YES

NO

Are you prepared to learn and change?
(Ask yourself why / why not)

Are you in danger of imposing your ideas - eg agenda, time lines, issues, participants, goals?

With whom should you communicate, and how, to address that?

Are you sure you’re keeping records of all that you’re doing, including how the process was developed?

Are you making sure that all procedures are designed to ensure the core principles of MSPs?

YES

NO

Have you found all the best people to design the process together?

(Reflect on the criteria you're using)

Are those you're working with formally representatives of their groups; are they well connected within their groups?

Have you consulted with stakeholders who else should be involved?

Is the coordinating group developing suggestions regarding issues, objectives, scope, time lines, procedures of preparation, dialogue, decision-making, rapporteuring, documentation, relating to the wider public, fund-raising?

Have you dealt with issues around confidentiality?

Is there conflict over the issue you have in mind or is it likely to develop in the process?

Do you know how to resolve possible conflict?

Have you considered to abandon the MSP idea for the time being due to too much conflict?

Have you considered to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Terms of Reference for the MSP?

Have you decided on the language(s) of your process?

Have you considered translation services?

Are you keeping the process flexible?

YES

NO

Is your process linked with any official decision-making?

IF YES, have you established continuous communication links with officials?

Has the institution issued a document that clearly states the purpose, the expected outcomes, deadlines, and status of the outcome in the official process?

Do you have an MOU with the institution?
(If not, consider suggesting it)

Have you considered to suggest more than an informing role for your process? (eg implementation; monitoring; reporting back)

IF NOT, do you know how officials will perceive your process

Do you want to include officials somehow?
Or try to keep them out?

YES

NO

Are you making decisions on issues & agenda in a coordinating group of stakeholder representatives?

Are you deciding upon issues in a transparent manner?

Are you conducting the process of issue identification to an agreed time-table?

Are you sure that those you talk to are consulting within their groups?

Is there support available for stakeholders to engage in the process of issue identification?

Are you scoping the area of interest carefully?

Have come across information gaps?
If yes, how can you fill them?

At the end of issue identification, have you developed a clear agenda and precise definitions of the issues?

Are agenda and issues understood and agreed by everybody?

YES

NO

Have you established mechanisms for sharing information and a base for a common knowledge base within the process?

Do all participants have equitable access to it?

YES

NO

Have you issued an open call for participation?

Are you dealing creatively with problems of numbers and diversity?

Have you identified all high impact groups?
(Scoping the issue area and consulting with stakeholders will tell you. Think outside the box.)

Are all those who have a stake in the issues involved?
(If substantial parts of a sector don’t want to participate, reconsider your MSP idea.)

Do you know how to approach them?

Do you think all participants need to be ‘experts’?

Have you assembled a diverse group?

Are you keeping the group open in case the need arises for other stakeholders to be involved?

Do stakeholders need support to be able to participate effectively?

Do suggested goals, time lines, preparations, communication channels, etc. meet their needs and interests?

Could people feel coerced into participation?

Does your process require government action?
(Then involve officials.)

Have you made decisions through consultation?

YES

NO

Are stakeholder groups themselves selecting their representatives?

(Aim to make this known to everybody.)

Have you ensured that there is an equal number of participants from each stakeholder group?

(gender, region, age…)

Have you ensured that representatives will remain the same persons over the course of the process?

Do you have a briefing mechanism for newcomers?

Are governments or intergovernmental institutions involved?
(Then make sure it is high-level.)

YES

NO

Is it clear who is providing organisational back-up, and is that acceptable to all participants?
(eg a UN agency; a multi-stakeholder organisation)

Do you need to create a facilitating body?

If yes, have you considered by-laws and other legal requirements? Have you considered the necessary time lines and funding?

Are logistics and infra-structure agreed and funded?

YES

NO

Have you developed a realistic budget for the process?

Have you included external communications, translations, capacity building, and follow-up activities?

Have you agreed to fund raising targets and strategies within the coordinating group?

Have you informed all participants about the funding situation, sources, etc.?

Is the process independent, eg through mixed funding and donors who won’t try to impact on the process?

YES

NO

Is your group diverse enough?

Are all the 'high impact categories' involved?

Are all groups equally represented?

Do you have at least two representatives of each group?