The electronic sessions

• let participants collaborate with each other or work alone, then share ideas with the entire group.
• accelerate and improve brainstorming and organizing ideas, leaving more time for members to discuss, develop, and assess the ideas.
• refine, categorize, and consolidate items quickly and easily.

Take a look at a picture of one of Pat's electronic meetings.

Sample scenario of a computer-assisted session

Sessions are tailored to the needs of the group, but a typical meeting might include the following activities (not necessarily in this order).

Brainstorming: Participants write their ideas on their own machines/keyboards. When comfortable with what's written so far, each participant triggers it to go into the record, onto the big board, and on to the screens of the other participants' and the facilitator's computers. Ideas do not identify which participant contributed them. In addition to listing ideas (usually one-liners), there is room on the screen to add comments. The originator of an idea can explain the idea; others can read the explanation and comment back on it, raising questions or adding points. Comments/background are saved for use in further discussion.

Facilitated oral discussion: The facilitator leads discussion of the brainstormed lists, working from the big screen. Group oral discussion refines the idea list, groups items, and eliminates redundancy. Facilitation staff edits from the facilitator's computer onto big screen as discussion proceeds. (This is like using marker and flip charts--except much faster, with better format and legibility and an editable record.)

Breakout groups: Small groups of participants work together to flesh out ideas or all or part of the refined list of brainstormed ideas. One member of each group records ideas on the computer and triggers to the facilitator's computer. The facilitator displays all the group products on the big screen and other participants' computers when ready for discussion.

Rating/ranking/assessment: Participants individually assign ratings to listed ideas, or proposals, assessing them against criteria. The criteria may be developed by the group. The computer analyzes statistically, shows percent of agreement and disagreement, displays graphically (bar charts, graphs, etc.), illustrates degree of consensus.

Voting ("opinion meter"): At any time, facilitator or participant can call for a vote (on a scale of 1 to 10 or whatever) on how comfortable all participants are with discussion so far, things the group has apparently decided, some aspect of assumptions, readiness to move discussion past this point, etc.

Technical help throughout: Facilitation staff is available to help participants use software--although not much help is needed. The software is very user friendly.

What's So Great About It?

• Anonymous contribution of ideas and voting encourages reluctant participants.
• Individuals can read as much of the background and commentary as they want.
• Voting/opinion meter ensures consensus, rather than railroading and surrender.
• Participants stick to agenda, follow ground rules.
• All ideas are captured.
• Participants reach consensus fast, and degree of consensus is measured.
• Saves time and money.
• Harnesses collective knowledge of all participants and turns individual expertise into group creativity and success.
• Even when participants have varying degrees of knowledge about each other and the issue at hand, they quickly begin working as a high performance team and complete a given agenda.
• Ideas are generated and explored quickly, simultaneously, and in confidence.
• Alternatives can be evaluated systematically. Software allows participants to weight or rate a list of alternatives against a list of criteria; lets participants allocate resources for budgets, funding, or staffing.
• A complete audit trail and documentation of the meeting is maintained. All information is saved on-line--available in hard copy or on disk.