Consensus Conference
A Consensus Conference is a structured public forum where diverse stakeholders contribute to assessing a proposal or addressing a complex issue. It fosters inclusive decision-making by incorporating public perspectives alongside expert opinions.
Use when seeking broad public input on a controversial or high-impact decision, ensuring transparency and shared understanding.
Solves: Lack of public trust in decision-making processes; feeling that decisions are made behind closed doors.
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Step 1: Define the issue and scope of the conference (30 min)
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Step 2: Recruit a diverse panel of stakeholders and experts (ongoing)
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Step 3: Facilitate presentations and Q&A sessions (60 min)
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Step 4: Conduct small group discussions to explore different perspectives (90 min)
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Step 5: Synthesize findings and draft a consensus statement (60 min)
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Step 6: Present the consensus statement to the wider public and decision-makers (ongoing)
- Ensure diverse representation on the panel.
- Clearly define the scope of the conference to avoid scope creep.
- Manage time effectively to allow for thorough discussion.
- Delphi method (iterative anonymous feedback)
- Citizens' jury (randomly selected citizens deliberating on an issue)