Metrics - Measuring Outcomes

Beyond the actual results and content of a Dotmocracy session, there should be critical review of how the session was conducted to check the legitimacy of the results.

Some key questions to investigate:

• Who participated and do they appropriately represent the group being consulted?
• What information was provided to participants? Was the information accurate and unbiased? Did participants understand it?
• Was the preamble and question(s) open ended, or did it suggest a certain opinion?
• How much time was provided for discussing, drafting of ideas and dotting? Was this sufficient considering the complexity of the issue at hand.
• How many ideas were dotted?
• On average, how many dots were filled-in per a sheet?
• How many sheets had only a few dots?
• Were the Dotmocracy rules and requirements properly followed?
• Were the results fully and accurately published upon completion of the session?

 

Providing answers to these kinds of questions may be useful for including in reports to the hosting organization and critical observers of the process.  Insights from these answers can also inform the planning of better future sessions.