Design the workshop
Begin with the authorization question
Write the decision question so participants know what they are authorizing. Prefer āWhich response can this group support, and why?ā over a broad topic such as āDiscuss quality.ā Record the purpose, intended audience, and how the outcome will be used.
Select a working mode
- Synchronous: people work at the same time while a host controls activity transitions and reveal.
- Asynchronous: activities remain open across a defined window; participants contribute when available.
- Hybrid: collect positions asynchronously, then meet to deliberate and ratify.
Hybrid is often the strongest default because it gives participants thinking time and preserves a focused meeting for disagreement.
Choose contribution visibility
Named contribution supports accountability. Anonymous-until-reveal reduces anchoring while preserving attribution in the audit record. Fully anonymous contribution should be used only when the group understands its governance implications.
Choose an agreement rule before voting
Consensus seeks broad support. Consent asks whether anyone has a reasoned objection that makes the proposal unsafe or unworkable. Unanimity requires every eligible voter. Supermajority and majority use a configured threshold. Advisory records preferences while an accountable owner makes the decision.
The agreement rule is a governance choice, not a mathematical afterthought.