Abstract
The impact of facilitation upon group meetings has been a topic of research and debate for over 40 years. However, with the emergence and increasing usage of Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS), the role of facilitators is once more being addressed. Facilitators aim to substantially increase the effectiveness of group working, making meetings more productive and efficient through the management of both content and process. However, while the benefit that facilitators can bring is acknowledged, developing the necessary skills and techniques is more problematic. There are few manuals for would-be faciliators to draw upon, and much of their ability is acquired through experience. This article therefore attempts to increase the knowledge available and to provide facilitators with some practical suggestions. The research focuses on a series of interviews with group members (participants) who had used a particular GDSS—Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA)—for organizational decision making. From the analysis of the interviews, a number of reoccurring issues were identified which are presented as a set of learning points. These cover not only the workshop/meeting itself, but also the pre-workshop and post-workshop stages. The article also reflects on the impact which these identified learning points have on design and future GDSS development.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ackermann, F. (1991). “Consideration of a Specific Group Decision Support Methodology in the Light of the Group Decision Support Systems Literature.” Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
AckermannF. (1990). “The Role of Computers in Group Decision Support.” In C.Eden and J.Radford (eds.),Tackling Strategic Problems—The Role of Group Decision Support. London: Sage Publications.
AckermannF. (1992). “Strategic Direction through Burning Issues,”OR Insight 5(3), 24–28.
AckermannF., S.Cropper, and C.Eden. (1992). “Moving between Groups and Individuals Using a DSS,”Journal of Decision Systems 1(1), 17–34.
AnsonR. (1990). “Facilitating Successful Electronic Meetings.” Unpublished working paper, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
ApplegateL.M., R.B.Konsynski, and J.F.Nunamaker. (1987). “A Group Decision Support System for Idea Generation and Issue Analysis in Organizational Planning,”Journal of Management Information Systems 3, 5–19.
Bryson, J.M. (1988). “Strategic Planning and the Nature of Big Wins,”Public Money and Management (Autumn), 11–15.
BurgessF. (1982).Field Research: A Sourcebook and Field Manual. London: George Allan and Unwin.
BaronR. (1986).Behavior in Organizations. London: Allyn and Bacon Inc.
BelbinR.M. (1981).Management Teams—Why They Succeed or Fail. Oxford: Heinemann Professional Publishing.
BostromB., R.Anson, and V.Clawson. (1993). “Group Facilitation and Group Support Systems.” In L.Jessup and J.Valacich (eds.),Group Support Systems: New Perspectives. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
BryantJ. (1989).Problem Management—A Guide for Producers and Players, Chichester: Wiley.
CleggS. and D.Dunkerly. (1977).Critical Issues in Organizations. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
CropperS.A. (1984). “Style and the Transferability of O.R. Methodologies.” Working paper, University of Sussex, Brighton.
CropperS., C.Eden, and F.Ackermann. (1990). “Keeping Sense of Accounts Using Computer-Based Cognitive Maps,”Social Science Computer Review 8, 345–365.
CropperS., W.Telford, and F.Ackermann. (1992). “Quality Assurance and Improvement—The Role of Strategy Making,”International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance 5(3), 5–11.
De Geus, A. (1988). “Planning as Learning,”Harvard Business Review (March/April).
DicksonG.W., L.Robinson, R.Heath, and J.E.Lee. (1988). “Observations on GDSS Interactions: Chauffeured, Facilitated, and User-Driven Systems,”Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 3, 337–343.
DiesingP. (1972).Patterns of Discovery in the Social Sciences. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
EdenC. (1988). “Cognitive Mapping,”European Journal of Operational Research 36, 1–13.
EdenC. (1989). “Using Cognitive Mapping for Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA).” In J.Rosenhead (ed.),Rational Analysis for a Problematic World. Chichester: Wiley.
EdenC. (1990a). “The Unfolding Nature of Group Decision Support—Two Dimensions of Skill.” In C.Eden and J.Radford (eds.),Tackling Strategic Problems—The Role of Group Decision Support. London: Sage Publications.
EdenC. (1990b). “Managing the Environment as a Means to Managing Complexity.” In C.Eden and J.Radford (eds.),Tackling Strategic Problems—The Role of Group Decision Support. London: Sage Publications.
EdenC. (1991). “A Framework for Thinking About Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS),”Group Decision and Negotiation 1(2), 199–218.
Eden, C. (1993). “From the Playpen to the Bombsite: The Changing Nature of Management Science,”Omega, in press.
EdenC. and D.Sims. (1979). “On the Nature of Problems in Consulting Practice,”Omega 7, 119–127.
EdenC. and F.Ackermann. (1989). “Strategic Options in Development and Analysis (SODA)—Using a Computer to Help with the Management of Strategic Vision.” In G.Doukidis, F.Land, and G.Miller (eds.),Knowledge Based Management Support Systems. Chichester: Ellis Horwood.
EdenC. and F.Ackermann. (1992). “Strategy Development and Implementation—The Role of a Group Decision Support System. In R.Bostrom, R.Watson and S.Kinney (eds.),Computer Augmented Teamwork—A Guided Tour. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
EdenC., F.Ackermann, and S.Cropper. (1992). “The Analysis of Cause Maps,”Journal of Management Studies 29(3), 309–324.
FriedmanP.G. (1989). “Upstream Facilitation—A Proactive Approach to Managing Problem-Solving Groups,”Management Communications Quarterly 3, 33–50.
FriendJ., and A.Hickling. (1987).Planning Under Pressure—The Strategic Choice Approach. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
FordyceJ.K.W., and R.Weil, (1971).Managing with People: A Manager's Handbook of Organizational Development Methods. New York: Addison-Wesley.
GlaserB.G., and A.L.Strauss. (1967).The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Chicago: Aldine.
GrayP. (1985). “Group Decision Support Systems,”Decision Support Systems: A Decade in Perspective 3, 233–242.
HastingsC. (1986).The Superteam Solution: Successful Teamworking in Organizations. Aldershot: Gower.
HicklingA. (1990). “Decision Spaces: A Scenario about Designing Appropriate Rooms for Group Decision Management.” In C.Eden and J.Radford (eds.),Tackling Strategic Problems—The Role of Group Decision Support, London: Sage Publications.
HirokawaR., and D.Gouran. (1989). “Facilitation of Group Communication: A Critique of Prior Research and an Agenda for Future Research,”Management Communication Quarterly 3, 71–92.
HuxhamC. (1990). “On Trivialities in Process.” In C.Eden and J.Radford (eds.),Tackling Strategic Problems—The Role of Group Decision Support. London: Sage Publications.
HuberG. (1984). “Issues in the Design of Group Decision Support Systems,”Management Information Systems Quarterly 8, 195–204.
JonesS. (1987). “Choosing Action Research: A Rationale.” In I.L.Mangham (ed.),Organizational Analysis and Development. Chichester: Wiley, pp. 23–45.
JessupL.M., and J.S.Valacich. (1992). “On the Study of Group Support Systems: An Introduction to Group Support Systems Research and Development.” In L.M.Jessup and J.S.Valacich (eds.),Group Support Systems—New Perspectives. New York: Macmillan.
JudsonA. (1990).Making Strategy Happen—Transforming Plans into Reality. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.
KellyG. (1955).The Psychology of Personal Constructs: A Theory of Personality. New York: Norton.
KreamerK.L., and J.King. (1988). “Computer-Based Systems for Cooperative Work and Group Decision Making: Status of Use and Problems in Development,”ACM Computing Surveys 20, 115–146.
LewisF., and K.Keleman. (1990). “Experiences with GDSS Development: Lab and Field Studies,”Journal of Information Science 16, 195–205.
LoflandJ. (1976).Doing Social Life. New York: Wiley.
McGrathJ. (1984).Groups: Interaction and Performance. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
MargerisonC. (1988).Managerial Consulting Skills—A Practical Guide. Aldershot: Gower.
MasonR.O., and I.I.Mitroff. (1981).Challenging Strategic Planning Assumptions: Theory, Cases and Techniques. New York: Wiley.
McGoffC.J., and L.Ambrose. (1991). “Empirical Information from the Field: A Practitioner's View of Using GDSS in Business.” In theProceedings of the 24th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Vol. 3. Los Alamitos, CA: Society Press.
MillerG. (1956). “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information,”Psychological Review 63, 81–97.
MosvickR., and R.Nelson. (1987).We've Got to Start Meeting Like This! A Guide to Successful Business Meeting Management. Glenview IL: Scott Foresman and Co.
NunamakerJ.F., L.M.Applegate, and B.R.Konsynski. (1988). “Computer-Aided Deliberation: Model Management and Group Decision Support,”Journal of Management Information Systems 3, 5–19.
PhillipsL.D. (1989). “People-Centered Group Decision Support.” In G.Doukidis, F.Land, and G.Miller (eds.),Knowledge Based Management Support Systems. Chichester: Ellis Horwood.
Phillips, L. and M.C. Phillips. (1990). “On Facilitating Groups.” Working paper, Decision Analysis Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science.
PinsenneaultA. and K.L.Kreamer. (1990). “The Effects of Electronic Meetings on Group Processes and Outcomes: An Assessment of the Empirical Research,”European Journal of Operational Research 46, 143–161.
ReasonP., and J.Rowan. (1981).Human Inquiry: A Sourcebook of New Paradigm Research. Chichester: Wiley.
ScheinE.H. (1988).Process Consultation—Its Role in Organizational Development. New York: Addison-Wesley.
SengeP. (1990).The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday Currency.
SteffikM., G.Foster, D.G.Borrow, K.Kahn, S.Lanning, and L.Suchman. (1987). “Beyond the Chalkboard: Computer Support for Collaboration and Problem Solving in Meetings.”Communications of the ACM 30, 32–47.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ackermann, F. Participants' perceptions on the role of facilitators using Group Decision Support Systems. Group Decis Negot 5, 93–112 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02404178
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02404178