Decide

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Decide is a conversation game enabling small groups to discuss public policy issues. No speakers or experts are needed, as pre-prepared cards convey the necessary facts. It works best for six people over two hours, but it is flexible. Decide helps people to absorb information and to make it meaningful. The information on the topic is provided on playing cards which are dealt out in two rounds. Each time, people reflect on their cards and choose one or two that they feel are most important. They take turns to read them out, explaining why they chose them, and then place them on the table. Next they cluster the cards, with each cluster representing a key issue relating to the topic. Once they’ve voted on a range of responses or policy positions they try to create a response that everyone in the group can live with.

Decide kits are available for the following subjects: • Stem Cells • Xenotransplantation • Nanotechnology • Genetic Testing • Neuroscience • HIV/AIDS

They area available in several languages, including: English, French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Finnish, Swedish, Polish, Estonian and Slovenian).

On the website all materials, kits and instructions are downloadable and free of charge, plus a comprehensive list of resources providing further information for each topic. The voting results and policy suggestions from each Decide game are posted on the web and provide a vehicle for participants and policymakers to see opinions and ideas of the public:

• by individual country; • across Europe; • in other regions as additional countries participate

and upload their results.

Decide was funded by Decide is funded by the European Commission - DG Research - FP6 Science and Society programme - Scientific Advice and Governance, and developed by:

• Ecsite • At-Bristol • Fondazione IDIS – Città della Scienza • Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie • Heureka • nef new economics foundation

The project website is: http://www.playdecide.org