Before they can participate in the Dialogue Network for Action process, participants will need to post a proposed solution to at least one public policy problem. (You can read more about the solution writing process in Section VII).

When their preliminary ideas for solutions have been submitted, a matching tool on the site will show each participant a list of potential Dialogue Groups available for them to join. The groups offered to them will consist of participants who have been matched for their selection of the same problem, and either the same or compatible aspects, outcomes, actions, and funding sources. They will also have been matched for the compatibility of their location, their time availability, personal background, and, as far as it can be determined, their political point of view.

For example, potential group-mates might all be interested in working with the same or similar ways to increase the quality and availability of health care, while lowering costs. They also might have similar ideas about how to increase the numbers of trained medical personnel available and improve delivery systems. Further they all want to replace private insurance with some other way of covering costs.

After looking through the options, applying participants will select one of the groups to join. If the self-selected participants’ responses to the questionnaire and proposal agreement scores are “very close” to the Group’s average (say 75% compatibility), acceptance in that group will be automatic. If the scores are more discrepant, joining will wait for confirmation by the group. Participants will be notified via email of the prospective new member and asked to accept or reject their membership in the group.

There will be two types of groups for participants to choose from:

1. Face-to-face Dialogue Groups will be the first option. These groups will meet at a location, time, and day determined by a self-appointed host, in consultation with the applicants for participation in his/her group.

   Each meeting will take approximately three to four hours or more, depending on the time availability and on the number of participants. Several meetings may be combined into one all-day weekend discussion. The time allotted will depend on the preferences of participants, and their time availability. Breaks will be scheduled as requested and by agreement.

   Each “face-to-face” Dialogue Group will be listed on the Activist Solutions site as they’re formed. As previously mentioned, their members will be matched for having chosen the same problem focus, and for the similarity or complementarity of their ideas. General compatibility, location (and the distance they’re willing to travel), as well as the days and times they’re available, will be important factors in the match.

2. Online real time interaction (chat) groups are the second option. They will meet ongoingly on specific days and times. These groups will follow the same format as the face-to-face meetings, except that participants won’t have to be matched for location, just for time availability, compatibility, and the similarity of their solutions to the same problem. The facilitator’s task and their online training will be the same as for participation in face-to-face groups, although the tools available online are different than in a face-to-face setting. Specific instructions on how to successfully oversee an online discussion will be provided.

Participants can also create their own groups and invite others to join. When new groups of any type are formed, a brief introduction will be made by a facilitator that will include a description of the ground rules for the type of group selected.

When they choose a group, applicants will read a set of simple procedural guidelines and they’ll be asked to accept a number of ground rules that are designed to avoid the previously described pitfalls encountered in many dialogue groups. Each procedure and its purposes will be explained as fully as possible. Any questions that arise will be posted and responded to on site.

Private groups might be organized that give pre-selected facilitators or hosts the option of inviting specific friends to join their group.

Just like any other DNA group participant, these friends or private group participants will be asked to submit a first draft of an idea for a solution to the target problem for that group. They will also be asked to fill out a questionnaire and meet all the other requirements for participation in the DNA program. The matching requirements can be waived for private group participants. If a group chooses to follow some other group format, they can nevertheless enter the program by submitting their completed ideas for solutions to the Solution Exchange.

Importance of good matches

The matching of Dialogue Network participants for several dimensions of compatibility and the similarity of their areas of interest and their proposed solutions should substantially lower the existence of conflict between group participants about issues and methods.

Consistent focus on creation of a team effort by helping each other should lower the usual competitions and rivalries, at least within each group, and between groups whose ideas are similar enough for them to consider combining their proposals.

With the help of the facilitator and the other group members, any remaining differences between the participants of a group should be easier to resolve or accept. Such resolution will be the stated goal of each group, whenever discord does emerge.

The similarity or compatibility of each group member’s solutions will increase possibilities for merging and for improving the quality of the proposals involved by relating to and finding solutions for as many aspects of the problem as possible. Inclusion of this kind will probably also increase everyone’s chances for maximizing the effectiveness of their solutions and for getting their ideas selected for action. The goal will be to combine as many similar proposals as possible, both within and between groups.

People who produce diverse solutions to the same problem or who have big differences in point of view will be separated into a different cluster of groups.