The process used in “Large Scale Participatory Process: A Municipal Consultation…” in this blog uses the Consensus Workshop Method at two levels, first using the same focus question in a number of small groups or focus groups to create consensus in each at a grassroots level, and then taking all those verbatim results and clusters them in two consecutive steps at a system-wide level.  I have used this process in a number of large group situations, with consistent positive feedback.

This process is easier to describe with an example.  In a training session in one First Nation, I demonstrated this method with 3 very small groups and a plenary of the whole.  I have attached photos of the results of the steps of the demonstration in sequence with the description of the steps as an example to make the process more clear. I have blocked out the name of the First Nation for privacy reasons.

Comparing the example of the steps provided here with the story of the municipal consultation process is intended to help to understand the process.  The strength of the process is that every single individual insight on a card from the focus groups finds a place in the product of the whole that informs and strengthens the broad consensus.  Each person’s idea is a valuable piece of the whole, in the same way as each small tile is needed to create a large mosaic.

If this is confusing, looking at the data on the cards as they were drawn from one step to the next will help you understand the procedures.