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Once one understands the theatrical aspects of classroom dynamics, the notion of intimacy makes perfect sense. The
physical relationships between teacher and student and among the students themselves was critical to the success of
the discussion, and to the learning that resulted.

Nothing, then, was more important than achieving the intimacy in the classroom that would play the critical role in
facilitating the dialog so important to the case study methodology. As a result, the width of the front of the room had to
be reduced to achieve the necessary room geometry.

The faculty continued to support the idea of using three blackboards and three projection screens. Unfortunately, three
properly sized screens could not physically fit in within the new width parameters of the room. Ultimately, HBS faculty
decided that a full sized single center image should be provided. The screens left and right of center would be reduced in
size, and the faculty accepted the limitation that either the graphics used on these screens would need to be oversized,
or that they would be used to display images from remote participants via video teleconferencing. No dense images filled
with text could be accommodated.

It was also clear that the professors would, as a matter of course, move around the room, and certainly not stand in
one place. An instructor's desk, a simple movable table at the center of the front of the room, would serve a twofold
purpose: as a storage area for handouts and other materials, and occasionally, as a place for the instructor to sit.

During my class sit-ins, I watched while the professor
serve as facilitator, and students discussed with the
professor and amongst themselves, the details of the
case. It was only in my subsequent meetings with
faculty that I discovered that what seems like fairly
spontaneous movements and instructor comments,
were carefully choreographed lesson plans. The
professors know exactly how they wanted the
discussion to progress, and their oral comments and
blackboard notations were scripted to a certain extent
in advance.

I was more than a little surprised as the realization
became clearer, that classroom activities were, in many
ways, actually live academic theater.