Cover

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Areas of Application

Common Misperceptions

About This Book

Part I - A Short Guide to Consensus Building

An Alternative to Robert's Rules of Order for Groups, Organizations, and Ad Hoc Assemblies That Want to Operate by Consensus

What's Wrong with Robert's Rules?

Definitions

A Complete Matrix

Section I: Helping an Ad Hoc Assembly Reach Agreement

Section II: Helping a Permanent Group or Organization Reach Agreement

Section III: Dealing with the Barriers to Consensus Building

Part II - How to Build Consensus

Chapter 1 - Choosing Appropriate Consensus Building Techniques and Strategies

Who Initiates and Who Designs a Process

Determining Whether Consensus Building Is Appropriate

Additional Issues to Consider Before Developing a Specific Consensus Strategy

Structuring a Specific Consensus Process

Summary

Chapter 2 - Conducting a Conflict Assessment

The Practice of Confict Assessment

How to Conduct a Conflict Assessment

Identify the Parties to Be Interviewed

Dilemmas and Debates in the Practice of Conflict Assessment

Conclusion

Chapter 3 - Designing a Consensus Building Process Using a Graphic Road Map

The Process Design Phase

The Process Design Committee

The Graphic Road Map

Typical Agenda Flow for a Process Design Committee

Building Support for the Proposed Process Design

Conclusion

Chapter 4 - Convening

Roles

The Importance of Convening: Two Examples

Step 1: Assess the Situation

Step 2: Identify and Engage Participants

Step 3: Locate the Necessary Resources

Step 4: Plan and Organize the Process

Special Challenges to Convening for Government Agencies

Conclusion

Chapter 5 - The Role of Facilitators, Mediators, and Other Consensus Building Practitioners

Use of Convening, Facilitation, Mediation, and Dispute Systems Design in Consensus Building

Core Tasks of Consensus Building Practitioners

Selecting a Consensus Building Practitioner

Conclusion

Chapter 6 - Representation of Stakeholding Interests

Practice Problems

Conclusion: The Problem of Ratification

Chapter 7 - Managing Meetings to Build Consensus

The Value of Face-to-Face Meetings

Before a Meeting: Setting Up for Success

During the Meeting: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Tools

After the Meeting

Conclusion

Chapter 8 - Producing Consensus

Prologue: The Task Force Meeting

Producing Consensus: An Analytic Framework

Applying the Strategies to Produce Consensus

Conclusion

Chapter 9 - Joint Fact-Finding and the Use of Technical Experts

Advantages of Joint Fact-Finding

When to Use Joint Fact-Finding Procedures

Who Does the Fact-Finding?

Building Lasting Agreements: Steps in a Joint Fact-Finding Process

Obstacles to Effective Joint Fact-Finding

Conclusion

Chapter 10 - Making the Best Use of Technology

Dissemination of and Access to Written Documents

Discussion, Debate, and Deliberation

Analysis

Computer-Based Decision-Making Technologies

Drafting Written Documents

Conclusion

Chapter 11 - Dealing with the Press

Case Examples: The Extremes of Media Coverage

Conducting a Media Assessment

Dealing with the Press during and after a Process

Conclusion

Chapter 12 - Dealing with Deep Value Differences

Value Differences and Consensus Building: Mediation Snake Oil?

Setting Priorities for HIV/AIDS Prevention in Colorado: A Case Example

Practical Implications: Consensus Building in the Face of Value Differences

Chapter 13 - Legal Issues in Consensus Building

Relationship to Government Agencies and the Courts

Procedural Requirements Imposed by Laws and Regulations

Substantive Restrictions on the Power of Government Representatives

Disclosure Requirements and Confidentiality Protections

Liability Issues

Implementation and Enforcement Considerations

Conclusion

Chapter 14 - Implementing Consensus-Based Agreements

The Challenge of Implementation

Before the Party Starts: Getting to the Table

A Menu for Success: At the Table

When the Music's Over: Closing the Deal

After the Party's Over: Moving Forward

Conclusion

Chapter 15 - Visioning

The Benefits and Pitfalls of Visioning

The Preconditions for Community-Wide Visioning

The Phases of Community-Wide Visioning

Variations in Visioning: Beyond the Community-Wide Approach

Lessons and Principles for Community-Wide Visioning

Chapter 16 - Collaborative Problem Solving within Organizations

Consensus-Based Decision Making in Organizations

Consensus Building and Dispute Resolution Systems Design

Roles of Leaders and Managers in Consensus Building

Conclusion

Chapter 17 - Evaluating Consensus Building

What Consensus Building Can Accomplish

Existing Evaluations of Consensus Building

The Challenge of Evaluating Consensus Building

Complexity Science as the Basis for a New Evaluation Framework

Criteria for Evaluating Consensus Building

Evaluation Options

Gathering and Analyzing Data

Who Should Conduct an Evaluation

Concluding Comments

Part III - Cases and Commentaries

Introduction to the Cases and Commentaries

Case 1 - Activating a Policy Network: The Case of Mainport Schiphol

Case 2 - The Northern Oxford County Coalition: Four Maine Towns Tackle a Public Health Mystery

Case 3 - The Chelsea Charter Consensus Process

Case 4 - Affordable Housing Mediation: Building Consensus for Regional Agreements in the Hartford Area

Case 5 - San Francisco Estuary Project

Case 6 - Resolving Science-Intensive Public Policy Disputes: Reflections on the New York Bight Initiative

Case 7 - Negotiating Superfund Cleanup at the Massachusetts Military Reservation

Case 8 - RuleNet: An Experiment in Online Consensus Building

Case 9 - Regulatory Negotiations: The Native American Experience

Case 10 - Cross-Cultural Community-Based Planning: Negotiating the Future of Haida Gwaii (British Columbia)

Case 11 - The Chattanooga Process: A City's Vision Is Realized

Case 12 - From City Hall to the Streets: A Community Plan Meets the Real World

Case 13 - The Catron County Citizens Group: A Case Study in Community Collaboration

Case 14 - Facilitating Statewide HIV/AIDS Policies and Priorities in Colorado

Case 15 - Finding Common Ground on Abortion

Case 16 - Organizational Trauma Recovery: The "God's Fellowship Community Church" Reconciliation Process

Case 17 - Building Consensus for Change within a Major Corporation: The Case of Levi Strauss & Co.

Selected Bibliography

Index

About the Editors

About the Contributors