In 2008 I plan to release a new version of the Dotmocracy Handbook and I need to know:

• Have the Dotmocracy Sheets and instructions worked for you?

• What worked well and how could the Handbook be improved?

Please contact me with your stories and suggestions. I would especially love to see photos of groups using the Dotmocracy Sheets.

You are also invited to post comments directly on pages of this site, join and start a conversation on the Dotmocracy Facilitators Google group or submit a short case study

If you are really savvy, you could post pictures from your Dotmocracy session on flickr.com, tag it with Dotmocracy and it will soon appear in the gallery.

I will use your suggestions, stories, insights and photos to develop version 2.0 of the free Dotmocrcay Handbook.

Thanks in advance!

- jd

Dotmocracy is an established facilitation method for collecting and prioritizing ideas among a large number of people.

It is an equal opportunity & participatory group decision-making process.

Participants write down ideas and apply dots under each idea to show which ones they prefer. The final result is a graph-like visual representation of the groups collective preferences.

1. An issue is presented with questions.

The sponsoring organization(s) provides a preamble of important information about the issue to be addressed. For example fact sheets, opinion papers and summary documents could be published; experts and key stakeholder could make presentations. Post the key questions to be answered by the dotmocracy process where all participants can see, for example in large letters on poster paper or with a projector.

2. Discuss potential solutions.

In small groups, participants brainstorm and deliberate potential answers to the posted questions. Collectively and independently participants draft many ideas.

3. Post proposals.

4. Fill dots to record opinions. Write comments.

Participants read and consider each idea and fill-in one dot per a sheet to record their opinion on a scale of strong agreement, agreement, neutral, disagreement, and strong disagreement or confusion. Participants sign each sheet that they dot and may optionally add brief comments.

Repeat steps 2 through 4.

Participants review and discuss comments and dotting patterns and post new ideas to be dotted.

5. Formulate a common solution.

The dotting process is called to close and the results are published. The most popular ideas should be celebrated. A small group of trusted stakeholder representatives and decision-makers discuss and formulate a final decision or plan that selects, combines, prioritizes and/or finds compromise between popular ideas with minimal disagreement.

This process should follow the official Rules & Requirements. Facilitators should download and read the complete Dotmocracy handbook.