Lean Coffee Guide
The Lean Coffee guide is Kubair Shirazee’s free walkthrough for running a Lean Coffee session. Lean Coffee is a structured, agenda-less meeting format: instead of a fixed agenda, participants write down what they want to discuss, vote on which topics matter most, then work through them against a timer, extending or moving on by a show of thumbs. The page describes it as versatile enough to adapt to any setting and any length of time, so it’s for anyone facilitating a group discussion where a pre-set agenda would get in the way. It sets out the full run end to end: preparing a Kanban board and sticky notes, generating topics, prioritising by vote, timeboxing the discussion, and optionally closing with a summary of key takeaways, and it links straight to a ready-made Miro board so a team can run its first session today.
Lean Coffee is a structured, agenda-less meeting format that fosters open, democratic discussions. Participants collaboratively build the agenda in real-time, ensuring conversations are relevant and engaging.
How to Conduct a Lean Coffee Session:
1. Preparation
Materials Needed:
Sticky notes
Markers / Sharpies
A timer (a smartphone works well)
A Kanban board on Miro or physical wall divided into three columns: “To Do,” “Doing,” and “Done”
2. Topic Generation
Each participant writes down topics they’d like to discuss, one per sticky note.
Once all topics are submitted, participants briefly explain their suggestions to the group: 30 seconds or less.
3. Prioritisation
Each participant is given a set number of votes (e.g., three) to allocate to the topics they find most interesting or pressing.
Topics with the most votes are prioritised and placed in the “To Do” column.
4. Discussion
The team starts with the highest-priority topic, moving it to the “Doing” column.
Set a timer for an initial discussion period (commonly five minutes).
At the end of the timebox, the group votes (e.g., thumbs up/down) on whether to continue the discussion (commonly two minutes to conclude / get to action points) or move on.
Once a topic is fully discussed, it moves to the “Done” column, and the next topic begins.
5. Conclusion
Optionally, summarise key takeaways or action items.
Consider capturing a photo of the board for future reference.
Lean Coffee sessions are versatile and can be adapted to various settings and times. They empower participants to drive the conversation, ensuring meetings are both efficient and engaging.