Feedback on Gathering Ideas Process

[Aria Littlhous]

Noah put so much work into his process, I'm hesitant to suggest
something so different. I have, below, but I won't push it unless
there's a lot of support..mine is so much easier...could we do both?

Right now, I think I would be more in favor of circulating a
fill-in-the -blank form* with word limits and a
deadline on when it has to be in; widely advertized and sent doubly
to
anyone who already submitted. Maybe an open house with lap tops and
assistants for people not comfortable with computers. Kind of
starting
the process over with a big "Ready, Set, Go!" and then "Stop, Time's
Up." And of course, as usual, anyone who doesn't want to do it that
way, can opt out/we can present their ideas as "Other".

*Background, Mission Statement, Values, Goals,
Objectives, Legislation, Methods, Other

This is also a great way to integrate Individual Message Statements
and present them to the community, kind of like an essay contest. The
Ideas Message Statement could be one of many.

I suggest this because I have doubts about writing by committee and I
don't believe that just because something was written by one person it
can't or shouldn't represent accurately the ideas of a large group of
people. It's great to cull everyone's ideas, but when it comes to
writing them down, there's a reason they asked Thomas Jefferson to
wield the pen.

For instance if you read two Message Statements, and didn't know which
was
written by an individual and which was written by a group, and agreed
that the one written by an individual was better: would you take that
opinion back when you realized that you'd chosen the less politically
correct, but better written document?

And so, I'd propose that when the consensus process begins that
during
at least the first round, the Message Statements be presented "blind"
with no authors names attached!!!! This will make authors feel that
they have a fair shot at being heard and encourage people to really
think about what's being said, no who's saying it or why.

Maybe Ideas could present either two or three documents with roughly
the
same information...one group written, one individually written, both
short, and then the back up data, etc, in a separate document???