Configuration Formation: Facilitative Software

Development beyond Science to Wisdom (Part #10)

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Two types of investigation of this technique could be usefully envisaged:

(a) 'Small' group (e.g. 5-1 2): Here the object would be to determine whether the technique could be used to order the insights of the individuals into configuration which would reflect appropriately the perceived sympathies and incompatibilities of their positions. This investigation would be most significant with individuals with a wide variety of perspectives who agree that some pattern(s) connecting their perspective need(s) to be discovered. Note that use of the technique to date has been confined to groups with a common topic (usually technical) of interest (19). Note also that it goes beyond the classical small group 'communication net' experiments, especially if the number is greater than 6-12 (13, 21).

One approach would be to combine the approach with face-to-face sessions so that participants could mix written exchanges (ie. via computer) with face-to-face exchanges in smaller groups (2-4) or as a plenary group. This would offer a means of using the advantages of both modes and of overcoming their disadvantages.

The modes could be mixed:

• simultaneously: namely, written exchanges facilitated during face-to-face meetings
• sequentially: namely, face-to-face meeting sessions between written exchanges of whatever duration was considered necessary (e.g. 4 hours written; 1 hour face-to-face)
• intermittently: namely sequentially but with face-to-face meetings at much longer intervals (e.g. once a month. or once a year).

Note that the three approaches could themselves be combined.

The concern would be how to reinforce insight pattern formation and to facilitate the generation of patterns whose subtlety would make them too fragile to persist for sufficient time for any collective comprehension within any conventional face-to-face setting. The possibilities of this approach remain to be explored. Use of this technique to date has considerably increased the ease of message exchange but is only just beginning to confront the problems of pattern formation and the possibility of special software or 'groupware' design to assist this (20).

(b) Large groups (e.g. 15-200): Here the object would be to determine whether (the technique could be used to 'filter' insights of participants and 'funnel' them to concerned sub-groups. The problem is that participants need assistance in processing the number of insights continuously generated in a group of that size. They want access to the insights which reinforce or extend their current positions. They also need exposure to (opposing or alternative) insights which stimulate them to rethink those positions. Finally they are creatively stimulated by occasional exposure to some insights which are not related to their own preoccupations (e.g. as intellectual 'roughage ,>). The filtering and funnelling should also lead to the emergence of groups of participants focusing on sub-sets of any larger pattern.

Conventional indexing procedures are not sufficiently sensitive to the requirements of such a dynamic setting. Software amendments can be made as the needs and possibilities become clearer.

Clearly experiments of type (a) and (b) could be blended into support for ongoing activities as a new type of communication environment.

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