A participatory protocol for collective decision-making in cultural organisations

The protocol enabled members to shape decisions openly and democratically, combining (i) endogenous project agenda formation, which translates individual preferences into sets of alternative solutions, (ii) a Borda rule-assisted collective choice, where members vote the most preferred solution, and (iii) consensual brainstorming deliberation, where the winner of the preceding proposal and voting stages serve as a starting point.

The protocol can be used to support modes of democratic management in cultural organisations, by assisting a decision-making practice that enables members to learn their own and others’ preferences while navigating complex, multidimensional choices across organisation strategy, programming and day-to-day operation problems.