<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Friends,<div><br></div><div>Below is a request from the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation to review <i>"a set of core principles for public engagement that most people and organizations in this field can get behind."</i> Sandy Heierbacher, Executive Director of NCDD, was inspired to begin this project from a desire "<i>to influence Obama's Open Governance Directive, which will instruct executive departments and agencies to take specific actions to implement the principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration set forth in one of three memoranda President Obama signed on his first day on the job."</i></div><div><br></div><div>Sandy was invited to participate in a meeting at the White House by Beth Noveck, the woman in charge of crafting the directive, who<i> "acknowledged and commended the effort in a nationally broadcast webinar."</i> In other words, the core principles developed by NCDD may well influence how government in the US interacts with its citizens. As such, I think it bears attention from this, and other conversationally oriented communities of practice.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The OS list has over the years demonstrated a lot of wisdom about bringing people together for effective dialogue and collaboration. I want to encourage us to reflect on these principles and offer some of that wisdom to NCDD. The effort has been underway for a couple months, so we are coming late to the process. The principles plus endorsements are to be sent to the White House on May 1. This means that anything we say will likely not be incorporated into the document. That said, I think it is important to consider what is being shared and use the inquiry that the creation of this document has begun to consider what, if any, influence we want to have on where this work goes from here.</div><div><br></div><div>Below are:</div><div><br></div><div>1. The "short form" of the principles - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><a href="http://www.quicktopic.com/43/D/igJmYvyvLxQi.html">www.quicktopic.com/43/D/igJmYvyvLxQi.html</a> </span></div><div>2. The "long form" of the principles - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><a href="http://www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html">www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html</a></span></div><div>3. Sandy's message putting the principles and the request for comment in context</div><div>4. The original message from Sandy that launched the project</div><div><br></div><div>By all means, post your comments at Quick Topic. In addition, I encourage us to reflect on these principles on this list for two purposes:</div><div><br></div><div>* To surface what we might contribute to the larger effort</div><div>* To see what it surfaces about our own thinking as a community of practice.</div><div><br></div><div>appreciatively,</div><div>Peggy</div><div><div><br></div><div>P.S. The Open Space Institute-US discussed this effort on our monthly board call today (April 17). Before we took any action, we wanted to know your thoughts.</div><div><br><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div>******************************************************************************</div></div><div><br></div></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span></div></span><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; "><b>1. The "short form" of the principles - </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><a href="http://www.quicktopic.com/43/D/igJmYvyvLxQi.html"><b>www.quicktopic.com/43/D/igJmYvyvLxQi.html</b></a><b> </b></span></span></font></div><div apple-content-edited="true"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica"><b><br></b></font></div><div apple-content-edited="true"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica"><b>
<!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">CORE PRINCIPLES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT (draft
version 3.0, 4/1/09)</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Developed
collaboratively by members of leading public engagement organizations</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">There are many ways that people can come together
to deal with issues that affect their lives. We believe that public engagement
involves convening diverse yet representative groups of people to wrestle with
information from a variety of viewpoints, in conversations that are
well-facilitated, providing direction for their own community activities or
public judgments that will be seriously considered by policy-makers and/or
their fellow citizens.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It is our stance that quality public engagement must
take into consideration seven core principles if it is to effectively build
mutual understanding, meaningfully affect policy development, and/or inspire
collaborative action among citizens and institutions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The following seven principles overlap and
reinforce each other in practice. They serve as ideals to pursue and as
criteria for judging quality. Rather than promoting partisan agendas, the
implementation of these principles generates authentic stakeholder engagement
around public issues.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">1. Planning
and Preparation </b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Plan, design, and convene the engagement
specifically to serve both the purpose of the effort and the needs of participants.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">2.
Inclusion and Diversity</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Incorporate diverse voices, ideas, and information
to lay the groundwork for quality outcomes and democratic legitimacy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">3.
Collaboration and Shared Purpose </p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Support organizers, participants, and those
engaged in follow-up to work well together for the common good.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">4.
Listening and Learning</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Help participants listen, explore and learn
without predetermined outcomes -- and evaluate public engagement efforts for
lessons.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">5.
Transparency and Trust</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Promote openness and provide a public record of
the people, resources, forums, and outcomes involved.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">6. Impact
and Action</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Ensure each participatory effort has real
potential to make a difference.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">7.
Sustained Participation and Democratic Culture</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Promote a culture of participation with programs
and institutions that support ongoing quality public engagement.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This list represents a consensus in the field of
dialogue and deliberation, but most practices tend to emphasize or apply these
principles differently or to reach beyond this basic consensus in one way or another.
To learn more about such diverse understandings and applications, consult the
online version of these guidelines.*</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Finally, we believe the use of technology should
be generally encouraged whenever appropriate to enhance and not impede these
seven values -- and also that these seven principles apply to both online and
offline efforts. However, there is not yet consensus in our field on standards
for the use of technology that would warrant the inclusion of specific online
or electronic guidelines in this document.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">--</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">*An elaboration of these basic principles can be
found at </span><a href="http://www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.
You are welcome to add comments to that document as well, although this simpler
list of principles is what we are seeking endorsements for.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The dialogue that generated this document can be
found at </span><a href="http://www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">
(in addition to more details about this project).</span><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In the future, NCDD will provide more organized online
details regarding variants of this document and statements of values,
guidelines, and principles from other organizations and practitioner groups.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> *************************************************************</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; ">2. The "long form" of the principles - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><a href="http://www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html">www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><o:p> Core Public
Engagement Principles -- Explanatory Text for Version 3.0<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Note</b>:
Although we are NOT seeking endorsements for the expanded text under the titles
and one-line descriptions, we DO still want your feedback and ideas on that
text. Feel free to comment more generally on this text on the Public Engagement
Principles Project forum at </span><a href="http://www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">
-- or comment on specific sections (and others' comments on specific sections)
here.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">1. PLANNING
AND PREPARATION<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Plan, design, and convene the engagement to serve
the purpose of the effort and the people who will participate.</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">In high
quality engagement:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Participation begins when stakeholders, convenors, and
process experts engage together in the planning and organizing process, with
adequate support. Together they get clear on their unique context, purpose, and
task, which then inform their process design as well as their venue selection,
set-up, and choice of participants. They create hospitable, accessible,
functional environments and schedules that serve the participants' logistical,
intellectual, biological, aesthetic, identity, and cultural needs. In general,
they promote conditions that support all the qualities on this list.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What to
avoid:</b> Untrained, inexperienced, or ideologically biased organizers design
programs that do not fit the purpose of the effort or the community involved,
or that do not respect and engage the relevant stakeholders. The venue is
inaccessible, ugly, and confusing, and the poorly constructed schedule is
inflexible or rushed, with inadequate time for doing what needs to be done.
Logistical, class, racial, and cultural barriers to participation are left
unaddressed, effectively sidelining marginalized people and further privileging
elites, majorities, "experts," and partisan advocates.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">2.
INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Incorporate diverse voices, ideas, and information
to lay the groundwork for quality outcomes and democratic legitimacy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">In high
quality engagement:</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Convenors and participants reflect the range of
functional stakeholder or demographic diversity within the community or on the
issue at hand. Alternatively, participants are randomly selected to represent a
microcosm of the public. Participants have the opportunity to grapple with data
and perspectives that fairly represent different "sides" of the
issue. Participants feel they are respected and their views are welcomed,
heard, and responded to. Special effort is made to enable normally
marginalized, silent, or dissenting voices to meaningfully engage -- and
fundamental differences are clarified and honored. Where necessary, anonymity
is provided to enable important contributions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">What to
avoid:</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Participants are mostly "the usual suspects" -- perhaps
with merely token diversity added. Biased information is presented, and expert
testimony seems designed to move people in a specific direction. People have
little chance to speak out and, when they do, there is little sign they are
actually heard or safe. Participants, stakeholders, or segments of the public
feel their interests, concerns, and ideas -- and they, themselves, as people --
are suppressed, ignored, or marginalized. Anonymity is used to protect abuses
of power, not vulnerable critics.</span></p>
<!--EndFragment-->
<!--EndFragment-->
</b></font></div><div apple-content-edited="true"><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><b>3. COLLABORATION AND SHARED PURPOSE</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Support organizers, participants, and those
engaged in follow-up to work well together for the common good.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>In high quality engagemen</b>t: Organizers involve
public officials, "ordinary people," community leaders, and other
interested parties as equal participants in conversations where differences are
explored rather than ignored, and a shared sense of a desired future can
emerge. People with different backgrounds and ideologies work together on every
aspect of the engagement -- from planning and recruiting, to gathering and
presenting information, all the way through to sharing outcomes and
implementing agreed-upon action steps. In official deliberations, there is good
coordination among relevant agencies dealing with the issue being deliberated.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>What to avoid:</b> Unresponsive power-holders deliver
one-way pronouncements or preside over adversarial, disrespectful, or stilted
conversations. Patronizing experts and authorities feel they already have
"all the answers" and "listen" only to appease. Engagement
has no chance of impacting policy because relevant decisions have already been
made or are already in the pipeline, or because those in power are not involved
or committed. Loud voices, mainstream views, or suppressive
"rationality" dominate, and other voices and modes of expression are
silenced or tolerated. Engagement feels pointless, lacking shared purpose and a
link to action.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>4. LISTENING AND LEARNING</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Help participants listen, explore, and learn
without predetermined outcomes -- and evaluate public engagement activities for
lessons.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>In high quality engagement</b>: Skilled neutral
facilitators and simple guidelines encourage everyone involved to share their
views, listen, and be curious in order to learn things about themselves, each
other, and the issues before them. Shared intention and powerful questions
guide participants' exploration of adequate, fair, and useful information --
and of their own disagreements -- in an open and respectful atmosphere. This
exploratory atmosphere enables them to delve more deeply into complexities and
nuances and thereby generate new understandings, possibilities, and/or
decisions that were not clear when their conversation began. There is an
appropriate balance between consulting (a) facts and expertise and (b)
participants' experience, values, inner wisdom, vision, intuition, and
concerns. Participants and leaders take away new skills and approaches to
resolving conflicts, solving problems and making decisions. Careful review,
evaluation, and a spirit of exploration and innovation improve subsequent
engagement work and develop institutional and community capacity.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>What to avoid</b>: "Public participation"
exercises go through the motions required by law or the dictates of PR before
announcing a pre-determined outcome. Participants get on soapboxes or are
repressed; fight or conform; get overridden or overwhelmed; and are definitely
not listening to each other. Facilitation is weak or too directive, interfering
with people's ability to communicate with each other openly, adjust their
stances, and make progress. Assertive, mainstream, and official voices
dominate. Available information is biased, scanty, overwhelming, or
inaccessible -- and experts lecture rather than discuss and clarify. Lack of
time or inflexible process make it impossible to deal with the true complexity
of the issue. And organizers and facilitators are too busy, ideological, or
insecure to properly review and evaluate what they've done. </p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>5. TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Promote openness and provide a public record of
the people, resources, forums, and outcomes involved.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>In high quality engagement:</b> People's attitudes and
actions engender trust. Relevant information, activities, decisions, and issues
that arise are shared in a timely way, respecting privacy where necessary.
Process consultants and facilitators are helpful and realistic in describing
their place in the field of public engagement and what to expect from their
work. People experience planners, facilitators, and participants with official
roles as straightforward, concerned, and answerable. Members of the public can
easily access information, get involved, stay engaged, and contribute to the
ongoing evolution of outcomes or actions the process generates. Video
proceedings of government-sponsored deliberations are available online, both in
real time and archives.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>What to avoid</b>: It is hard, if not impossible, to
find out who is involved, what happened, and why. Research, advocacy, and
answerability efforts are stymied. Participants, the public, and various
stakeholders suspect hidden agendas and dubious ethics. Participants not only
don't trust the facilitators but are not open about their own thoughts and
feelings. </p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>6. IMPACT AND ACTION<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Ensure each participatory effort has the potential
to make a difference.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>In high quality engagement</b>: People sense -- and
can see evidence -- that their engagement was meaningful, influencing
government decisions, empowering them to act effectively individually and/or
together, or otherwise impacting the world around them. Communications --
media, government, business, and/or nonprofit -- ensure the appropriate publics
know the engagement is happening and talk about it with each other. The effort
is productively linked to other efforts on the issue(s) addressed. Because
diverse stakeholders understand, are moved by, and act on the findings and
recommendations of the program, problems get solved, visions are pursued, and
communities become more vibrant, healthy, and successful -- despite ongoing
differences.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>What to avoid</b>: Participants have no sense of
having any effect -- before, during, or after the public engagement process.
There is no follow-through from anyone, and hardly anyone even knows it
happened, including other people and groups working on the issue. Participants'
findings and recommendations are inarticulate, ill-timed, or useless to
policy-makers -- or seem to represent the views of only a small unqualified
group -- and are largely ignored or, when used, are used to suppress dissent.
Any energy or activity catalyzed by the event quickly dies out. </p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>7. SUSTAINED ENGAGEMENT AND DEMOCRATIC CULTURE</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Promote a culture of participation with programs
and institutions that support ongoing quality public engagement.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>In high quality engagement</b>: Each new engagement
effort is linked intentionally to existing efforts and institutions --
government, schools, civic and social organizations, etc. -- so quality
engagement and democratic participation increasingly become standard practice.
Participants and others involved in the process not only develop a sense of
ownership and buy-in, but gain knowledge and skills in democratic methods of
involving people, making decisions, and solving problems. Relationships are
built over time and ongoing spaces are built in communities and online, where
people from all backgrounds can bring their ideas and concerns about public
affairs to the table and engage in lively conversation that has the potential
to impact their shared world.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>What to avoid</b>: Public engagements, when they
occur, are one-off events isolated from the ongoing political life of society.
For most people, democracy means only freedoms and voting and perhaps writing a
letter to their newspaper or representative. For activists and public
officials, democracy is the business-as-usual battle and behind-the-scenes
maneuvering. Few people -- including public officials -- have any expectation
that authentic, empowered public participation is possible, necessary,
forthcoming, or even desirable. Privileged people dominate, intentionally or
unintentionally undermining the ability of marginalized populations to
meaningfully participate.</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "> *************************************************************</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "> 3. Sandy's message putting the principles and the request for comment in context</span></p></div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div></div></div></blockquote><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Sandy Heierbacher <<a href="mailto:sandy@thataway.org">sandy@thataway.org</a>></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">April 6, 2009 12:59:44 PM EDT</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">NCDD Discussion <<a href="mailto:NCDD-Discussion@lists.thataway.org">NCDD-Discussion@lists.thataway.org</a>>, Member List <<a href="mailto:NCDD-MemberList@lists.thataway.org">NCDD-MemberList@lists.thataway.org</a>></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>update on PEP project - and what you can do now</b></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> </div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi, NCDDers! As you know, NCDD has been hosting a collaborative online conversation aimed at developing a set of Core Principles for Public Engagement that most people and organizations in this field can get behind. We've been working on this as transparently as possible at <a href="http://www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/">www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/</a> and many of you have participated. I've found it to be a fascinating, fun, and challenging process -- but it's not over yet.<div><br></div><div>We are doing this, in part, to influence Obama's Open Governance Directive, which will instruct executive departments and agencies to take specific actions to implement the principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration set forth in one of three memoranda President Obama signed on his first day on the job ( <a href="http://www.thataway.org/?p=1404">www.thataway.org/?p=1404</a> ). We feel that presenting a united front to the administration on basic principles for quality public engagement will increase our chances of being heard in the crafting of this directive. Beth Noveck, the woman in charge of crafting the directive, recently acknowledged and commended our collective effort in a nationally broadcast webinar.</div><div><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div><br></div><div><b>At this point, we invite and encourage all of you to do several things...</b></div><div><br></div><div><div>1. Determine whether your organization would be interested in endorsing the latest version ("version 3.0") of the basic principles and their one-sentence descriptions, as attached. Let Sandy Heierbacher (<a href="mailto:sandy@thataway.org">sandy@thataway.org</a>) know if your organization is likely to endorse the principles (we'll send you the final version on April 27th to make sure your endorsement is official). OR, let us know (by emailing Sandy or adding comments to the QuickTopic doc posted at <a href="http://www.quicktopic.com/43/D/igJmYvyvLxQi.html">www.quicktopic.com/43/D/igJmYvyvLxQi.html</a> ), what would need to be changed in order for your organization to endorse the principles.</div><div><br></div><div>2. Provide feedback on the longer document posted at <a href="http://www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html">www.quicktopic.com/43/D/yP8nKZtRurb.html</a> (the basic principles plus explanatory text about what to strive for and what to avoid). You can also post your feedback on version 3.0 on the PEP forum as you have in the past, but QuickTopic allows people to comment on specific text, and to comment on each other's comments more clearly, so we'd prefer you use QuickTopic if you're willing (it's super-easy; just click on the little "c" to the left of what you want to comment on (you don't even need to log in or register!).</div><div><br></div><div>3. Forward this message to colleagues, networks, organization leaders, etc. who you think should get involved in endorsing - or further honing - the principles!</div></div><div><br></div><div>For more info about the project, our timeline, and next steps, see the detailed post titled "4-1-09 PEP Project Update and Timeline" up on the PEP forum at <a href="http://www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/">www.thataway.org/2009/pep_project/</a></div><div><br></div><div>Hope to see most of you involved in this project, in one way or another!</div><div><br>Best,</div><div>Sandy</div><div><br></div><div>Sandy Heierbacher</div><div>Director, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD)</div><div><br></div><div>e: <a href="mailto:sandy@thataway.org">sandy@thataway.org</a></div><div>p: 717-243-5144</div><div>w: <a href="http://www.thataway.org">www.thataway.org</a></div><div></div></div></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></div><br></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div apple-content-edited="true"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div></div></div></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></div></div></div><br></div>--- <p> NCDD's discussion and announcement lists are generously provided by L-Soft ( <a href="http://www.lsoft.com">www.lsoft.com</a> ) and are powered by L-Soft's LISTSERV mailing list management software ( <a href="http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html">www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html</a> ). Learn more about NCDD's email lists in the community section of the NCDD website ( <a href="http://www.thataway.org/community/lists/">www.thataway.org/community/lists/</a> ). Please read this mailing list's rules ( <a href="http://www.thataway.org/community/listrules">www.thataway.org/community/listrules</a> ) before you post.</p><br></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "> *************************************************************</span></div><div><b>4. The original message from Sandy that launched the project</b></div><div><br></div><div><div apple-content-edited="true"><i>From Sandy Heierbacher on Feb. 25:</i></div><div apple-content-edited="true"><i><br></i></div><div apple-content-edited="true">We are facing an unprecedented opportunity in the fields of public engagement, conflict resolution and collaboration. President Obama has demonstrated his commitment to participation, transparency and openness in his administration in numerous ways we've all taken note of.<br><br>There are a number of established associations and organizations in the U.S. that unite professionals and promote the practice and principles of consensus, dialogue, participation, collaboration, conflict resolution and other means of achieving largely the same end.<br><br>We suspect that many of these groups will try to communicate with the administration about how to best move forward, but we are concerned about the fact that although most of us speak the same basic language to describe this work, we tend to use many different dialects. This could weaken each of our cases, and overwhelm members of the administration rather than support them.<br><br>Rather than each of us contacting the administration separately with mixed messages and various levels of success, we believe we could make a greater impact working together. Can we collaborate or unify to present a collective source of principles, practices, talent and resources that this administration and nation will need in the next four years?<br><br>As a first step, a few of us have decided to lead a transparent effort to encourage people in our field to collectively agree (as much as possible) on principles or standards for public engagement. We've begun by posting a bunch of existing sets of principles on the NCDD site in forum software that anyone can contribute and respond to.<br><br>Please join us today at <a href="http://thataway.org/2009/pep_project/">http://thataway.org/2009/pep_project/</a> - click on the right tab to sign up, then click on "discussions" to get back to the main page. We ask that you:<br><br>1. Respond to the principles, articles, etc. that are posted. What do you like about them? What do you disagree with? What would you change?<br>2. Add any sets of principles or criteria for public engagement you're aware of that aren't yet posted.<br>3. Check back later after our smaller group has created a draft set of principles based on your feedback and ideas. (I'll email these lists again when it's time.)<br><br>We hope to end up with a set of principles most of you will feel comfortable endorsing. Please help us get there!<br><br> * Tom Atlee, President of the Co-Intelligence Institute<br> * Stephen Buckley, CEO of U.S. Transparency<br> * John Godec, Board member of the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2)<br> * Reynolds-Anthony Harris, Managing Director of Lyceum Patners & Co.<br> * Sandy Heierbacher, Director of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD)<br> * Steve Pyser, Editor of the International Journal of Public Participation<br> * Stephanie Roy McCallum, Immediate Past President of the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2)<br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; "><div>______________________________</div><div>Peggy Holman</div><div>The Open Circle Company</div><div>15347 SE 49th Place</div><div>Bellevue, WA 98006</div><div>425-746-6274</div><div><a href="http://www.opencirclecompany.com">www.opencirclecompany.com</a></div><div><div> </div><div>For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: <br><a href="http://www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook">www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook</a> <br> <br>"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become <br>the fire".<br> -- Drew Dellinger</div><div><br></div></div></span></div></div></body></html>*
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