(proposal) Position space as faciliator and funnel to discussion
Michael Allan
mike at zelea.com
Fri Dec 14 00:26:16 EST 2012
Our meeting Thursday was postponed. But already I know some of what
Thomas is thinking from Monday's meeting, and it got me thinking too.
My idea (Thomas's idea too, I think) is to purposely construct a
position space that supports and fuels the overall discussion.
ELEMENTS
--------
* Laconic rule. We start with small drafts and build them up,
rather than breaking down big drafts. (I proposed this earlier:
http://metagovernment.org/pipermail/start_metagovernment.org/2011-April/003897.html
* Single difference rule. A voter expresses a single difference at
a time vs. the candidate. It is the most important difference.
Less important differences are left for later, or for other
voters to express. The difference may be formally compounded and
spread throughout the text, but it actually comprises a single,
intelligible whole. (This is a rule I thought up recently.)
* Grow toward the specifics. Positions are drafted and arranged in
votespace such that general positions are trunkward and specific
leafward. (We always expected this pattern to emerge in places
ad hoc, but now Thomas has the idea to deliberately construct
it.)
* Pipe nodes. These are nodes in votespace that cannot originate
votes, but may receive and carry them. They are impersonal. The
person controlling them ("pipe minder") may be changed, e.g. by
agreement of the voters. (This is Thomas's idea, which I learned
of a few months ago. I added the pipe terminology.)
RATIONALE
---------
1. Position space is fun to construct. It facilitates discussion
with a sense of purpose, which, as the structure matures,
naturally re-channels itself to the purpose of agreement and/or
mutual understanding.
2. Position space is interesting to explore. A poll on the issue of
world peace (to use Thomas's extreme example) might easily repel
newcomers. It's a big, difficult problem, to say the least.
"World peace" is even a term of derision in some circles, like
"pie in the sky". Sensible people are inclined to turn away
shaking their heads.
But suppose each tree offers a different interpretation of the
problem, i.e. what "world peace" means. And suppose each branch
offers a different plan for solving that problem, and each higher
branch a more specific array of alternative solutions. Further
the trees and branches are composed of live votes. Now it
becomes harder for people to turn away. They're curious to learn
more. They start climbing.
3. Climbers soon find the discussion. This is the funnel effect.
DESIGN SKETCH
-------------
We might pilot the construction (1) using test voters as a temporary
stand-in for pipes. Conseo's talk track might be sufficient for the
funnel (3). What I propose below is a mechanism for exploration (2).
+--------------------------------------------------------+
| stage top (heads-up) |
|--------------------------------------------------------|
| (caption) |
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| scene |
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| control track, stage bottom (P) |
+--------------------------------------------------------+
The (caption) is removed and becomes a (heads-up) display attached to
the cursor, like the polltrack has. The votespace one shows not only
the name of the actor (as the caption does now), but also the position
label (see below) if there is one.
A control track with a position summary button (P) is at stage bottom.
Stage bottom (unlike stage top) is always visible in the same position
regardless of scene scrolling. The control track is transparent
except for the buttons. The position summary button controls the
visibility of the position summary apron, shown below.
+--------------------------------------------------------+
| |
|--------------------------------------------------------|
| |
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| [Position summary] [Difference] [Draft] |
|--------------------------------------------------------|
| |
| position summary apron |
| |
| (P) |
+--------------------------------------------------------+
The position summary apron is a tabbed pane at stage bottom with three
alternative views. The [Position summary] view shows each of the
following when staged, i.e. depending on staged poll and/or actor:
* Poll title and link to poll page.
* Actor name and link to user page.
* Position label and link to position page.
The position label is a very short (e.g. word or two) descriptor
for the position. It also figures in the votespace heads-up
display. The link to the position page may differ from the draft
page, e.g. if the draft is remote.
* Votepath indicator.
This shows the path in terms of dart sectors through votespace
from the actor node to the root candidate. This could be
graphically elaborate (evoking the circles of the votespace
curtain) and enlivened with lighting effects, if necessary. In
any case it includes a textual description of height, e.g. "leaf
on branch 2", or "branch 1", or "trunk".
* Position short description.
This could be a few sentences or a paragraph.
The [Difference] view shows the difference vs. the candidate. It is
identical to what the difference bridge shows, but without controls.
It is in a scrollpane. It also provides a link to the bridge.
The [Draft] view shows the draft text with no wiki controls and such.
The text is marked with the difference shadow vs. the candidate.
There's also a link to the full draft page.
USE CASES
---------
A. Experienced user.
The position labels in the vote track's heads-up display and the
summary apron aid the experienced user in navigating through
position space. That's about all.
B. Newcomer.
1. The same labels (A) tease the curiosity of the newcomer and
encourage her (or him) to explore to discover their meaning.
She's in less hurry to leave.
2. She notices the position summary button. It sticks out like a
sore thumb from the bottom of the browser viewport.
She presses it.
3. The apron opens on the first view (summary). She notices that
the link icons, poll title and actor name are identical to
those at stage top.
She returns to stage top.
4. She navigates around in votespace. She learns from the
votepath indicator in the apron that she's moving in a forest.
5. She navigates among the trunks and lower branches. From the
position description, difference and draft in the apron, she
learns what position space is.
The mystery of the position labels is solved.
6. She navigates to the most promising position. By now she
realizes that people are talking about the positions.
7. She listens in on the discussion.
. . .
518. The world is at peace. ;-)
What do you think? Admittedly the use case is elaborate, but we can
probably make it happen. We can code almost anything for the stage.
--
Michael Allan
Toronto, +1 416-699-9528
http://zelea.com/
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