Do they look like longterm collaborators that know

Do they look like long-term collaborators that know well how each other works to you? ; -) PRAGMA 17 Workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Left: GLEON 11 Student Workshop (Nanjing, China 2010) Top right: GLEON 12 Ecosystem Modeling Working Group (Israel, 2011) Bottom right: GLEON 12, Climate & Lake Physics Working Group (Israel, 2011)

A “hypothetical” problem-solving or shared goals discussion probably looks like this: In reality, discussions may go like this…

The Idealized Group Decision Making Process DIVERGENT Thinking Generate a list of ideas Free-flowing open discussion Seeking diverse points of view Suspending judgment vs. CONVERGENT Thinking Sorting ideas into categories Summarizing key points Exercising judgment Coming to agreement

A more realistic model � The “Groan Zone” is where we – “struggle in the service of integration. ”

The Diamond of the Participatory Decision-Making The Diamond model is developed by Sam Kaner, Lenny Lind, Catherine Toldi, Sarah Fisk and Duane Berger. Co-authors of the Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making (Jossey-Bass Business & Management, 2011)

What are we doing in the “Divergent Zone”? Pre-requisite of building sustainable agreements.

What are we doing in the ‘Groan Zone’? To clarify competing frames of references, compare, negotiate goals and inclusive solutions, ensure full participation, establish mutual understanding and prepare to share responsibilities.

What’s the value and end result (we aim for) of the ‘Groan Zone’? Creating the SHARED Framework of UNDERSTANDING.

The Convergent Zone AND the Closure Zone

What are we doing in the convergence zone? Remember to discuss and establish clear “decision rules” when reaching the CLOSURE ZONE (Decision Point). This is the single most structural element of group decision-making to take the group beyond ‘Decision Point’ to IMPLEMNTATION.

Inclusive Solution Mutual Understanding Full Participation Shared Responsibilities The Four Participatory Values of the Diamond Decision-Making model for groups

By Midge Eliassen. LSPA, Sunapee, NH. January 2013

Thank you • The Diamond [or ‘fish’] of Participatory Decision-Making diagrams, the definition of each zone and the value of the model are excerpted from Kaner, S. , Lind, L. , Toldi, C, Fisk, S. , and Berger, D. The Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision -Making. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2011. • All photos are used in this presentation are taken by Grace Hong unless noted otherwise.