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Cooperative Decision-Making
“Sample Consensus Workshop Agenda”
[PDF]
5 pages. This paper presents agendas for a 7-hour workshop on consensus decision-making and cooperative meetings. It includes presentations (based on the notes listed below) and participatory exercises. It also lists alternative agendas for shorter workshops.
“Notes on Consensus Decision-Making”
[PDF]
12 pages. These notes outline many of the most important ideas about consensus decision-making in cooperative groups. Topics include: Consensus Basics; Examples; Tips; The Flow of the Process; Essentials of Good Process; Types of Consensus Decisions; What Consensus is Not; Why Consensus?; Developing Attitudes, Learning Skills, and Problems Solving; Special Roles in a Cooperative Meeting; Special Techniques; Spokescouncils; Problems; Interrupting Poor Process; History; and a Bibliography.
“The AD Method of Cooperative Decision-Making”
[PDF]
2 pages. Five steps in the advantages/disadvantages method of cooperatively finding, evaluating, and choosing solutions.
“Getting Unstuck: Common Problems in Meetings and Some Solutions”
[PDF]
7 pages. This chart lists 24 common problems encountered in meetings and provides an example and several possible solutions for each one.
“A Checklist for the Consensus Process”
[PDF]
1 page. This list summarizes basic tools and tasks needed for a consensus meeting.
“Preparation for Meetings — A Checklist”
by Michael Wooding [PDF]
2 pages. This paper outlines the steps to prepare an agenda and otherwise prepare for a productive cooperative meeting.
“Consensus Is Not Unanimity: Making Decisions Cooperatively”
2 pages. This paper points out common misperceptions about consensus decision-making.
“Decision Making Structures”
[PDF]
1 page. This series of diagrams contrasts consensus with unanimity, hierarchy, majority rule, and no structure.
“Organizational Structures for Cooperative Groups”
[PDF]
1 page. This chart summarizes ten types of groups, their typical membership requirements, and the kinds of activities for which they are most appropriate.
“Achieving Democracy”
4 pages. This paper summarizes Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem and recent efforts to find fair voting systems. It then explores consensus decision-making as a way to achieve true democracy.
“Letter to the Alliance for Democracy”
[HTML]
A note on mailing list process and consensus decision-making.
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