Synthetron wisdom of crowds via evolutionary propagated consensus

Synthetron wisdom of crowds via evolutionary (propagated) consensus in online discussions: experiences and challenges

1. CROWD SOURCING Synthetron 2. MODEL 3. EXPERIENCES actors activity data big brain 1. LEARNING AND NEXT challenges and opportunities

1. CROWD SOURCING Wisdom of crowds? Synthetron helps managers to listen to relevant stakeholders via purposeful crowd-sourcing. The objective is Ø Ø 3 to engage participants as change subjects to collectively share their feedback and co-create change to get deep insights into what really matters from participants’ view to accelerate change. ©Synthetron

What is a Synthetron about 1 Smart listening • efficient • engage large groups • Feedback to co-creation 2 Finger on the pulse à instant insight in real ideas, feelings & opinions that matter à accelerate your change, your implementation 3 Applications Internal stakeholders • HR • Strategy and change • New development External stakeholders • Citizens • Specific stakeholder groups • (Customers)

The Synthetron crowd source solution online web application Synthetron purposeful crowd-sourcing. Stakeholders safely discuss with many, from their own PC online, identifying collaboratively what matters most to them via 1 hour smart online discussions : + • • evolutionary discussion process • • • Instant short list of • top opinions & ideas • Moderated around set of well drafted key questions Anonymous, written, collaborative conclusive of the public web Conclusive and scalable thanks to evolutionary discussion process and special table setting Participants feel engaged by the interactivity and cocreation the outcome is a short list of “synthetrons”: those ideas matter most to participants, ranked by importance, and the long list of all ideas. This quali- quant data can be further analysed and benchmarked as fitted with the Synthetron method for content, meaning, lab, buzz words, benchmarks, 3 H, EBC) patented 5 ©Synthetron

It’s easy and engaging. Participants access the online discussion from their preferred location, write and react, think and score, guided by the moderator topic A synthetron (promoted message obtained support) thinking your score reading scoring Neighbour’s message writing Your message Your reaction group average score You can at the demo (4 min) 6

Instruction film gives participants dynamics link: http: //www. synthetron. com/participants/videos/

Scale and synthesis are solved Moderated 1 hour 10 -1000 participants on questions that matter Collaborative filtered propagation Share & evaluate ideas anonymously Evolutionary propagation • strong ideas move on • weak ideas stay at table Clever table setting 24/04/2012 ©Synthetron 2010 8

Benefits of social media without disadvantages Participants are anonymous safe space not about share of voice Writing on own PC peers about share of thougths Discussions are no groupthink Efficient online not public moderated focused on key questions interactive & evolutionary conclusive Outcome is engaging experience of feedback and co-creation short list of participants’ most important ideas ranked by them long list all data Ideas written deep insight • what they say, share • what they think, feel important • buzz words & mindset • what divides them ©Synthetron

Moderation: 1. Observe content micro level ghosts” 2. Observe content: macro level see all synthetrons unfolding 3. Watch the dashboard real time statistics on activity 4. Moderate review time/content script 10

11 Instant Report: you know what matters to people on the topics that matter to you The synthetron list per moderator question Instant print out By topic Synthetron Weight Content context The synthetron with poll graphs Excel sheet with all data

Get answers from your stakeholders to your important questions, engage and get deep insight into change forces Mindset Outcome = deep insight = engagement Buzz words stories Aligned convictions Accelerators Engaged Barriers feelings Impact experiences

13 Synthetron reinforce your business at different stages of any programm Listen & engage wave Pre change Scope Issue/ solutions Think tank/ Value Jam Pressure points Understand directly from staff what they think matters. Spot early warning signals before they become a major problem and find effective solutions. Adjust, review Implement/ change Analysis, strategy, plan Early stage Test Strategy/ plans/policy concept Engagement Mapper Understand the level of alignment and engagement of staff, identify gaps and use employees’ own words and solutions to efficiently communicate and mobilise Later stages Review Progress/ policies, implementation Change Tracker Track and benchmark on a regular basis the barriers that are blocking the change process and identify the accelerators that can accelerate progress

Synthetron is RELIABLE and TRUSTED: Clients with consumers & citizens brainstorm with stakeholders & members within organisations

1. MODEL MATHEMATICAL MODEL PATENTED

Scale and interaction leading to conclusions Moderated 1 hour 10 -1000 participants on questions that matter Share & evaluate ideas anonymously Evolutionary propagation • strong ideas move on • weak ideas stay at table 24/04/2012 ©Synthetron 2010 16

Conditional propagation : evolutionary process Different conditions 1. Consensus : Average score Treshold more or less stringent: 3 levels Targetted, Exploratory, open 2. Importance: Absolute score treshold 3. Debate: only agree site disregard dissenting scores Different propagation engines 1. Continious propagation 2. Exponential propagation Build in smoothers 1. Wild card 2. Silent neighbours 3. Blockers dissent

What did we learn?

Learned from actors: purposeful discussions Participants contributor • • • Enjoy, interaction, Pleased to contribute/ be listened to Feel safe A bit to fast, reflection time Homogenic (employee) versus heterogenic (citizens) • New unexpected insights • Very actionable • Risk of platitudes, to high level and not specific client moderator 24/04/2012 • • • Importance of script Balance engagement process versus insights creation Balance feedback, aspiration, cocreation Breaking lines pitfall Level of question matters from concept to keep , start, stop thinking • Balance feel and think ©Synthetron 2010 19

BIG BRAIN ? LEARNED FROM ACTIVITY ANALYSIS

Database of participants activity data Giving insights • on how to moderate • on propagation • Benchmarks: • level of consensus, • depth of consensus • bipolarity Example ACTIVITY INTENSITY Participation size does not matter activity 25 20 15 Messages per participant 10 Words per message 5 0 EN <100 NL > 100 gemiddelden EN NL <100 NL > &00 Messages per participant 15 15 18 Words per message 21 21 22

Example Different activity profiles • • Not about share of voice but about share of content Attitudes : extrovert, reflective, vocal or more observing all actively contribute

caveat: breaking lines in the dialogue space # Experience Concept discussion chit chat policy beliefs deep dialogue = = Experienced based focused discussions knowledge/info #

BIG BRAIN ? WISDOM LEARNED FROM CONTENT ANALYSIS

Making Change Work (*) What 4000 managers, executives and staff say that really matters … ©Synthetron (*) Key findings from a collaborative study Prof. Paul Verdin Solvay Business School (ULB) /Tias. Nimbas (Tilburg) & Eric Cabocel Synthetron N. V. with J. Celens /Synthetron N. V. & F. Faelli /Bain & Co. Benelux. More details can be found on “MAKING CHANGE WORK-What managers, executives and staff tell us that really matters” Review of Business & Economics -June 2011 This presentation is a simpler version of presentation of professor P. Verdin and E. Cabocel at Insead Conference September 2011

Background – The data • an empirical database of 8000 +verbatims created by more than 4000 managers and other employees and supported by 50. 000 “votes” • issued from 90 “Synthetron” online discussions • all addressing issues associated with strategic or organisational change: • involving 22 companies and some public institutions –mostly large and medium-size multinational companies 26 ©Synthetron

. . 26 sub-categories of topics that matter in making change work

28 Quali Quant data: deep insight from specific analysis Issue solution map Little automation Artificial intelligence tested no smart solution yet? Value map Mindset Activity profile 3 H change level ECB force Buzz word Segmentation Benchmark

CHALLENGES

Reflection limits and challenges • real time • Recruitment • Cycles of 3 -4 min reflection time • Cross continent • Anonymity • safe space- moral dislike • collaborative filter ethical • named version • Breaking lines • Limits to wisdom • Surowiecki 24/04/2012 ©Synthetron 2010 30

Reflection challenges from experience • Distribution activity • Synthetronisation • Analysis • Table setting • Slow time • Social open application 24/04/2012 ©Synthetron 2010 31

JOANNE CELENS CEO JOANNE. CELENS@SYNTHETRON. COM Joanne WWW. SYNTHETRON. COM