1. Archival analysis of polls or the conduct of a special poll and other research to provide a baseline reading on the stage of development that public opinion has reached on the issue in question.
   
2. Identification of critical choices and choice scenarios on the issue and their most important pros and cons.
   
3. A series of one-day dialogue sessions with representative cross-sections of stakeholders. Each dialogue involves about 40 participants, lasts one full day and is videotaped. A typical dialogue session includes the following:
• Initial orientation including the purpose of the dialogue and the use to be made of the results, the nature of dialogue and ground rules for the session, introduction of the focal issues and some basic facts about them
• Introduction of the choice scenarios on the specific focal issue, and a questionnaire to measure participants' initial views
• Dialogue among participants, in smaller groups and in plenary sessions, on the likely good and bad results that would occur if each choice were adopted, and the construction of a vision of the future participants would prefer to see
• A second, more intensive round of dialogue among the participants – again both in smaller groups and in plenary session – to work through the concrete choices and tradeoffs they would make or support to realize their vision
• Concluding comments from each participant on how their views have changed in the course of the day, and why, and a questionnaire designed to measure those changes
4. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of how people's positions evolve during the dialogues. We take before and after readings on how and to what extent people's positions have shifted on each choice as a result of the dialogue. (Some of the shifts are huge).
   
5. A briefing to leaders to make sense of the results. The briefing summarizes what matters most to people on the issue, how positions are likely to evolve as surface opinion matures into more considered judgment, and the opportunities for leadership this creates.

ChoiceDialogue Methodology

ChoiceDialogue can be tailored to your organization's needs. Contact: Vice President Viewpoint Learning 858-551-2317

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