PREPARED PARTICIPANT (13)).
A good site will post links to related sites, along with a recommended reading
list. To advertise the group, the site will need to be registered with searchengines, and pointed to by other, related sites.
Therefore:

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10 ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER

10 Enthusiastic Leader **. . . a study group needs leadership to have an ENDURING ENERGY (4) andbe a SAFE PLACE (3). This pattern describes what a leader will do to
produce these qualities.
!!!

When a group doesn't have a leader who is passionate about
the subject and determined to nourish and maintain its
energy and culture, a group can languish, and possibly notsurvive.
A group needs someone who can see what a group needs and synthesize theinterests and needs of diverse members.
This isn't easy to do.
The best leaders are those who are genuinely enthusiastic about a group's
mission. Such individuals will lead by example and seek to make the groupthrive, through continuous improvement.
Good leaders will help new members learn how the group runs and what it
expects from members. They will be receptive to individual problems andwork to resolve them.
Leaders will help ensure that AGENDAs (17) are kept up to date, and that thereadings being selected are worthy of the group's attention.
To inspire a group, a leader may plan special events at which authors or
leading scholars visit and participate in dialogues (DISTINGUISHEDPARTICIPANT (14)).
To help keep a group informed and to attract new faces, a leader will help
produce an informative Web site–VIRTUAL SPACE (9)–and will encourageothers to invite new members to the group.
Should other groups attempt to subsume the group, the leader will step in toeither prevent a take-over or to explore the idea with the group.

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10 ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER

If a group's meeting location is no longer working for a group, the leader will
work with others to help find a more suitable location.

11 Motivated Moderator **Therefore:

Lead study groups by example and with enthusiasm. Make
them places where people want to be, and invite the greatercommunity to participate. Energize members withstimulating events, virtual dialogues, and seek tocontinuously improve the group bylistening
closelytomember's ideas.

inform, invite

create, stimulate!!!
Leaders sometimes can't lead for various reasons. If this is short-term, it
usually isn't a problem. But if the group becomes leaderless for some time,someone must step into the role. An ACTIVE PARTICIPANT (12), who isalready enthusiastic about a group, is usually a good choice. However, it isalways best if individuals volunteer for roles. . . .

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11 MOTIVATED MODERATOR. . . the way a dialogue is directed plays a huge role in the educational
experience of participants. If it's done poorly, the dialogue will be neither a
POOL OF INSIGHT (2) nor a SAFE PLACE (3). This pattern describes
what kind of direction will help produce valuable educational experiences.

Highly experienced moderators can truly make dialogues great. This isespecially true if the individual is experienced in their field, adept in the art ofmoderating, and knowledgeable about the literature over which they
moderate.

!!!

Members of a group must ensure that they are familiar with the role ofmoderator before volunteering to play the role. The following practices define
what good study group moderators do:

Without a moderator, dialogues may wander aimlessly,
arguments may erupt, people may talk on top of eachanother, and a group may fail to ever explore an author's
deeper meanings.
Most people come to a dialogue hoping to gain a better understanding of areading. This objective is not something that groups naturally follow. In fact,
leaderless dialogues often seem to deteriorate into tangential discussions or
multi-person side-conversations.

•Prepare thoroughly
When a moderator doesn't prepare thoroughly for a session, when he or
she doesn't read thoroughly, or discover important questions about areading, or understand a moderator's responsibilities, the quality of a
dialogue may be compromised. Therefore, moderators must prepare
thoroughly before sessions and understand how to effectively moderate.

•

Ask the opening question
Asking challenging, penetrating questions about a reading is essential toestablishing engaging, enlightening dialogue. Therefore, moderators
must discover important questions, and ask and re-ask these questions at
the beginning and throughout a session–OPENING QUESTION (15).

•Resuscitate deteriorating dialogues
Dialogues can deteriorate easily: they can slow to a crawl, fail to beengaging, get way off track or become too argumentative. Therefore,
moderators must promptly diagnose problems and resuscitate dialogues
accordingly.

•

Handle side conversations
A group may effectively participate in only one discussion at a time.
Therefore, side conversations must
promptly be quieted or politely
postponed.

•

Refocus by reading
Inattention to an author's words can produce lengthy, unproductive, offtopic conversations or can lead to wayward arguments that would cease
to exist if a group merely studied a relevant passage.

They also get caught up in trivialities. People choose passages and spend too
much time talking about them, and not enough time trying to understand thelarger issues in a reading.
Then, there are those who don't come prepared. These people have atendency to speak about related works which they have read. Meanwhile
individuals who did prepare, can't discuss the reading with those who did notprepare, and consequently learn very little.
Finally, as we noted in SAFE PLACE (3), unproductive behavior can easily
surface during a dialogue, and if unchecked, can easily hinder people's ability
to communicate at all.
Effective moderation adds some necessary direction to a dialogue, and installs
a safety net.
When it's done well, it is done with a light touch: The moderator guides the
dialogue where necessary, but doesn't intervene too much. Even if two people
have a passionate argument, a good moderator will not interfere, if heperceives that the argument is instructive to the group.

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It's great if everyone participates in a dialogue, provided that everyone ison the same page: if an individual is clearly way over his or her head, it
may mean that the individual needs to catch up to the group by studying
some previous papers or books. Therefore, moderators must gage
whether participants are dragging a group down with unrelated or
unnecessary questions, and if they are, the moderator needs to politely
tell the participant to do some homework or form or join a SUBGROUP(18).
•

Elucidation Statement or Questions
If a part of a group simply isn't understanding something, and it isholding back the rest of the group, or the misunderstanding is leading tomore confusion, something needs to be done to clarify the confusion.
Therefore, moderators must be aware of what is confusing people andeither ask questions that will help clarify the point or clearly explain the
point.

•

Politeness & Patience
Rude behavior within a study group must never be allowed. Therefore,
the moderator must make the peace, and get all members to understandthat all members need to respect each other, regardless of whether or not
the agree.

Therefore, to refocus a group on an author's content, moderators may
read significant passages out loud.
•Let people speak
Active participants (i.e. people who talk a lot) or veteran members of agroup, can sometimes make it hard for less active, or newer members of agroup to effectively participant in a discussion. Therefore, whenparticipants struggle to join a dialogue or get a word in edgewise,
moderators must step in and give these individuals opportunities to beheard.

•

Challenge groundless criticism
Non-specific or detail-free criticism, like "I just didn't like it", fails toenlighten anyone and isn't helpful to a dialogue. Therefore, moderators
must challenge groundless criticism, often by asking individuals what
exactly they disliked.

•

Rotate Moderators
A moderator who really knows a particular piece of literature and also
knows how to moderate, is a lot better than a moderator who only knows
how to moderate but doesn't know the literature. Therefore, rotate
moderators, particularly when individuals are expert in various readings,
but also to give others a chance at playing the role.

•2
3

Background Requirements

Therefore:

Moderate dialogues by asking penetrating questions, keeping
dialogues focused, balancing diverse personalities, andhelping group's increase their understanding. Give allmembers a chance to moderate, but let them choose when
they want to play the role.
listenquestionenablerefocuspreparemotivated moderator

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11 MOTIVATED MODERATOR!!!

12 Active Participant **It can take time to become adept at moderation, since it involves actively
speaking, listening, and observing. One must also prepare thoroughly, if one
is to make the proper decisions about when to intervene in a dialogue or
dispute.

. . . the ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER (10) works to make a study group an
active learning environment. But they can't do it alone. This patterndescribes what each participant must do to make the study group work for
them.
!!!

Anyone who is a member of a study group, or wants to join
one, can find something lacking in an existing group: themeeting location, the number of people who attend, theliterature being studied. Few of these things are incapable ofchange. However, too many people fail to realize that they
can actively change a group, helping mold it to meet theirneeds.
This is really an issue of empowerment. Group participants must understandthat a study group is a tool, their tool, which can be applied to their needs, if it
isn't already doing so. If they don't understand this, or if they cannot makechanges, these people won't be part of a group for long. The situation gets
more complex as groups mature. The problem is that newer and older
members tend to have diverse needs. If a group can't accommodate theirneeds, it will only be able to satisfy a certain set of people.
Each group is really shaped and managed by both its ENTHUSIASTICLEADER (10) and its regular participants. If the leader and the participants
work together, they can make the group a powerful educational center for
every participant.
Being active in a group, means making the group work for you. To do this, it
helps if certain customs are in place.
For instance, one individual in a group needed to become knowledgeable in acertain subject. The study group had already devoted much time to thissubject years earlier. Yet, this individual knew that he could form a
SUBGROUP (18) to begin a new study of this subject. Working with the

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12 ACTIVE PARTICIPANT

group's leader, the two planned an AGENDA (17) for the study, informedgroup members and people in the larger community of the new subgroup, anda few weeks later, the study began.

Actively and patiently shape a study group by seeing to itthat the group meets your needs. Work with the group's
leader to introduce change, and create customs, like
SUBGROUPs, (18) to make it easier for the group toaccomodate diverse needs. Actively help others, particularly
newer members of a group, so that the group meets theirneeds and so that they become valuable participants in thelarger group.

Some groups don't have such customs in place, and this makes it harder forparticipants to facilitate change. The following story describes the experienceof two people in a group:
The individuals, regular attendees of a study group, found that nearly
everyone who came to the group, did not study the readings prior to themeetings. These individuals prepared thoroughly before every session, so
when they came to the group each time, they found themselves answering themost basic questions of other participants. In effect, they were teaching, they
were not participating in a meaningful, mutually insightful
dialogue. This
did not appeal to them. So a few months after joining the group, they left,
and went off to form their own group, closer to their neighborhood, withpeople who came prepared.
When people come to a study group and have not studied the reading prior toa session, everyone loses. In the above story, the two individuals felt
compelled to go somewhere else primarily because the group lacked
PREPARED PARTICIPANTs (13).

form subgroups

informmoderatenever stop learning

active participant

Had the group supported SUBGROUPs, (18) perhaps these individuals could
have found a way to continue to attend, albeit by forming a subgroup within
the group. But in their case, because the group's meeting location did noteven represent COMMON GROUND (6), they had additional reasons to go
elsewhere.
Being an active participant doesn't just mean getting your needs met. It alsomeans helping others to get thier needs met - and this can have a tremendous
effect on the group's lifespan.

!!!

Active participants are normally PREPARED PARTICIPANTs (13), whoroutinely play the role of MOTIVATED MODERATOR (11). These
participants help to broaden a study group's offerings through the formationof SUBGROUPs (18) and meaningful STUDY CYCLEs (19) . . . .

For instance, to help newer members of a group understand how to play therole of MOTIVATED MODERATOR (11), experienced members of a group
can spend a few sessions with a new group to show them how it is done. Overtime, such practices will help foster a very strong study group.
Therefore:

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13 PREPARED PARTICIPANT

13 Prepared Participant **. . . people learn the most in dialogues when they have exceptional literature
to study–KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT (1), when the group has a
MOTIVATED MODERATOR (11), and when everyone prepares thoroughly
before meetings. This pattern identifies what it means to prepare thoroughly
and what may be done to help people do it.
!!!

When individuals don't study prior to a dialogue, they either
add nothing to the dialogue, or add too much. The
unprepared participant may ask questions that are off-trackor elementary or may contribute ideas that misguide rather
than further a productive inquiry.
What does it mean to prepare thoroughly for a dialogue?
If a group chooses to study some piece of literature, a participant who
thoroughly prepares will actively read and note:
•
•
•
•
•

what they did and did not understandwhat they thought were key points
what they did not agree withwhat ideas related to other writings
how the work could be improved

Reading in this way is not only essential for effective participation in a
dialogue, it is also requisite if one wishes to learn from literature.
Learning from reading is so natural a part of what we do everyday, that few
of us would consider that we could actually do it better. Mortimer J. Adler
helped the world understand that they could amplify the act of reading in his
landmark book, How To Read A Book - The Art Of Getting A Liberal
Education. Adler explains that there is an art to reading, and gives precise
and passionate guidance on the subject. He wrote:
If we consider men and women generally, and apart fromtheir professions or occupations, there is only one situation I

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can think of in which they almost pull themselves up by theirbootstraps, making an effort to read better than they usually
do. When they are in love and are reading a love letter, theyread for all they are worth They read every word three ways;
they read between the lines and in the margins; they read
the whole in terms of the parts, and each part in terms of thewhole; they grow sensitive to context and ambiguity, toinsinuation and implication; they perceive the color or words,
the odor of phrases, and the weight of sentences. They may
even take the punctuation into account. Then, if never before
or after, they read. ([Adler1940], p. 14)

Study literature thoroughly prior to each study session.
Select great literature for study since people will be more
motivated to study it over lesser works. Make each reading
assignment manageable -- not too small or too large, butcommensurate with a group's abilities and the density ofeach reading.

Of course, Adler doesn't advocate reading everything with this intensity. The
point is to read dense or complex works with the same precision and clarity.
Now it is not common for all participants within a dialogue to prepare
thoroughly. So what does a group do when an unprepared participant isthwarting a dialogue? Since dialogues can handle only so many superfluous
contributions before they begin to sour, prepared participants need to be
vigilant and assist a dialogue's MOTIVATED MODERATORs (11) inassertively keeping things focused, civil, and productive.
It is normal for people to lose a degree of motivation over the many weeks,months and years that a study group meets. To keep people inspired andmotivated, it helps if individuals can volunteer to play leadership roles thatwill encourage them to prepare energetically. Some groups let individuals
choose to be moderator for particular sessions. This role requires that theindividual become most knowledgeable about a reading.
Another technique, which is far from optimal but sometimes necessary forgroups with busy professionals, gives people time to read and discusspassages when the group meets. This does not usually give a group a chance
to get a deep understanding of a reading, but it can be a way to launch a
dialogue if few have had time to prepare.

great literature

manageable readings

study thoroughly

prepared participant!!!

It can be a challenge for groups to choose the right amount of material to
study for each session. Few people will finish a large reading, but a small
reading may not contain enough content for a two-hour dialogue. Carefully
monitor how people are doing to gage the proper lengths for readins. And be
careful not to make this a formula since some readings will be more densethenothers.

Therefore:

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14 Distinguished Participant. . . great authors are the primary educators in a POOL OF INSIGHT.
PREPARED PARTICIPANTs come next - for they help each other learn
during the dialogue. This pattern identifies the type of individual who can
excel within a dialogue and thus be a great resource to a group.
!!!

Individuals who are distinguished in their fields often lecture
to large audiences. These lectures tend to be far lesseducational–for the lecturer and the listeners–than a good
dialogue.
It is rather amazing that the world has fallen into the trap of thinking thatimportant people are supposed to lecture at large audiences, while lessimportant people listen. Lecturing does have its purposes, but it is a very
crude means of communicating knowledge when compared with dialogue.
Veteran educators Dani and Jerry Weinberg are fond of a quote from a friend
who once described the lecture method as "a way of getting material from theteacher's notes into the student's notes--without passing through the brain of
either one." ([Weinberg1999], p. 1)
Contrary to most practices, if a lecturer really has something important to say,
he would be better off giving his notes to a group, which could study themand then join together in a meaningful dialogue. The outcome of such a
dialogue would be far more educational, and less boring, than any lecture,
particularly if the group has a MOTIVATED MODERATOR (11) and
PREPARED PARTICIPANTs (13).
For study groups, it is optimal if a distinguished individual comes toparticipate in the group's dialogue as an equal member. The Design Patterns
Study Group had a wonderful experience with this when a celebrity wasinvited to attend the group in cognito:

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A well-known author and columnist named John Vlissides,
arranged with the DPSG's ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER (10) toshow up on a certain evening unannounced. John ambled
into the group's PUBLIC LIVING ROOM (7) and wascasually introducedby the leader as a new member of thegroup. He took his seat around the circle and entered the
dialogue. After 10 or 20 minutes, it became clear to many
that this was quite an astute new member of the group. John
was politely correcting people, elucidating complex ideas,
and generally tossing off knowledge on the subject.
This piqued the interest of a fellow named Sterling, a longtime member of the group, who happened to have a trademagazine with him. Casually opening his magazine to acertain column, Sterling compared the picture of thecolumnist with the new guy saying all the smart stuff. A
match! But the leader, noticing Sterling's discovery, winked
and covered up the magazine. When the meeting finallyconcluded, the leader took great joy in announcing just who
John really was, whereupon signatures were gathered andthe entire group took John out for food and drinks.
Now it is true that lectures can reach much larger audiences than dialogues,
so lectures have their place. However, the best lectures leave plenty of time(nearly 50%) for post-lecture dialogue. Some call this period the Question &Answer section. This period can be quite educational to people, but
unfortunately, most lecturers don't factor in time for this. In addition, when
they do try to have post-lecture Q&As, they neglect to rearrange the lectureoriented furniture to accommodate group dialogue–INTIMATE CIRCLE (8).
On the occasion of a visit from a distinguished person, a group may decide tocreate a less intimate circle, but one which can accomodate everyone within
the group. This is a trade-off - it gives everyone a chance to participate, butalso makes people uncomfortable since the circle may be too large.
Another way to accomodate larger study groups is similar to what popularrock groups do when they decide to hold concerts in small, intimate places.
They schedule mutiple concerts in these small arenas, over numerous days.
For study groups, it would be ideal if a group could have the distinguished56

14 DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANT

person come to a series of dialogues, to give everyone a chance to spend timewith the individual, in a smaller, more intimate dialogue.

15 Opening Question **Therefore:

Invite distinguished people to attend a study group andparticipate in dialogue. Such individuals will energize thegroup, and help foster great dialogues. Let everyone in agroup have an opportunity to participant in dialogue withsuch an individual, either by forming larger-than-normal
circles, or by scheduling multiple study sessions over thecourse of weeks or months.
!!!

A group's ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER (10) and/or its ACTIVEPARTICIPANTs (12) may periodically invite celebrities to attend a dialogue.
It can be surprisingly easy to get important people to attend such sessions
when you persuade them that they may learn something through such an
exchange of ideas.
When a celebrity attends a study group, the entire group rather than one
particular subgroup may wish to participate in the dialogue. This can be achallenge, since dialogues function best within smaller INTIMATE CIRCLEs(8). Nevertheless, this occasional trade-off is worthwhile.
Further dialogue can continue when everyone takes the celebrity out
AFTERHOURS (21). . . .

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CUSTOMS

15 OPENING QUESTION. . . the POOL OF INSIGHT (2) provides a way for people to learn more bylearning together. This pattern completes that pattern by providing a way toinspire and puzzle participants, thereby stimulating them to think on a deeper
level.

In addition, just as a POOL OF LIGHT [CA] physically unites individuals, an
opening question unites them intellectually. In other words, it gets everyone
thinking and communicating their ideas about a meaningful subject.

!!!
Asking an opening question at the commencement of a dialogue comes froman age-old tradition that is still practiced at schools like Oxford University
and St. John's College.

Good opening questions aren't easy to formulate: compelling questions
develop out of significant study of a work and continuous revisions.
Mortimer Adler, the famous University of Chicago professor who authored
How To Read A Book and edited the Great Books of the Western World
series, conducted seminars that began with opening questions for well overhalf a century. He explained the nature of these questions as follows:

The following story illustrates the importance of the opening question:
The summer before my first year at St. John's College, I was
required to read Homer's Illiad for a freshman seminar. I
was hiking that summer and would read Homer by flashlight
before I went to bed each night. When I had finally finishedthe epic tale of Achilles, I remember that I was not all that
impressed: I essentially considered the book to be just a war
novel.

...They should be questions that raise issues; questions thatraise further questions when first answers are given to them;questions that can seldom be answered simply by Yes orNo; hypothetical questions that present suppositions theimplications or consequences of which are to be examined;
questions that are complex and have many related parts, tobe taken up in an orderly manner. ([Adler1983], p. 175)
Who asks the opening question?

When school started, I attended my first seminar on a warm
evening in August. Our professor, seated at a large, oval
table with us, asked the opening question.
This question took several minutes to ask and raised issues
about man's fate vs. his own free will. A small passage wasread about a shepherd and his sheep, safely viewing the war
from a hillside. I had not remembered this passage, but now,as the professor read, I began to be aware of a fantastic
connection between this passage and the issue of fate vs.
free will. By the conclusion of the opening question, I knewthat I had only touched the surface of the Illiad and wasravenous to learn more.
A dialogue is set in motion by an opening question. When the question isgood–when it reveals subtle meanings, inherent contradictions or far-reachingconsequences–people within a group can become aware of what they don't
understand, thereby paving the way for learning.

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For the best results, an individual who has great experience in a subject orwith a particular reading will be most qualified to ask the question. However,the process of formulating and asking the question is so instructive, that all
members of a group ought to be encouraged to take a turn.
After the question has been asked, an individual's work isn't done: they mustensure that others have listened to and understand the question, even if it
involves rephrasing the question or offering an example to help illustrate it;they must also respond to participant's theories or answers and steer the
dialogue should it go astray. These types of responsibilities are best carriedout by a group's MOTIVATED MODERATOR (11). Thus, the asker of the
opening question will often moderate a dialogue as well.
Therefore:60

15 OPENING QUESTION

Begin dialogues with an opening question or series ofquestions that penetrate into the heart of a reading, puzzling
and/or challenging participants, and leading a group to
search for a work's most profound ideas. Let people
volunteer to ask the opening question, and encourage themto record their questions to improve them over time.

16 Sequential Study **opening question

levels of understanding!!!

. . . after a body of literature has been selected for study (KNOWLEDGE
HYDRANT), the literature will be much easier to understand if it is studied
chronologically.
!!!

Difficult questions that may arise during a dialogue are often the seeds for
great opening questions. It's important to understand that one's initial opening
questions may not be perfect - it simply takes time to improve them.
It is also important to note that some groups may not be ready to even think
about an opening question before they understand some basics of what an
author is communicating. That's fine. A group can come back to the opening
question as the dialogue proceeds. . . .

Because authors refute each other, extend each other's ideas,
and subtly reference each other, readers can easily miss or
misunderstand important connections when literature is notstudied in chronological order. Some literature may be quite
unintelligible if is studied out of order.
It's amazing to learn just how important sequential study is.
At St. John's College, students spend four years studying the Great Books of
the Western World. Freshman year begins with a study of the ancient Greeks
and by Senior year, students are studying the modern classics. As one reads
each of these works, which span a vast period of time, there are countlessreferences to older works--Homer's poetry, Aristotle's logic, Plato's
paradoxes. Many of these references play pivotal roles in classic writings.
But they cannot be sufficiently understood if the context in which they wereoriginally communicated is not understood.

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16 SEQUENTIAL STUDY

Mortimer Alder spoke of the importance of sequential study in How To Read
A Book - The Art Of Getting A Liberal Education. He wrote:Studyliteraturechronologicallyformaximumcomprehension: the order will help illuminate how authors
were influenced by each other, thereby rendering references
to older works more intelligible.

Frequently, in lecturing about education, I refer to the greatbooks. Members of the audience usually write to me later to
ask for a list of such books. I tell them to get...the list printedby St. John's College, in Annapolis, Maryland...Later, I am
informed by these people that they have great difficulties inreading the books. The enthusiasm which prompted them tosend for the list and to start reading has given way to ahopeless feeling of inadequacy.
[One reason] is that they think they should be able tounderstand the first book they pick out, without having readthe others to which it is closely related. They may try to read
The Federalist Papers without having read the Articles ofConfederation and the Constitution. Or they may try all these
without having read Montesquieu's The Spirit Of The Laws,
Rousseau's The Social Contract, and John Locke's essay Of
Civil Government.
Not only are many of the great books related, but they haveactually been written in a certain order which should not beignored. A later writer has been influenced by an earlier one.
If you read the earlier writer first, he may help you
understand the later books. ([Adler1940], p. 128)

references

influences

early works

later works!!!

After chronologically ordering literature, a group may create intelligent
AGENDAs (17) and STUDY CYCLEs (19).

New members of groups often need their opportunity to study the early orcore books in a subject. SUBGROUPs (18) make this easy. New members
can join subgroups, while senior members study advanced writings in thetheir subgroup.
Therefore:

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17 AGENDA

17 Agenda *. . . no study group or SUBGROUP (18) is complete without an agenda. The
agenda outlines a group's goals, allows members to prepare early and gives
people the chance to choose which meetings they can attend.

September 21
Understanding and Using ValueModels, by Bobby Woolf, inPattern Languages of Program Design ("PLOP I") , edited byJames O. Coplien & Douglas C. Schmidt (Addison-Wesley).

!!!

September 28
Reactor -- An Object Behavioral Pattern for Event
Demultiplexing and Event Handler Dispatching, by Douglas C.
Schmidt, in Pattern Languages of Program Design ("PLOP I") ,edited by James O. Coplien & Douglas C. Schmidt (AddisonWesley).

If you don't have an agenda, it is very hard to maintain any sort of regularmembership in a study group. People like to see the whole picture: where agroup is going, and what it has chosen to study.

October 5
Proposal Based Architecture – Intermediary Objects forTransactional Systems, by John Tibbetts, with links to otherarticles about the pattern.

Long agendas that span several months are best, since they present a group's
goal and lay out exactly how the group will get there. In addition, with a long
list of readings to study, people may get a chance to scan the list and suggest
additional readings that the group may study.

October 12Tree With History - A Pattern for Dealing With Transaction
Structures, by Francis Anderson.

It should be easy to add entries to an agenda. In general, you'll want to havean easy way to notify individuals of changes.

October 19
Transactions And Accounts, by Ralph Johnson, in Pattern
Languages of Program Design 2 (PLOP II), edited by John M.
Vlissides, James O. Coplien & Norman L. Kerth
October 26
Inventory And Accounting. Part I, by Martin Fowler, in Analysis
Patterns - Reusable Object Models, Chapter 6
November 2
Inventory And Accounting. Part II, by Martin Fowler, inAnalysis Patterns – Reusable Object Models, Chapter 6

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Without an agenda, a group will feel lost: members will not
be able to order their schedules, and people will not haveenough time to properly prepare for meetings.

65

Sometimes an author may be in town and that is usually a great time for agroup to send out an invitation –DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANT (14).
Therefore:

Create and publish an agenda with at least 3-6 weeks worthof planned meetings. Allow the agenda to be revised, withsome lead-time, to accommodate special, unexpected eventsor the study of newly discovered works.

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17 AGENDA

virtualspace
readings

18 Subgroup **special event
agenda!!!

. . . How does a study group deal with a large influx of participants, ormembers who want to study different subjects, or a slowdown inmembership? Subgroups provide a way tointelligently handle these issues,
without compromising intimacy or losing effectiveness or stifling the interestsof participants.
!!!

The best agendas are ordered such that groups will study literature insequence–SEQUENTIAL STUDY (16). When groups finish studying a bodyof literature, newer members of a group, who weren't around when the works
were originally being studied, may want their chance to study the works. Thiscan be accomplished by creating STUDY CYCLEs (19) and SUBGROUPs(18).

Study groups can reach a size where they are no longer
effective. In addition, not everyone within a study group isat the same level or knowledge, or is interested in studying
the same subjects.
A subgroup is a part of a study group, created so that individuals may
concentrate on specific readings, subjects or STUDY CYCLEs (19).
Study groups may be composed of sequences of subgroups which meet at thesame time, or at different times. To meet at the same time, a study group willneed a fairly spacious PUBLIC LIVING ROOM (7), capable of forming
multiple INTIMATE CIRCLEs (8). Subgroups that meet concurrently canjoin up as a group AFTERHOURS (21). Some study groups choose to havesubgroups meet at different times, so that members may participate in someor all of the subgroups.
Every session of a subgroup will need it own MOTIVATED MODERATOR(11).
The following list provides some reasons for forming study groups:
•

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Too many people show up
The quality of a dialogue may deteriorate if a group gets too large: people
who are generally comfortable talking may become shy around so manyother people, or the
INTIMATE CIRCLE (8) may need to grow so large

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that folks won't be able to see or hear one another. Therefore, when agroup grows beyond a reasonable size (e.g. 10 people), consider forming
an impromptu subgroup.
•••

newer members. A key to making this work is to offer STUDY CYCLEs(19).
Therefore:

People want to study different literature
As study groups mature, older members advance beyond foundational
literature into more specialized or current literature that rests upon thefoundational literature. Without understanding this foundational
literature, newer members of a group can feel lost or intimidated, andtheir participation may actually hinder an advanced dialogue. Therefore,
to accommodate different levels of experience, form ongoing subgroups
that focus on different books, subjects or STUDY CYCLEs (19).
Someone may want to study something relevant that no one else is
studying
If this happens, an individual may feel discouraged, believing that it wont
be possible to engage in an ongoing dialogue without interest from othersin the group. The opposite is the case. Therefore, encourage theindividual to form a subgroup, create an AGENDA (17), publicize the
new subgroup's existence (using the group's VIRTUAL SPACE (9)), andbegin the study process alone, while the other subgroups are meeting.
A study group needs new members
As a study group matures, newer members will want to join, but will
have a hard time participating if the group is already studying advancedor specialized literature. Therefore, create subgroups of varying levels,
which newer members may join to become part of the larger study group.

New study groups often must decide when the time is right to begin creating
subgroups. If there aren't many members attending the initial group, it may
be hard to justify creating a subgroup, which could possibly splinter analready small group. On the other hand, individuals within the study group's
community may not be joining the study group simply because the group isalready studying advanced literature.
The DPSG formed its first subgroup after about a year of continuous weekly
meetings. The new subgroup was well publicized on the DPSG web site
(VIRTUAL SPACE (9)), and it brought many new faces into the DPSG.
Newer members eventually become veterans, who made way for yet even3
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18 SUBGROUP

69

Form subgroups when groups become too large or whenmembers are interested in different tracks of study. Giveeach subgroup an agenda, and publicize each group to
attract new members. Let everyone choose which subgroupthey wish to attend.

space between
subgroups
tablesrearranged forlarger groups!!!

Subgroups work best when they each have their own AGENDA (17), andwhen every session has a MOTIVATED MODERATOR (11). It is importantto place enough space between each of a study group’s subgroups–
INTIMATE CIRCLE (8).
Since people in different groups can easily get alienated from each other, it isoften good if the entire study group goes out together AFTERHOURS (21).

70

19 STUDY CYCLE

19 Study Cycle **. . . the group has chosen the literature to study, ordered the literaturechronologically (SEQUENTIAL STUDY), and created a group AGENDA.
Now the group must consider how newer members will get their chance tostudy selected works.
!!!

Veteran members of a mature group tend to study advanced
pieces of literature. This can be a problem for new orprospective members, who need to study earlier,foundational works, before they may contributemeaningfully in dialogues on advanced topics.
Study cycles are primarily created for newer members of a group. Newer
members need to study literature in the same chronological order as veteranmembers. Study cycles give them a way to do this, letting them eventually
graduate to other cycles, centered around later or advanced topics.
Study cycles can also be useful for groups that want to study some special
subject for some period of time. Perhaps only a fraction of the group isinterested in this study. That small group can go off, create the study cycle, go
through the agenda, and then move on, leaving the study cycle for others who
may wish to go through it in the future.
Good study cycles take time and care to create. The trick is to choose
readings that fit together nicely and to formulate and record good OPENINGQUESTIONs (15) for each reading.

Without study cycles, it is hard for people who miss certain readings to ever
get the chance to read and discuss them with others. However, with a study
cycle, people can simply wait till a new cycle begins, and then get theirchance to study with others.
The DPSG has built up a study cycle within a SUBGROUP (18), which
studies a single, classic book. The group ordered the 23 readings to make theconcepts as easy to understand as possible. Each group which studies thiscycle, takes 23 weeks to get through it. After that, there is a 2-3 break, andthen new members may join the subgroup, and begin the study cycle.
It is interesting to learn why the DPSG formed this study cycle. The DPSG'ssenior members realized somtime after they had studied this classic book, thatnew members of the group were not getting their chance to study the book,with other, in a dialogue. This was limiting the number of new members who
would join the group, since many of them needed to study the classic book,before they could go on to study further works–SEQUENTIAL STUDY (16).
The study cycle and subgroup were thus added to accomodate new members,
and make the larger study group a more valuable resource to the community(in this case, New York City).
It is important to note that not everything a group studies will need to be in astudy cycle. Many works will not be worth studying again, and so will
simply be part of a group's AGENDA.
Therefore:

Package readings into collections, which a group ofindividuals may undertake to study. Combine the study
cycle with a SUBGROUP, which will repeat the cycle over
and over as long as their is interest either in the group, orwith individuals who wish to join the group.

Study cycles are often created around specific themes, and may containreadings of primary literature followed by readings of commentary on thatliterature. For the Design Patterns Study Groupof NYC, study cycles haveincluded blocks of sessions devoted to the study of large object-oriented
frameworks.

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19 STUDY CYCLE

20 Distributed Diary

subgroup
sequential studyof literature

new members

2-3 week break!!!

Study cycles take time to create, but are well worth the effort. You don’t
have to get them perfect the first time. Experiment to continually refine thecycle. Get feedback on each cycle or sequences within the cycle, using a
DISTRIBUTED DIARY (20). . . .

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20 DISTRIBUTED DIARY. . . The POOL OF INSIGHT (2) and VIRTUAL SPACE (9) provide centerswhere a community may assemble, learn and grow. This pattern enlarges andstrengthens that community by giving it the fruits of study group sessions.

can easily, and inadvertently, miss recording important ideas. In addition, andperhaps more important, the individual may want to play an active role in the
dialogue, and may find the act of recording to be a burden. It has been
observed by numerous study groups that sustained, minutes taking is not aneasy task to pull off, despite being valuable for the group and its community.

!!!

Study groups generate valuable ideas, questions andcommentary. If this output is not recorded and made public,
only attending group members will benefit, leaving everyone
else (including members who were not able to attend asession) with nothing.
To present and non-present members of a group, the outside public (including
similar study groups), and to future members of a group, the ideas that surface
during a study session can be quite valuable.

Another solution is to use a device, such as a tape recorder, to capture thecontents of a session. This too has problems, since many people would rather
learn about important ideas that surfaced, rather than listening to a long,unedited, perhaps low-fidelity, recording.
A solution that seems to work consistently for groups is to distribute theprocess of capturing important ideas and thenlet a single volunteer compile
the group's ideas into one document. The process usually works like this:•Communal Card Writing
At the commencement of a study session, all participants are given small
index cards, on which they are instructed to write 2-3 sentences, which
they feel capture the most important ideas of the session.

•

Card Compiler
At the commencement of a session, one person volunteers to play the roleof card compiler. This individual will contribute a card with 2-3
sentences, and at the conclusion of the session, will gather up all of thecards, for later processing.

•

Diary Composition
Within a day or two of the session, the card compiler will compose adiary containing all of the generated ideas from the group.

The trouble is, these ideas tend not to be recorded.
The reasons for this usually involve some combination of the following:•

A group may not understand that what they are saying, asking, thinking
is worth recording•

A group may have difficulty finding regular volunteers who will record
what goes on•

A group may find that when ideas are recorded, important ideas aren't
capturedOnce a group realizes that what they are talking about is worth capturing, thequestion is, how can the group sustain the act of actively and accurately
recording their sessions?
Some groups simply choose to let people volunteer to take the minutes at a
meeting. This makes sense, however, in practice, over the many months andyears that a study group may meet, it tends not to work. The trouble is, thevolunteer can only record what they deem to be the most important ideas, and

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This solution works well, because the final output–a pool of the entire group's
observations on what was important–tends to be a lot richer than therecording of a single individual's ideas about what was important.
If the group follows the custom of asking an OPENING QUESTION (15), it
is a good idea to record this question in the final diary. For the edification of astudy group, and its community, diaries are placed on VIRTUAL SPACEs
(9).

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20 DISTRIBUTED DIARY

There is only one point that a group must be on guard about. (Also, write
about giving feedback to authors).

21 Afterhours *Therefore:

Let all participants capture what they think are the mostimportant ideas, questions or commentary of a study groupsession. One person will compile the group's observations
into a single diary, which may be distributed to all groupmembers.

communal card writingcard compiler

distributed diary!!!
Important ideas or questions may come up after a session, perhaps during an
AFTERHOURS (21) discussion. Keep a ready supply of index cards forrecording ideas that may belong in a study session's diary.

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...

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CUSTOMS

21 AFTERHOURS. . . this pattern helps complete what the study group itself is designed to do:foster learning and personal growth–KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT (1),KINDRED COLLABORATORS (5).

place that can accommodate groups that fluctuate in size, for it defeats the
purpose if a group has to get split up.

!!!

Sometimes people learn more after a group meets than whena group meets. After meetings, people continue lively
dialogues, get to know each other, blow off stream, exchange
ideas, and discover opportunities. Yet so many groups fail to
include social time.
Since it began as a gathering of friends, the DPSG has always included a
post-meeting "social time". We use this time to eat dinner and have drinks, tocontinue the evening's dialogue, to network with each other or to just laughabout life and work. On some occasions, members of the group who can't
attend a meeting--because of work, family or other engagements--find timeafter a meeting to join the group during our social time.
This time spent afterhours is called, in A Pattern Language, "COMMUNALEATING". The authors write that "without communal eating, no humangroup can hold together." They quote Thomas Merton, who summarized theidea as follows:
A feast is of such a nature that it draws people to itself, andmakes them leave everything else in order to participate inits joys. To feast together is to bear witness to the joy one
has at being with his friends. The mere act of eating
together, quite apart from a banquet or some other festival
occassion, is by its very nature a sign of friendship and of"communion." ([Alexander+1977], p. 697)
After a study group session concludes, it's a good idea to go somewhere else
for the group's afterhours time, since people get tired of being in the sameplace. More people will come out afterhours if they can walk to the location,and if there are a variety of foods and drinks available. It also helps to find a

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time for food, drink, talk and laughs
Afterhours time has always been very popular with the DPSG. But a few
times, it also served a different purpose: once, a recruiter contacted every
member of the group, hoping to be able to attend one of the meetings. We
politely informed the recruiter that our meetings where not open to him, butthat he would be welcome to join the group afterhours, at the group's favorite
hang-out. We also mentioned that it might be nice if the recruiter purchased around of drinks! After this meeting, a number of DPSGers reported that they
had actually enjoyed the meeting, and pointed out how different it was tospeak with a recruiter in a social context, rather than on the phone, in the
middle of a business day.
Therefore:

Have unofficial meetings after official meetings. Go
someplace fun, easy to get to or within walking distance,
where members may eat and drink together, shareexperiences, network and enjoy each other's company.

80References
study groupeat, drink,laugh, network,
blow off steam
afterhours!!!

[Adler1940] Adler, Mortimer. How To Read A Book: The Art Of Getting A
Liberal Education. New York, Simon And Schuster, &#169 1940. (7thpaperback printing, December 1960).
[Adler1983] Adler, Mortimer. How To Speak, How To Listen. New York,
Macmillan Publishing Company, &#169 1983
[Alexander+1977] Alexander, Christopher. A Pattern Language. New York,
Oxford University Press, &#169 1977.
[Bohm1996] Bohm, David. On Dialogue. London, Routledge, &#169 1996.

After a group has been going to the same place for a considerable amount oftime, the group may want to spread out to other locations, preferably withinwalking distance. Some groups change restaurants twice a year.

[Senge1990] Senge, Peter M. The Learning Organization.
Currency Doubleday, &#169 1990

New York,[Schultz1997] Schultz, Howard and Yang, Dori Jones. Pour Your Heart Into
It. New York, Hyperion, &#169 1997
[Weinberg1999] Weinberg, Daniela and Gerald M. Learning By Design:
Constructing Experiential Learning Programs, from Readings for Problem
Solving Leadership. Nebraska, Weinberg and Weinberg, &#169 1999

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Photo Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

Most of the pictures in this pattern language come from friends.
Special thanks go to Jean Leong and the DPSG for snapping somegreat shots of our favorite PUBLIC LIVING ROOM (7), Space Untitled.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank Christopher Alexander and his colleagues
for writing A Pattern Language. If you don’t own a copy, buy one. Trustme, it is an awesome piece of work.

1. St. John's College
2. Jean Leong
3. Jean Leong
5. (Space Untitled Shot)
7. Jean Leong
10. Kevin Prichard
11. Ward Cunningham
12. Jean Leong
14. St John's College
16. St John's College
21. Lenny Primak

I’d like to thank my wife Tracy for all of her help and for putting up with meduring the writing of this work.

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Many thanks to all of the participants in the writer’s workshop at ChiliPLoP’99.
Thanks to (insert your name here).

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