By Daniel Aldana, May 2023

Deliberation is fundamental to human social life, as the exchange of opinions, arguments, and ideas is necessary for making the most appropriate decisions in various societal situations. In fact, it’s easy to think that decisions deliberated in a group and reached with the participation of everyone are more representative or effective than those made by a single person or a limited group in isolation. This idea is supported by the theory of deliberative polling, created by James Fishkin from Stanford University. This methodology measures how people’s opinions differ when formed individually versus after deliberating the presented information (see https://deliberation.stanford.edu/what-deliberative-polling).

But how can we achieve effective deliberation? Argumentation can be defined as a communicative action that seeks to defend a position using statements that demonstrate its validity. Through argumentation, we can engage in debates with others to find the most solid arguments to, for example, generate new knowledge, make decisions, take actions, or simply engage in a mental exercise. However, participating in deliberative environments for decision-making requires certain parameters to ensure that argumentation does not devolve into a violent or meaningless discussion.

With this in mind, we want to share some concepts and stages of deliberation that take place within Ecclesia and should be considered when participating in assemblies or meetings for decision-making.

Before the Meeting

Confirming the updated information of participants is essential for creating user accounts and sending invitations. We recommend that you validate your personal information with the meeting organizer before the assembly to avoid last-minute changes. Additionally, we suggest attending the Test Assemblies, where participants can confirm their access and become familiar with the platform’s functionality.

Joining the Assembly

Arriving at the assembly on time is crucial, as there is an established agenda that needs to be followed throughout the meeting. We recommend that you join at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts to confirm your participation. Remember that Ecclesia will keep a record of all user connections, from which an attendance report will be generated.

At the Start of the Assembly

When the assembly begins, it is important to pay attention to the agenda and the set objectives, as your interventions should align with the current stage of the meeting (see https://ecclesia.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/BDC/pages/60326046). Punctuality is key to ensuring the required quorum is present; without it, the assembly cannot proceed, which affects the entire community to which you belong.

Taking the Floor

As the different stages of the assembly progress according to the agenda, it is recommended that if you wish to speak or make a rebuttal, you request the floor and join the corresponding queue. The moderator will assign the queued interventions in the order they were requested. This helps prevent interruptions, out-of-turn interventions, and ensures that time is used efficiently for reaching agreements.

What is a Rebuttal?

A rebuttal is an action you can use to specifically respond to the ongoing intervention. When you request a rebuttal, you should address the specific topic or argument currently being discussed by the speaker, rather than introducing an entirely new or different subject. Although there can be an unlimited number of rebuttals, Ecclesia recommends setting a limit to avoid excessive back-and-forth.

Creating an Argument

To contribute effectively to the discussion, it’s best to support your interventions with arguments that demonstrate their validity. We suggest basing your opinions on data, reliable sources, precedents, references, examples, and other argumentative resources to clearly show why a certain decision should be made over another.

How to Vote?

Remember that your votes represent your stance on a specific issue being discussed with all participants. Your votes should be informed and not just empty participation. We encourage you to carefully consider which representatives to elect, how to allocate budgets, and under what rules to operate in your community. In Ecclesia, you can always view the quorum in real-time, as well as the number of participants and their connection status.

Ending the Assembly

It is advisable not to leave the meeting before the entire agenda has been completed. Stay alert for agreements, the final report, or the scheduling of additional related assemblies. Ecclesia tracks the connection and disconnection times of each participant, so you don’t have to worry about roll calls. All meeting data will be available in the Final Report.