Out of our workshop on collaborative decision making during our gathering in April 2023 we decided on the following decision making model:
We will take decisions via Consensus, Consent, Advice and Mandate processes. We are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of these processes (more info on them here).
We will try out this model for a few months and will then evaluate how it went (evaluation period to be determined).
For the time being, the moment to bring up Consensus and Consent decisions is during the bi-weekly operational meeting. However it makes sense to already announce upcoming decisions on Slack, clearly stating:
- What type of decision you are wanting to take (Consenus, Consent)
- In the case of Consensus: the issue, in the case of consent: the issue and you’re proposal.
This will enable us to have quicker decision making processes during the meeting.
Decisions that are taken under the Advice process are also announced on Slack, clearly stating the issue, the time period until which you are seeking advice and who you would like to get advice from. Additionally it makes sense to directly contact the people you want to seek advice from (someone who will be impacted by the decision and someone who has expertise in the area of the decision). After you have taken you’re decision, the result will be announced in the same Slack thread.
In the table are some types of decisions, that we regularly take + the type of process we want to employ to take them in this first trial period. If you encounter types of decisions that don’t intuitively fit into any of the categories here, or that feel very different, the moment to bring them up is also the operational meeting.
| Type of Decision | Process | By whom? |
| Visual Representation on Graphics for Social Media | Mandate | Sonia |
| Applying for a small/low-medium effort funding | Consent | Core Team |
| Moment to send out the Newsletter | Mandate | Subgroup (Newsletter Team, to be founded) |
| Location of a Retreat | Advice | Retreat Team |
| Inviting people to cooperate within a project | Advice | Project Team |
| Who to invite to work within BDB | Mandate | Sonia & Jan |
| Where to apply for money for project | Mandate | Project Team |
| Where to hold Stammtisch | Mandate | Whoever organizes the next Stammtisch |
| How much to charge for participation in a training | Advice | Whoever organizes that specific training |
| Choosing a very polarizing topic for a walk | Advice | Whoever frames the topic for the walk |
| Which groups we build deeper relationships with | Consent | Core Team |
| Fixing 1:1s with people around us, to check out overlap and potentially draw them closer | Advice | Whoever has an urge to do this |
| Proposing regular membership | Consent | Core Team |
| Starting a process of application for big/high effort funding | Consent | Core Team |
| Should we rent a different space/office? | Consensus | Core Team |
| Governance Structure within CAN | Consensus | “Active members” ? |
| Dissolution of the Association | Consensus | Everyone? |
| What kinds of offerings to put out into the world, how big to make projects, allocating resources | Consensus | Core Team |
| What kinds of activities to propose to the city of St.Veit? | Consent | Flo |
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