The four color method

Our method of consultation consists in sharing the drawing of the project around a table, each equipped with a four color pen. This work session is proposed at the beginning of the mission to our project management, with the various stakeholders of the project: city officials, technical services, developers, project managers, etc. But it can also lead to a session with residents or neighbourhood associations, in small groups. Putting your ideas on a paper plan, in a quick and schematic way, allows everyone to express themselves, to participate in a collective work, and allows us to reach a shared outline faster.

This method is situated in the current dynamic of warm-storming, which proposes a drawing or sticky note approach that is supposedly quicker, more productive, and more democratic than traditional brainstorming. The academic, timed, and playful character of this drawing session puts everyone at the same level of participation and involves everyone in making decisions. The four colors of the pen allow to use a common code: black for the ground, red for existing and new constructions, green for plants and blue for water.

We have tested this technique many times and each time we have benefited greatly in terms of speed, information gathering and appropriation of the project by all. Our ideas are enriched by each proposal and the sum of the drawings quickly presents an obvious character, one that goes beyond the addition of speech and oral postures.