[EURO-Discuss] Reference to an interesting tool for exchange of arguments & reaching decisions online

[Max Senges]

I guess most of us agree that the online tool (mailing list) and practices
we have to have a share information and opinion are rather good but they are
producing information overload. However compared to traditional discourse's
location and time constrains there is an improvement in inclusiveness.

Partially as a result of the information overload however, our tool is
rather poor for the important practice to collectively take a decision and
to have a contoversial exchange of arguments. 

Allow me to point your attention to http://grass-arena.net = Group Report
Authoring Support System

"The purpose of the GRASS project is to develop an arena for credible
societal
discourse. Its aim is to produce concise group reports that give their
readers an upto-
date and credible overview of the positions of various stakeholders on a
particular issue. As such, these reports can play an important role in
consensus
assessment and catalyzing societal conflict resolution."

The sytem
- gives an index (overview) page including the current state of the decision
in question via pro/contra/neutral positions 
- structures the exchange of arguments which significantly improves clarity
and density 
- transparently shows the activities of users

I dont think this system is the short-term solution but it is an indication
as to what we will hopefully have sometime down the road.

Greetings
Max

PS: GRASS seems to be discontinued - If anybody knows a similar system i
would be very interested to learn about it!
PPS: I also posted this text on my blog @
http://maximiliansenges.blogspot.com/2007/05/exchange-of-arguments-reaching.
html
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"I am a wanderer and mountain-climber, said he to his heart. I love not the
plains, 
and it seemeth I cannot long sit still.

And whatever may still overtake me as fate and experience- a wandering will
be therein, 
and a mountain-climbing: in the end one experienceth only oneself." 
                                                       
					(Friedrich Nietzsche, Also spoke
Zarathustra)

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Max Senges
Research Associate 
Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3)
Av. Canal Olímpic s/n, Edifici B3
08860 CASTELLDEFELS (Barcelona) SPAIN

PhD Candidate 
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) 
Programme on the Information Society

Tel:  
Spain +34-627193395
Germany +49-17660855358
@:  maxsenges at gmail.com
 
www.maxsenges.com
http://entrepreneur.jot.com 
https://www.openbc.com/hp/Max_Senges/
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