Abstract
Problem structuring methods (PSMs) aim to build shared understanding in a group of decision makers. This shared understanding is used as a basis for them to negotiate an agreed action plan that they are prepared to help implement. Engaging in a social process of negotiation with a large number of people is difficult, and so PSMs have typically focused on small groups of less than 20. This paper explores the legitimacy of deploying PSMs in large groups of people (50–1000), where the aim is to negotiate action and build commitment to its implementation. We review the difficulties of facilitating large groups with PSMs, drawing heavily on our experience of working with over 25 large groups. We offer a range of lessons learned and suggest concrete approaches to facilitating large groups to achieve the objectives of PSMs. This paper contributes to the evaluation and development of PSMs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rosenhead J and Mingers J (eds) (2001). Rational Analysis for a Problematic World Revisited. Wiley: Chichester.
Conklin J (2003). Wicked problems and social complexity. Working paper of the CogNexus Institute. Available at: http://www.cognexus.org.
Doyle M and Straus D (1993). How to Make Meetings Work! The New Interaction Method. Berkley Books: New York.
Kaner S, Lind L, Toldi C, Fisk S and Berger D (1996). Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making. New Society Publishers: Gabriola Island, BC, Canada.
Rittel HWJ and Webber MM (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sci 4: 155–169.
Ackoff RL (1979). The future of operational research is past. Opl Res Quart 25: 361–371.
Schön DA (1995). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think In Action. Arena Press: Aldershot.
White L (2002). Size matters: large group methods and the process of operational research. J Opl Res Soc 53 (2): 149–160.
Bunker BB and Alban BT (1997). Large Group Interventions: Engaging the Whole System for Rapid Change. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA.
Owen H (1992). Open Space Technology. Abbot: Pontomac, MD.
Beer S (1994). Beyond Dispute: the Invention of Team Syntegrity. John Wiley: Chichester.
Weisbord MR (1987). Productive Workplaces. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA.
Weisbord MR (1992). Discovering Common Ground. Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc: San Francisco, CA.
Emery M (1993). Participative Design for Participative Democracy. Centre for Continuing Education, Australian National University: Canberra.
Emery M (2000). Participative Design Workshop. Berrett-Koehler: San Francisco, CA.
Leith M (1999). Creating collaborative gatherings using large group interventions. In: Landale A (ed). Gower Handbook of Training and Development. Gower Publishing: England (Chapter 28).
Bunker BB and Alban BT (1996). Large Scale Group Interventions. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA.
Dannemiller-Tyson Associates (1994). Real-time Strategic Change: a Consultant's Guide to Large-scale Meeting. Dannemiller-Tyson Associates: Ann Arbor, MI.
Seel R (2001). Anxiety and incompetence in the large group: a psychodynamic perspective. J Organ Change Mngt 14: 493–503.
Carlsson C and Walden P (1995). AHP in political group decisions: a study in art of possibilities. Interfaces 25: 14–29.
Ackermann F and Eden C (2001). Stakeholders matter: how can we identify and manage them. In: Ackermann F and de Vreede G-J (eds). Proceedings of Group Decision and Negotiation Conference. Technische Bestuurskunde, Delft University of Technology, Delft, pp 225–226.
Bryson JM and Anderson SR (2000). Applying large-group interaction methods in the planning and implementation of major change efforts. Public Administration Rev 60 (2): 143–162.
Nuttman-Shwartz O and Shay S (2000). Large group intervention to encourage dialogue between directors and workers in the context of organizational ambiguity. Group 24: 279–288.
Polanyi MFD (2002). Communicative action in practice: future search and the pursuit of an open, critical and non-coercive large-group process. Syst Res Behav Sci 18: 357–366.
Spencer LJ (1989). Winning Through Participation: Meeting the Challenge of Corporate Change with the Technology of Participation. Kendell-Hunt: Dubuque, IA.
Dannemiller KD and Jacobs RW (1992). Changing the way organizations change: a revolution of common sense. J Appl Behav Sci 28: 459–480.
Klein DC (1992). Simu-Real: a simulation approach to organizational change. J Appl Behav Sci 28: 566–579.
Axelrod EM and Axelrod RH (1999). Collaborating for Change: Conference Model. Berrett-Koehler: San Francisco, CA.
Phillips LD and Phillips MC (1993). Facilitated work groups: theory and practice. J Opl Res Soc 44 (6): 533–549.
Bostrom R, Anson R and Clawson V (1993). Group facilitation and group support systems. In: Jessup LM and Valacich JS (eds). Group Support Systems: New Perspectives. Macmillan: New York, NY.
Pidd M (1996). Tools for Thinking: Modelling in Management Science. Wiley: Chichester.
Dickson GW, Lee-Partidge JE, Limayem M and DeSanctis GL (1996). Facilitating computer-supported meetings: a cumulative analysis in a multiple-criteria task environment. Group Decis Negot 5: 51–72.
Beckhard R and Harris RB (1977). Organizational Transitions: Managing Complex Change. Addison-Wesley: Reading, MA.
Ginzberg MA (1981). Key recurrent issues in the MIS implementation process. MIS Quart 5 (2): 47–60.
Eden C (1995). On evaluating the performance of wide-band GDSS. Eur J Oper Res 81: 302–311.
Westcombe M (2003). Dialog mapping for systems dynamics. Presented at the 13th Bi-Annual Conference of the Young Operational Researcher. Bath, UK.
Edwards JS, Collier PM and Shaw D (2003). Making a Journey in knowledge management. J Inform Knowl Mngt 2 (2): 135–152.
Checkland P and Scholes J (1990). Soft Systems Methodology in Action. Wiley: Chichester.
Gambetta D (1998). “Claro!”: an essay on discursive machismo. In: Elster J (ed). Deliberative Democracy. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
Eden C and Ackermann F (1998). Making Strategy: The Journey of Strategic Management. Sage: London.
van der Heijden K and Eden C (1998). The theory and praxis of reflective learning in strategy making. In: Eden C and Spender J-C (eds). Managerial and Organizational Cognition. Sage: London.
Shaw D (2003). Evaluating electronic brainstorms through analysing the ‘brainstormed’ ideas. J Opl Res Soc 54 (7): 692–705.
Westcombe M (2003). Oval mapping technique: post-its, brainstorming and facilitation. Presented at the 13th Bi-Annual Conference of the Young Operational Researcher. Bath, UK.
Simon HA (1976). From substantive to procedural rationality. In: Latsis (ed). Method and Appraisals in Economics. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, pp 424–443.
Eden C (1995). Using cognitive mapping for strategic options development and analysis (SODA). In: Rosenhead J (ed). Rational Analysis for a Problematic World. Wiley: Chichester, pp 21–42.
Friend J and Hickling A (1987). Planning Under Pressure: the Strategic Choice Approach. Pergamon: Oxford.
Eden C (1992). A framework for thinking about GDSSs. Group Decis Negot 1: 199–218.
Dennis AR, Valacich JS, Connolly T and Wynne BE (1996). Process structuring in electronic brainstorming. Inform Syst Res 7: 268–277.
Brown J and Cooper C (2004). The complementary use of hard and soft OR in developing tax policy. In: Pidd M (ed). Systems Modelling: Theory and Practice. John Wiley, Chichester, in press.
March JG and Olsen JP (1976). Ambiguity and Choice in Organizations. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.
Garfield MJ, Taylor NJ, Dennis AR and Satzinger JW (2001). Research report: modifying paradigms — Individual differences, creativity techniques, and exposure to ideas in group idea generation. Inform Syst Res 12: 322–333.
Grise ML and Gallupe RB (1999). Information overload in face-to-face electronic meetings: an integrative complexity approach. J Mngt Inform Syst 16 (3): 157–186.
Janis IL (1982). Groupthink. 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflen Company: Boston.
Acknowledgements
We are indebted to other members of the Modelling Strategic Problems Group (a UK network for the young OR problem structuring community) for the motivation that initiated this paper.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shaw, D., Westcombe, M., Hodgkin, J. et al. Problem structuring methods for large group interventions. J Oper Res Soc 55, 453–463 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2601712
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2601712