This document discusses structured dialogic design (SDD) as a methodology for facilitating large group collaboration and decision making around complex problems. It outlines some key challenges with large group work, including complexity, lack of shared understanding, and limited cognitive abilities. SDD provides a structured process and graphic tools to help large groups unpack complexity, build shared understanding, and make informed decisions through techniques like clustering observations, identifying influence relationships, and developing action plans. The document includes examples of SDD being used to address barriers to public participation in broadband access.

1. PAIN CONSULT Concept design workshop Tom Flanagan Chair, Board of Directors Institute for 21 st Century Agoras We must learn to work together in large groups So that we can begin solving large problems Structured Dialogic Design SM January 1, 2010

2. Recall you experiences within large groups The more essential it is for a group to share significant resources and work together, the harder it is to get the group to agree upon a joint action plan. We work together in large groups only when we must.

3. Drivers of Large Group Collaborative Planning Businesses No Longer Compete: Business strategists argue that with the decentralization of business structures and with the emergence of complex supply and distribution networks, individual businesses are not the unit of competition. Competition is now among entire supply and distribution webs. Without our business partners, we cannot sustain our competitive position within our markets. Business Cultures Converge : Many service industries are experiencing consolidation (e.g., healthcare, banking, retail, etc.). When two or more independent business cultures come together, the forced collaboration either leads to success or to failure. Innovation Occurs at the Margins : It is often the capacity to see our situation differently that leads to new ways of thinking through our barriers. Sharing different perspectives leads to creative breakthroughs. Finding the root causes of complex civic problems requires reaching across silos. No Individual Can See the Big Picture : With truly complex problems, we cannot see enough to plan with confidence and inspire confidence in others because we cannot see into the intentions of others who will be responding even as we seek to implement our response.

5. Source: Max Hardy, Twyford Consulting Leaders and large groups frequently distrust each other

6. " I would not give a whit for the simplicity this side of complexity ( a simple approach ), but I would give my life for the simplicity on the far side of complexity ( a simple resolution )." O. W. Holmes Large groups are OK for broadcasting. Explaining, training, motivating, and idea harvesting Large groups do not resolve complexity well. Design and decision making Leaders frequently lack skills for coaching large groups

9. “ Sponsors are rarely willing to invest adequate time in building firm foundations for their teams at the start of a project. But they are often willing to start over when the project fails .” Unknown Author How Do Groups Handle Complexity ? POORLY

14. Example of part of an ISM map

15. A 30 person SDD session

17. The Talking Point: Creating Environments for Exploring Complex Meaning Thomas R. Flanagan & Alexander N. Christakis Information Age / January 2010 The Talking Point

18. How People Harness their Collective Wisdom & Power to Construct the Future in Co-Laboratories of Democracy Alexander N. Christakis & Kenneth C Bausch Information Age / February 2006 Co-Laboratories of Democracy

19. Graphic by KMC Dye Global sites where SDD has been used

21. Level I Level II Level III Level IV Deep Driver Trend No-influence Trend The example shown above is an INFLUENCE structure demonstrates the direction of plausible influence demonstrates a contingent pathway Trends & Contingencies (red) Contingency An SDD Influence Map

22. Complex Situation Articulate Observations Cluster Inductively Frame and Focus on a Triggering Question ? Develop Shared Language Vote & Rank Structure Abductively Evaluate Cross-Impact Interpret Learning Class Label Type A Type C Type B Influence Steps in Each Stage of SDD Inquiry Clarify Meaning

23. AN EXAMPLE __ Participation in the Broadband Society A systemic evaluation of obstacles preventing the wider public benefiting from and participating in the broadband society Yiannis LAOURIS 1 , Marios MICHAELIDES 2 , Bartolomeo SAPIO 3 1 Cyprus Neuroscience & Technology Institute, Cyprus [email_address] 2 Cyprus Intercultural Training Initiative, Cyprus [email_address] 3 Fondazione Ugo Bordoni , Italy [email_address] THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNEXPECTED The user and the future of information and communication technologies A trans-disciplinary conference organised by COST Action 298 Moscow, Russian Federation 23 rd -25 th May 2007

24. Larnaca, Cyprus September 29-30, 2006 26 expert participants of the Cost298 community

25. “ What are the obstacles to the wider public benefiting from and participating in the broadband society ? ” Triggering Question AN EXAMPLE __ Participation in the Broadband Society

27. # Factor 42 POVERTY IN THE NEW CENTRAL AND EASTERN EU COUNTRIES 43 LACK OF SELF CONFIDENCE IN MASTERING THE TECHNOLOGY 44 TOO MUCH TIME CONSUMING AND RISK OF ADDICTION 45 MORAL PANIC REGARDING THE INTERNET 46 INERTIA 47 LACK OF USER FRIENDLINESS 48 POOR INTERFACE DESIGN 49 FEAR OF TECHNOMAFIA 50 LACK OF SOFTWARE DESIGN CAPACITY 51 DIFICULTIES TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SERVICE PACKAGES 52 FEAR OF BEING WATCHED BY THE BIG EYE 53 SHORTERM NATIONAL POLITICAL DECISIONS 54 FRUSTRATION BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF RELIABILITY OF THE CONTENT 55 SNOBISM 56 NOT HAVING A COMPUTER 57 TELECOM FOCUSING ON 3G, WHEREAS PEOPLE ON WIFI 58 NON USE AS A DELIBERATE LIFESTYLE 59 AGE 60 LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF ADVANTAGES 61 PREDICTABLE MALE DOMINATION AMONG USERS 62 FRAGILITY OF IT SYSTEMS 63 TECHNOLOGICAL DETERMINISM 64 LACK OF CONSENSUS TO FIGHT AGAINST TECHNOLOGICAL DOMINATION 65 BAD SOFTWARE DESIGN 66 LACK OF ORGANIZATION OF PROMOTION ACTIVITIES 67 SPAM 68 TECHNOLOGY PUSHED SERVICES 69 SLOW ABSORBTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS 70 VIRUSES 71 INTERFERENCE OF HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS 72 LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEED TO DEFINE THE DIGITAL CITIZENS RIGHTS 73 VIABILITY OF EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES 74 LACK OF STANDARTIZATION OF QUALITY ISSUES 75 IVORY TOWER OF HUMANIST SOCIOLOGISTS 76 LACK OF INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN SYSTEMS 77 OTHER PREFERENCES EG. SPORTS, TV, ETC 78 LACK OF OPEN DESIGN INTERFACES 79 NEOPHOBIA, THE FEAR OF THE NEW 80 BAD SPAM FILTERS 81 FEAR OF GLOBALIZATION 82 ETHICS

28. Clustering of the 82 factors in 11 categories AN EXAMPLE __ Participation in the Broadband Society

29. 5 votes per participant: 5x26 for 82 factors AN EXAMPLE __ Participation in the Broadband Society

30. 11 highly preferred factors were structured AN EXAMPLE __ Participation in the Broadband Society

31. Factors 30: The inadequate public promotion of its importance Factor 47: The lack of user friendliness These are the obstacles, which must be addressed with priority. Their resolution will significantly help address all other obstacles. The group focused efforts on the 2 deepest drivers AN EXAMPLE __ Participation in the Broadband Society

33. SDD is not “just” for large groups Keep meetings focused Stop recycling issues Clearly identify objectives Confidently explain our decisions Quantify risk Prioritize objectives Encourage consensus Collect and organize ideas Collaborate effectively Hold fewer meetings Capture our knowledge Slide from Steve Mack, Decision Management Group

34. To get more information on this topic http://www.globalagoras.com/

35. Tom Flanagan, Ph.D., MBA Director, South Coast Community Collaborative Design Studio ><((((º>·..¸¸·´¯`·.><(((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·..¸¸><((((º> .·´¯`·..><(((º>.·´¯`·..><(((º> &quot;Discussions as usual can lead to no more than business as usual&quot; South Coast Community Collaborative Design Studio is a project of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts. Our mission is to build community capacity through the use of advanced collaborative design practices. We are a resource for multi-organization planning and not a direct source of funds. VOICE: 508-264-0066 EMAIL: TRFlanagan@aol.com WEBSITE: http://socodesign.wetpaint.com/ SKYPE: SoCoDesign THE TALKING POINT http://www.infoagepub.com/products/The-Talking-Point Thank You !!