Volume 11 · Number 1 ·
Pages 42–50
The Banathy Conversation Methodology
Gordon Dyer, Jed Jones, Gordon Rowland & Silvia Zweifel
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Abstract
Context: Thirty years ago, members of the systems science community discovered that at their conferences, more was being accomplished in the breaks than in the sessions. Led by Bela H. Banathy, they cancelled the sessions and created a conversation methodology that has proven far more effective. Dozens of conversations have now been held around the world. Problem: At a recent conversation in Linz, Austria, a team devoted its inquiry to the Banathy Conversation Methodology (BCM) itself, asking, in particular, how to develop and spread the methodology further, beyond the systems science community. Method: The team captured key features and benefits of BCM and developed new tools. Results: Described herein are the development of the methodology, its theoretical underpinnings, the methodology itself, heuristics for successful conversations, and an example of how the methodology is spreading. Implications: Ultimately, the hope is to develop the methodology in such ways that communities could apply it to meet significant challenges and co-create their futures.
Key words: Conversation, dialogue, guided evolution, social systems design
Citation
Dyer G., Jones J., Rowland G. & Zweifel S. (2015) The banathy conversation methodology. Constructivist Foundations 11(1): 42–50. http://constructivist.info/11/1/042
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