Community ParticipationCommunity ParticipationTechniques and toolsTechniques and tools

WorkshopWorkshopNovember 15, 2010November 15, 2010

Steve Johnson, Ph.D.Steve Johnson, Ph.D.

Fulbright FellowFulbright Fellow

Social Research InstituteSocial Research Institute

Chulalongkorn UniversityChulalongkorn University

Presentation Outline and GuidePresentation Outline and Guide

You modify the tools and techniques to You modify the tools and techniques to suit localities, social, cultural, political suit localities, social, cultural, political conditionsconditions

And your own and organization’s work And your own and organization’s work stylestyle

Community Governance: Harnessing Community Governance: Harnessing the Wisdom of Crowds the Wisdom of Crowds

First PremiseFirst Premise

All Techniques should be embedded in All Techniques should be embedded in knowledge of the place, cultural, social, knowledge of the place, cultural, social, and political contextand political context

Knowledge based: both scientific and Knowledge based: both scientific and indigenousindigenous

Knowing our HomeKnowing our Home

Example of quizExample of quiz My example: working in a poor My example: working in a poor

communitycommunity Sand Maps (if time)Sand Maps (if time)

Participatory Decision-making core Participatory Decision-making core values (p. 1)values (p. 1)

Full participationFull participation mutual understandingmutual understanding inclusive solutionsinclusive solutions shared responsibilityshared responsibility

Calculus of Diversity--LimitedCalculus of Diversity--Limited

Calculus of Diversity--ExpandedCalculus of Diversity--Expanded

Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-MakingDecision-Making

Types of MeetingsTypes of Meetings

P. 3-4P. 3-4 Techniques not applicable for all types Techniques not applicable for all types

of meetings and processesof meetings and processes

Types of Interactions between Citizens Types of Interactions between Citizens and Governmentand Government

On-demand involvementOn-demand involvement Ombudsman functionOmbudsman function Letter writing/email/telephoneLetter writing/email/telephone Public hearingsPublic hearings Interactions with field workers and bureaucratsInteractions with field workers and bureaucrats Protests and civil disobedienceProtests and civil disobedience Representative DemocracyRepresentative Democracy ElectionsElections Interest groupsInterest groups Citizen advisory groupsCitizen advisory groups Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy Neighborhood involvementNeighborhood involvement Citizen juriesCitizen juries Initiatives and referendumsInitiatives and referendums Experience of communityExperience of community MediaMedia Civic spaceCivic space

Types of CitizensTypes of Citizens

““Professional” citizens (NGOs)Professional” citizens (NGOs) Bureaucrats and elected officialsBureaucrats and elected officials Occasional citizensOccasional citizens The PublicThe Public

The Planning ProcessThe Planning Process

Levels of decision makingLevels of decision making

Government Individual Representative CitizensDecides consultation Groups (stakeholders) Decide

Be familiar with:Be familiar with:

Regulations governing citizen Regulations governing citizen participationparticipation

Existing working agreementsExisting working agreements Culture of organization you work Culture of organization you work withwith Expectations of citizensExpectations of citizens History and culture of people you are History and culture of people you are

working withworking with

Identifying issues that require or Identifying issues that require or Benefit from public participationBenefit from public participation

Desirability and feasibilityDesirability and feasibility The Decision will have a significant impactThe Decision will have a significant impact The Decision will affect some people more than The Decision will affect some people more than

othersothers The decision will impact a vested interest or useThe decision will impact a vested interest or use The decision involves a subject which is already The decision involves a subject which is already

controversialcontroversial Needs active support to implement the decisionNeeds active support to implement the decision

Developing a PlanDeveloping a Plan

P. 5-9P. 5-9

The decision making process can affect The decision making process can affect the credibility of public participation:the credibility of public participation:

Too narrow a definition of the problemToo narrow a definition of the problem A perception of advocacy or “selling”A perception of advocacy or “selling” Limited alternatives consideredLimited alternatives considered Too little time allowed for public Too little time allowed for public

participationparticipation Lack of visibilityLack of visibility

Evaluating the ProcessEvaluating the Process

Set criteria before not after p. 10-13Set criteria before not after p. 10-13

Make sure you have the resources to Make sure you have the resources to carry out the plan, including job rolescarry out the plan, including job roles

  Spokespersons Technical Experts Meeting facilitators Graphic Designers Public Relations Mailing list Managers Management (committed?) Elected Officials (committed?)

Preparation Check ListPreparation Check List

P. 48-49P. 48-49 REMEMBER: FOOD, WATER, BREAKREMEMBER: FOOD, WATER, BREAK

Audience IdentificationAudience Identification

P. 14-16P. 14-16

How to Identify audiencesHow to Identify audiences

Level 1--Level 1--People or organizations (if any) that are so People or organizations (if any) that are so interested or involved that they need to be treated as interested or involved that they need to be treated as partners partners in designing and conducting the processin designing and conducting the process

Level II--Level II--People or organizations who must be involved People or organizations who must be involved in the major public involvement activities, if these in the major public involvement activities, if these activities are to be activities are to be creditablecreditable

Level III--Level III--People or organizations who need to be People or organizations who need to be involved in the involved in the technical technical aspects of the process onlyaspects of the process only

Level IV--Level IV--People or organization who need to People or organization who need to be kept be kept informedinformed, and offered opportunities to participate, so , and offered opportunities to participate, so they can make a choice whether to participatethey can make a choice whether to participate

Dealing with PowerDealing with Power

Social and Cultural and PoliticalSocial and Cultural and Political Science and Technology Science and Technology (e.g. Powerpoint)(e.g. Powerpoint)

Facilitating power sharing—Make rules Facilitating power sharing—Make rules togethertogether

Determining when the public is Determining when the public is involved(flood plain map example)involved(flood plain map example)

Understanding PowerUnderstanding Powerexamples of Dialogue Exercisesexamples of Dialogue Exercises

Local and GlobalLocal and Global Rank the followingRank the following Who is problemWho is problem My poor community work (Lents) if timeMy poor community work (Lents) if time

Overcoming Group’s Tendency to Overcoming Group’s Tendency to Defer to PowerDefer to Power

P. 30P. 30

Make Ground Rules TogetherMake Ground Rules Together

Keep them SimpleKeep them Simple Write them up and postWrite them up and post Review every meeting and during Review every meeting and during

meetingsmeetings

Examples of RulesExamples of Rules

Do not interrupt speakerDo not interrupt speaker Assign roles and empower those rolesAssign roles and empower those roles Create Agenda togetherCreate Agenda together Meeting Summaries providedMeeting Summaries provided How to handle new people to processHow to handle new people to process Stick to time allotment for agenda itemsStick to time allotment for agenda items

Assign Roles to Everyone!Assign Roles to Everyone!

FacilitatorFacilitator Meeting minute takerMeeting minute taker Time KeeperTime Keeper Chart writerChart writer Specific Agenda ItemsSpecific Agenda Items

Setting the Agenda: PlanningSetting the Agenda: Planning

Collect agenda itemsCollect agenda items Arrange themArrange them Assign presentersAssign presenters Brainstorm discussion techniquesBrainstorm discussion techniques Assign time limitsAssign time limits Write up proposed agendaWrite up proposed agenda

Things to keep in mind when setting an Things to keep in mind when setting an agendaagenda

Alternate long and short, heavy and light itemsAlternate long and short, heavy and light items Items at first part of agenda will always take more Items at first part of agenda will always take more

timetime Place reports before their related proposalsPlace reports before their related proposals Take care of old business before addressing new Take care of old business before addressing new

itemsitems Consider placing items which might generate a sense Consider placing items which might generate a sense

of accomplishment early in the meetingof accomplishment early in the meeting Alternate presentersAlternate presenters Be flexibleBe flexible

Meeting Agenda: What not to doMeeting Agenda: What not to do

Assume meeting will go exactly as plannedAssume meeting will go exactly as planned Assume everyone knows what they are doingAssume everyone knows what they are doing Assume no one will raise other issuesAssume no one will raise other issues Spend first half of meeting prioritizing agendaSpend first half of meeting prioritizing agenda Skip breaks and lunchSkip breaks and lunch save emotionally charged items until the endsave emotionally charged items until the end Assume meeting will run overtimeAssume meeting will run overtime Don’t put agenda in writingDon’t put agenda in writing Don’t waste time planning a meeting, after-all it never works Don’t waste time planning a meeting, after-all it never works

anywayanyway

The Difference between The Difference between Facilitator and LeaderFacilitator and Leader

P. 17P. 17

The Facilitator’s GoalsThe Facilitator’s Goals

Full participationFull participation mutual understandingmutual understanding inclusive solutionsinclusive solutions shared responsibilityshared responsibility Indirectly teach people group process Indirectly teach people group process

skillsskills

Facilitator Challenges and Facilitator Challenges and ResponsesResponses

P. 24-27P. 24-27 Examples, first 2 on p. 26Examples, first 2 on p. 26

Interplay Between Group LeadersInterplay Between Group Leaders

FacilitatorFacilitator Time KeeperTime Keeper Chart writerChart writer LeaderLeader

Facilitator Skills SampleFacilitator Skills Samplep. 48-52p. 48-52

paraphrasingparaphrasing Drawing people outDrawing people out stackingstacking trackingtracking making space for quiet peoplemaking space for quiet people Example people raise hand if they have idea Example people raise hand if they have idea

about how to reduce traffic congestionabout how to reduce traffic congestion

Dealing with Difficult DynamicsDealing with Difficult Dynamics

Principle: Avoid Open Discussions Principle: Avoid Open Discussions with no Structurewith no Structure

Examples How to Work with Examples How to Work with Open DiscussionOpen Discussion

Working in small groups, p. 23,Working in small groups, p. 23, Interventions, p. 29Interventions, p. 29 Participation formats, p. 31Participation formats, p. 31 Go around variations, p. 32Go around variations, p. 32 Individual writing, p. 33Individual writing, p. 33 Fish bowls, p 34Fish bowls, p 34

Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-MakingDecision-Making

Gathering Diverse Points of Gathering Diverse Points of View View (the (the Divergent Divergent Zone)Zone)

Surveying the territory: Collecting Surveying the territory: Collecting perspectivesperspectives

Searching for alternatives: Generation Searching for alternatives: Generation of ideasof ideas

Raising difficult issues: speaking freelyRaising difficult issues: speaking freely

Surveying the TerritorySurveying the Territory(Hunting and Gathering)(Hunting and Gathering)

Divergence is OKDivergence is OK Resolution is not the goalResolution is not the goal Goal is to Gather diverse points of viewGoal is to Gather diverse points of view Goal to get people to think outside the Goal to get people to think outside the

box and to not just represent their box and to not just represent their opinion or positionopinion or position

Example:BrainstormingExample:Brainstormingwith Interactive exercisewith Interactive exercise

P. 35-36P. 35-36

Brainstorming-dosBrainstorming-dos

MirroringMirroring Take turnsTake turns Silly ideas OKSilly ideas OK Keep it movingKeep it moving Let’s see if I have that rightLet’s see if I have that right Repeat purposeRepeat purpose Don’t under-use flipchartsDon’t under-use flipcharts Time warningsTime warnings Expect a second windExpect a second wind

Brainstorming-don’tBrainstorming-don’t

InterruptInterrupt Don’t say we’ve got that oneDon’t say we’ve got that one Or: that’s a good oneOr: that’s a good one Or: you don’t want me to write that--do you?Or: you don’t want me to write that--do you? Don’t favor good thinkersDon’t favor good thinkers Watch body languageWatch body language Don’t give up right awayDon’t give up right away Don’t be chart writer and facilitatorDon’t be chart writer and facilitator Don’t not set time limitDon’t not set time limit Don’t rush, silence OKDon’t rush, silence OK

Audience ID ExerciseAudience ID Exercise

The Bangkok Municipality has decided The Bangkok Municipality has decided to create a committee with 25 members to create a committee with 25 members to come up with ideas about how to to come up with ideas about how to improve traffic congestionimprove traffic congestion

Break into groups. Break into groups. Always introduce Always introduce yourself and assign roles.yourself and assign roles.

How to Identify audiencesHow to Identify audiences

Level 1--Level 1--People or organizations (if any) that are so People or organizations (if any) that are so interested or involved that they need to be treated as interested or involved that they need to be treated as partners in designing and conducting the processpartners in designing and conducting the process

Level II--Level II--People or organizations who must be involved People or organizations who must be involved in the major public involvement activities, if these in the major public involvement activities, if these activities are to be creditableactivities are to be creditable

Level III--Level III--People or organizations who need to be People or organizations who need to be involved in the technical aspects of the process onlyinvolved in the technical aspects of the process only

Level IV--Level IV--People or organization who need to be kept People or organization who need to be kept informed, and offered opportunities to participate, so informed, and offered opportunities to participate, so they can make a choice whether to participatethey can make a choice whether to participate

Surveying TerritoryAdditional ExamplesSurveying TerritoryAdditional Examplesp. 37-39p. 37-39

Fact and opinion exerciseFact and opinion exercise Brain writing exampleBrain writing example Unrepresented perspectiveUnrepresented perspective

After Brainstorming/list makingAfter Brainstorming/list making

Variety of techniquesVariety of techniques Example, p. 40Example, p. 40

Enter the Groan ZoneEnter the Groan Zone

Building Mutual FrameworkBuilding Mutual Framework

strengthening relationships, two truths strengthening relationships, two truths and a lieand a lie

Pig exercisePig exercise Learning StylesLearning Styles

Inclusive solutionsInclusive solutions

Two mind sets, p. 42Two mind sets, p. 42 How can we do both, p. 43How can we do both, p. 43 Two ways of looking at same problem, Two ways of looking at same problem,

p. 44p. 44 Example of time: catastophizing, p. 45Example of time: catastophizing, p. 45

Creative Reframing: Ways of looking at Creative Reframing: Ways of looking at the problemthe problem

Its themIts them It’s a problemIt’s a problem Goal unachievableGoal unachievable Product won’t sellProduct won’t sell Not enough resourcesNot enough resources Need more inputNeed more input IncompetenceIncompetence Not enough moneyNot enough money Can’t get alongCan’t get along Don’t have powerDon’t have power Not enough timeNot enough time

All of usAll of us An opportunityAn opportunity Need realistic stepsNeed realistic steps Selling to wrong peopleSelling to wrong people Wasting resources we haveWasting resources we have Attention to existing inputAttention to existing input Maybe not enough timeMaybe not enough time New sources of moneyNew sources of money Not enough commitmentNot enough commitment Where’s our leverageWhere’s our leverage prioritizeprioritize

Inclusive Principles: How to do both?Inclusive Principles: How to do both?

Reaching ClosureReaching Closure

Gradients of Agreement, p. 47Gradients of Agreement, p. 47

Innovative ProcessesInnovative Processes

Appreciative inquiryAppreciative inquiry Beneficiary Beneficiary

assessmentassessment Citizen juriesCitizen juries National issue forumsNational issue forums VisioningVisioning CharrettesCharrettes City WalksCity Walks

Coffee klatchCoffee klatch Participatory action Participatory action

researchresearch Participatory rural Participatory rural

appraisalappraisal Study circlesStudy circles Community Benefit Community Benefit

and Neighborhood and Neighborhood agreementsagreements

Elements of a Healthy Civic Elements of a Healthy Civic InfrastructureInfrastructure

OpportunityOpportunity Effective actionsEffective actions Deliberative Deliberative

Democratic dialogueDemocratic dialogue Civic SpaceCivic Space Global & LocalGlobal & Local Civic SchoolsCivic Schools Facilitative leadershipFacilitative leadership Sustainable civic Sustainable civic

storystory

These AudiencesThese Audiences– YoungYoung– ElderElder– New comersNew comers– DisadvantagedDisadvantaged– Challenging groupsChallenging groups– Diverse populationDiverse population

CIVIC CAPACITY MATRIX

Types of Capacity

Beliefs/Values Beliefs/Values KnowledgeKnowledge SkillsSkills

Levels of ActivityLevels of Activity

IndividualIndividual

Beliefs/values regarding Beliefs/values regarding self-interest, self-self-interest, self-confidence confidence Sense of personal efficacySense of personal efficacySense of personal responsibilitySense of personal responsibilityAttitudes regarding service to societyAttitudes regarding service to society

Theories of moral developmentTheories of moral developmentEthical Theories of care and justiceEthical Theories of care and justiceTheories of adult learningTheories of adult learningTheories of adult developmentTheories of adult development

Interpersonal communicationInterpersonal communicationCapacity for self-reflection Capacity for self-reflection

Group/TeamGroup/TeamBeliefs/values regarding efficacy of group Beliefs/values regarding efficacy of group activityactivityBelief/values regarding diversity Belief/values regarding diversity Self-confidence and sense of efficacy when Self-confidence and sense of efficacy when working in groups/teamsworking in groups/teams

Role theoryRole theorySmall group behaviorSmall group behaviorTheories of diversityTheories of diversityMotivation theoriesMotivation theories

CollaborationCollaborationConflict resolutionConflict resolutionTeam leadershipTeam leadershipGroup decision-makingGroup decision-makingGroup presentationGroup presentation

Organizational Organizational

Beliefs/values regarding role of organizations Beliefs/values regarding role of organizations in societyin societyEfficacy of organizational activityEfficacy of organizational activity

Organizational theory & behaviorOrganizational theory & behaviorTheories of organizational leadershipTheories of organizational leadershipComparative value of different types of Comparative value of different types of organizations (community groups, organizations (community groups, political parties, voluntary assoc., etc)political parties, voluntary assoc., etc)

PlanningPlanningCoordinationCoordinationProject managementProject managementCoachingCoachingMentoringMentoringFacilitatingFacilitating

Community/ SocietyCommunity/ Society

Beliefs/values regarding society, Beliefs/values regarding society, public/private domains public/private domains Beliefs/values regarding social change, i.e. Beliefs/values regarding social change, i.e. sense of fatalism, confidence about the future, sense of fatalism, confidence about the future, attitude toward politics, etc.attitude toward politics, etc.

Public governance Public governance processes/structuresprocesses/structuresTheories of community/societyTheories of community/societyOrigins of modern liberalismOrigins of modern liberalismUnderstanding of comparative role of Understanding of comparative role of economics, sociology, political science, economics, sociology, political science, anthropologyanthropology

Public participation Public participation Meeting facilitationMeeting facilitationUse of quantitative/ qualitative Use of quantitative/ qualitative techniques for decision-makingtechniques for decision-makingOrganizing and sustaining community- Organizing and sustaining community- centered activitiescentered activities

© Morgan, D., Williams, D., & Shinn, C. (2000).

The Future: We can facilitate the The Future: We can facilitate the Wisdom of the People through the Wisdom of the People through the

Internet and Internet and SoftwareSoftware

• The Power of Individual is Increased (The Long Tail of eBay)• Access to Information: Wiki Leaks• We are more connected but also more isolated• The Specialist can be “duplicated” by wisdom of crowds* Our Education System needs to match this world: as much about social skills as about technical skills

ConclusionConclusion 1. Tailor techniques to suit context1. Tailor techniques to suit context 2. Remember the basic premises2. Remember the basic premises 3. Implicitly train people how to work in groups 3. Implicitly train people how to work in groups

regardless of the goalregardless of the goal 4. Find ways to train citizens how to be 4. Find ways to train citizens how to be effectiveeffective 5. Apply the right techniques for each stage in the 5. Apply the right techniques for each stage in the

processprocess 6. Remember the difficulty with a difficult person is 6. Remember the difficulty with a difficult person is

not the person but the groupnot the person but the group 7. Give as many people as possible roles7. Give as many people as possible roles 8. Do not confuse Leader with Facilitator roles8. Do not confuse Leader with Facilitator roles 9. 9. CreateCreate the operating rules together the operating rules together

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources

www.stevenreedjohnson.com For the Future: Community For the Future: Community

Participation 102 and 103.Participation 102 and 103.

EXTRA SLIDESEXTRA SLIDES

Strengthening RelationshipsStrengthening Relationships

Getting to Know each otherGetting to Know each other– Anecdotes and mementosAnecdotes and mementos– Two truths and a lieTwo truths and a lie– The support seatThe support seat

Giving and receiving feedbackGiving and receiving feedback– Observations and interpretations Observations and interpretations (one-to-one)(one-to-one)

– AppreciationsAppreciations– How do I come across?How do I come across?

Creating Inclusive DecisionsCreating Inclusive Decisions

strengthening relationships, two truths strengthening relationships, two truths and a lieand a lie

Pig exercisePig exercise Learning StylesLearning Styles

Strengthening good ideasStrengthening good ideas

Clarifying evaluation criteriaClarifying evaluation criteria Payoffs and risksPayoffs and risks Can we really make this work?Can we really make this work? Who else needs to evaluate the Who else needs to evaluate the

proposal?proposal? Who does what by when?Who does what by when?

Common categoriesCommon categories

UrgencyUrgency Time neededTime needed CostCost FeasibilityFeasibility DesirabilityDesirability UsefulnessUsefulness Next stepsNext steps

Developing Inclusive DecisionsDeveloping Inclusive Decisions

Exploring Inclusive PrinciplesExploring Inclusive Principles– How can we do both (p. 187)How can we do both (p. 187)– Develop your own group inclusivity processDevelop your own group inclusivity process

Creative ReframingCreative Reframing– Two ways of looking at a problem (p. 196)Two ways of looking at a problem (p. 196)– Examples: removing restraints, catastrophizingExamples: removing restraints, catastrophizing

Strengthening good ideasStrengthening good ideas– Again important to create agreed upon processAgain important to create agreed upon process– Examples: who does what, who else needs to evaluate?Examples: who does what, who else needs to evaluate?

Other ReframingOther Reframing

What’s unchangeable about problem?What’s unchangeable about problem? Key wordsKey words Reversing assumptionsReversing assumptions Removing constraintsRemoving constraints Recentering the causeRecentering the cause CatastrophizingCatastrophizing

Examples How to Work with Open Examples How to Work with Open DiscussionDiscussion

Samples, p. 95Samples, p. 95 Structured go arounds, p. 101Structured go arounds, p. 101 Working in small group, 102-103Working in small group, 102-103 Individual writing exercises, 106-107Individual writing exercises, 106-107 Fish Bowls, 111Fish Bowls, 111 Samoian circles, CreightonSamoian circles, Creighton