Dynamic Discussions Deck

Blue cards are stacked on a polished wooden table, with a blurred meeting in the background.
Dynamic Discussions Deck

52 Cards. Real Stories. Better Conversations.

Order Your Own Dynamic Discussions Card Deck

Start a Conversation That Matters

The Dynamic Discussions Conversation Deck was created by UC Davis Inclusive Excellence to help people have thoughtful, respectful conversations that strengthen their connections with one another. Grounded in the UC Davis Principles of Community, the deck helps groups create the conditions for trust — because trust is essential when engaging complex topics and diverse perspectives.
Learn More about Dynamic Discussions
A colorful arrangement of blue cards with text, set against an orange and yellow background.

Pull a card

Inside are 52 thoughtfully crafted prompts designed to spark reflection, storytelling, and meaningful exchange across five themes — from identity and belonging to courage and hope.
Order Your Own Deck
Colorful cards with various texts and a logo, placed on a yellow and orange background.

Ask the question

Use the deck in classrooms, residence halls, student organizations, team meetings, or workshops. Cards can be selected intentionally or drawn at random — no facilitation experience required.
Download a quick start guide
Five cards dealt over a solid dark blue background concluding with the Dynamic Deck card box.

Sample Conversation Prompts

Below is an example prompt from each thematic group in the deck: 

  • Culture and Identity: What traditions, experiences, or parts of your background most shape how you see yourself today?
  • Personal Reflection and Learning: Can you recall a moment when something you learned challenged how you previously understood an issue or situation?
  • Kindness and Connection: What is a small act of kindness that has stayed with you longer than you expected, and why?
  • Challenging Conversations and Different Perspectives: How do you decide when to speak up in a difficult conversation, and when to listen instead?
  • Dreams, Hopes, and the Future: What kind of community do you hope to help create, even in small or everyday ways? 

The full deck includes a wide range of prompts designed to invite reflection, perspective-taking, and shared sensemaking.

“I used the Dynamic Discussion Cards at leadership retreat with graduate student leaders. They loved the way the cards helped to facilitate meaningful insights, connection, and discussions."  —Sara Xayarath Hernández, Associate Dean for Inclusion and Student & Faculty Engagement for the Graduate School at Cornell University
Two people seated at a table, one showing a blue object while the other eats a meal.

Bulk Orders

The Dynamic Discussions Deck has generated tremendous interest across higher education and beyond. Our initial inventory has been fully allocated through organizational initiatives, speaking engagements, and other strategic distribution efforts. Individual decks continue to be available for purchase through the UC Davis Bookstore.

Order Now

As we prepare for our next print run, we welcome expressions of interest from organizations interested in bulk orders, partnerships, or bringing the Dynamic Discussions Deck to their communities. Use this form to connect with us. Your inquiry helps us plan future production, identify partnership opportunities, and follow up as additional inventory becomes available.

Bring Dynamic Discussions Deck to Your Organization

  • Dynamic Discussions Deck Inquiry
  • Contact Information Page
  • Request Information Page
  • Complete
Organization Type
Are you affiliated with UC Davis

About Dynamic Discussions Deck

Hands of multiple people holding and examining cards on a table scattered with more cards.

The Dynamic Discussions Conversation Deck was developed as part of the Dynamic Discussions initiative, which brings together scholarship and facilitation practices to support meaningful dialogue. 

The conversation prompts were written by Sarah Colwell, a communications strategist and writer who has worked with UC Davis Inclusive Excellence for several years. A former UC Davis employee, Sarah is currently the founder and principal of SC2 Strategic Communications, a consulting firm specializing in strategic communications, storytelling, and audience-centered messaging for higher education institutions, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations. 

Sarah developed the concept for the deck and authored the prompts as part of her work on Dynamic Discussions, supported by funding from the University of California’s Addressing Bias and Bigotry initiative. The prompts were reviewed by UC Davis staff during development.  

The deck is an institutional resource of UC Davis Inclusive Excellence.