YES

NO

How shall stakeholders prepare for the process / meetings?

Have you considered the various options within the coordinating group?
Eg initial position papers; developing a common vision first; preparing strategy papers based on a common vision; etc.?

Have you ensured that preparatory papers are disseminated well in advance?

Have you considered analysing them to point out commonalities and differences, and disseminate that as well?

Have you ensured that all have equitable access to all information?

Does everybody agree with the preparatory process?

How will participants relate to the stakeholder groups they represent (if they are not there in their individual capacity)?

Do they have enough time for consultations within their constituencies during preparations?

Are you providing support for such consultations?

Are participants informing each other on how they consult within their constituencies?

YES

NO

Have you agreed a set of ground rules for communication?

Do these rules foster dialogue?

Do they encourage people to listen, learn, be open, honest and considerate?

Have you agreed upon a facilitator (or several facilitators)?

Does s/he enjoy the trust of all participants?

Will s/he be competent to enhance the creativity of the group, deal with potential conflict, avoid premature decision-making?

Do you know what to do when people don’t play by the rules?

Have you agreed that this will be brought to the group through the facilitator and in a constructive manner?

YES

NO

Are there any power gaps within the group?

Do you know how you want to deal with them?

Has the group talked about power gaps?

Have they talked about what constitutes power in this setting? (eg money; decision-making; moral ground)

YES

NO

Have you identified the capacities, skills and knowledge that are necessary to effectively participate in your process?

Do all participants have them?

Has the group talked about capacity building?

Have potential capacity building measures been designed by those receiving and those offering them?

YES

NO

Have you considered the various options of communication channels? (eg face-to-face meetings, email, phone, fax, letters, interactive web-sites)

Has the group talked about this question?

Have you decided which ones you want to use at which stage?

Are they easily accessible for all participants?

YES

NO

Have you decided if you want an outside professional or an insider?

Have you involved the facilitator in the design process?

Are your facilitators committed, flexible, responsive, balancing, inclusive, encouraging, respectful, neutral, problem-solving oriented, disciplined, culturally sensitive, capable of meta-communication, and comfortable with their role?

Have you decided which kind of facilitation techniques you want to use? (eg flip-charts, meta-plan, brain storming, scenario workshops, future labs, etc)

Have you talked with the coordinating group and the facilitator which would be best and when?

YES

NO

Have you identified rapporteurs to take minutes?

Have you identified who is to draft outcome documents?

Are they acceptable to everybody?

Are minutes & reporting done in a neutral fashion?

Are they reflecting the breadth and depth of discussions?

YES

NO

Do you have agreement on what constitutes a good decision?

Shall a decision be based on consensus?

Does consensus mean unanimity?

Does consensus mean compromise? ('being content with the whole package')

Shall a decision be taken by majority vote?

Are you recording minority voting?

Do the decisions on your MSP have consequences outside the space covered by participants?

Are you involving those affected?

Is it clear that everybody has the right to walk away or to say ‘no’?

Are you taking enough time before making decisions?

Could the group be more creative and integrating before making a decision? (How?)

YES

NO

Does the process have a clear, agreed cut-off point (for success or failure)?

YES

NO

Are you putting draft minutes and reports to the group for review?

Have you built in time for reviewing into your schedule?

Have you clarified the status of your documents: minutes by rapporteurs; facilitators’ summaries; endorsed consensus documents? (They require different consultation procedures and time.)

Are you disseminating the outcome documents to other stakeholder groups and the public?

YES

NO

Have you agreed a precise, concrete action plan: Who will do what, when, and with whom?

Have you considered how to monitor implementation and how to deal with non-compliance?

You planned a dialogue - now they want to continue and explore possible joint action: Is the group engaging in an MSP design process, agreeing objectives, scope, structures, time-lines, funding, etc.?

Are you managing such a transition carefully?

YES

NO

Do participants have space to reflect upon the process?

Do you have regular feedback mechanisms so that everybody can raise concerns and suggestions?

Is the facilitator bringing this up?

YES

NO

Have you kept the process open for input from non-participating stakeholders?

Are you sure the arrangements for that will work?

Have you made clear how any input from outside will be used?

In case of opposition to the process from the outside, are you addressing this in the MSP group as a whole?