1 Dialogue Mapping: Dialogue Mapping: Dr. Jeff Conklin CogNexus Institute cognexus.org Revealing the...

1

Dialogue Mapping: Dialogue Mapping:

Dr. Jeff ConklinDr. Jeff Conklin

CogNexus InstituteCogNexus Institute

cognexuscognexus.org.org

Revealing the Deep Revealing the Deep Structure of Structure of

ConversationsConversations

© 2008 CogNexus Institute2

OverviewOverview

Opportunity Driven Problem SolvingOpportunity Driven Problem Solving Wicked problemsWicked problems

Dialogue Mapping: mapping linear Dialogue Mapping: mapping linear process into non-linear mediaprocess into non-linear media

Surface Structure – how Surface Structure – how we communicate about we communicate about an issuean issue

Linear Process & Linear Process & MediaMedia

Deep structure – the Deep structure – the organization of the organization of the contentcontent

Non-linear Non-linear Process & Process & mediamedia


Work is planned as a linear Work is planned as a linear process …process …

TimeTime

Gather the data about the problemGather the data about the problem

Analyze the dataAnalyze the data

Formulate a solutionFormulate a solution

Implement itImplement it


… … but cognition is but cognition is non-linear.non-linear.

TimeTime

Guindon, R. (1990) “Designing Guindon, R. (1990) “Designing the Design Process: Exploiting the Design Process: Exploiting Opportunistic Thoughts”, Opportunistic Thoughts”, Human-Computer InteractionHuman-Computer Interaction, , Vol. 5, pp. 305-344.Vol. 5, pp. 305-344.

““Opportunity Driven” Problem Opportunity Driven” Problem SolvingSolving


Key Characteristic of Key Characteristic of “Wicked” Problems“Wicked” Problems

Every proposed solution …Every proposed solution …

reveals aspects of the reveals aspects of the problem …problem …

Conklin, J. (2006) “Wicked Conklin, J. (2006) “Wicked Problems and Social Problems and Social Complexity”, white paper, Complexity”, white paper, Chapter 1 of Chapter 1 of Dialogue MappingDialogue Mapping bookbook

Problem wickedness trumps Problem wickedness trumps linear linear processprocess

that cause revision of that cause revision of the solutionthe solution


Characteristics of problem Characteristics of problem “wickedness”“wickedness”

cannot be easily defined so that all stakeholders cannot be easily defined so that all stakeholders agree on the problem to solve; agree on the problem to solve;

require complex judgments about the level of require complex judgments about the level of abstraction at which to define the problem; abstraction at which to define the problem;

have no clear stopping rules; have no clear stopping rules; have better or worse solutions, not right and wrong have better or worse solutions, not right and wrong

ones; ones; have no objective measure of success; have no objective measure of success; require iteration-every trial counts; require iteration-every trial counts; have no given alternative solutions-these must be have no given alternative solutions-these must be

discovered; discovered; often have strong moral, political or professional often have strong moral, political or professional

dimensions. dimensions.


Some consequences of not Some consequences of not distinguishing wicked problemsdistinguishing wicked problems

Less clarity and agreement about the problem Less clarity and agreement about the problem spacespace

More non-linear problem solving processMore non-linear problem solving process Less productive communicationLess productive communication More fragmented and polarized stakeholdersMore fragmented and polarized stakeholders Less trust, more blame and second-guessingLess trust, more blame and second-guessing More power and politics dominate the processMore power and politics dominate the process Deeper issues go unaddressed (avoidance, Deeper issues go unaddressed (avoidance,

denial)denial)


Issue MappingIssue Mapping

IBIS - Issue Based Information IBIS - Issue Based Information SystemSystem

Horst RittelHorst Rittel Basic argumentation structure:Basic argumentation structure:

– Questions (issues)Questions (issues)– Answers (options, alternatives)Answers (options, alternatives)– Pros & Cons (arguments)Pros & Cons (arguments)


Conversational structure Conversational structure versus versus

Issue structureIssue structure

The basic unit of conversation is a ‘comment’

The structure of conversation is ‘turn taking’ – each person’s comment follows the one before

a comment


Conversational structure

Issue-based structure

Structure based on individual judgments of relevance and importance

Structure based on mapper’s judgments about implicit relationships among comments




Issue mapper infers the question that the comment addresses




Again, inferring the ‘missing’ question clarifies the map




Structure based on individual choices about relevance and importance

Structure based on mapper’s judgments about implicit relationships among comments


Meeting notes

Issue Map

Which structure is more coherent?

Which structure is more meaningful?

Which structure better supports exploration of complex topics?

http://www.youtube.com/DrJeffConklin


Linear vs Issue Based Linear vs Issue Based StructureStructure

Linear structureLinear structure Issue-based Issue-based structurestructure

Normal surface structureNormal surface structure Content deep structureContent deep structure

Traditional, familiarTraditional, familiar Specialized, denseSpecialized, dense

Chronological: each Chronological: each successive element successive element based on salience & based on salience & relevance with previousrelevance with previous

Elements organized by Elements organized by key questions - key questions - sequence factored outsequence factored out

Optimized to minimize Optimized to minimize load on working memoryload on working memory

Optimized for large Optimized for large scale coherencescale coherence


Dialogue map follows the non-Dialogue map follows the non-linear conversation processlinear conversation process



“The problem is that process X doesn’t work well.”




“I’m not so sure. I think the real problem is that Y doesn’t work very well.”





“Yeah. There have been big improvements in X lately. …“





“Yeah. There have been big improvements in X lately. I think we should just implement Plan A, like we discussed months ago!”





“Yeah. There have been big improvements in X lately. I think we should just implement Plan A, like we discussed months ago!”

“Plan A won’t work, because it doesn’t address process Z. The truth is, Z doesn’t work at all!”



“I agree. We need to start over with a new Plan B and start getting upper management input.”




“Wait a minute. What’s the problem with Z? I thought we had that fixed?”




“Wait a minute. What’s the problem with Z? I thought we had that fixed?”

“Z costs too much, and the costs are increasing, and in any case it doesn’t meet the new interoperability standards.”


Non-linear cognition means jumping Non-linear cognition means jumping around between issuesaround between issues

TimeTime

What is the problem? …What is the problem? …

What are the criteria? …What are the criteria? …

What does ‘xxxxxx’ mean? …What does ‘xxxxxx’ mean? …

What should we do? …What should we do? …

What are the facts? …What are the facts? …

How should we do X? …How should we do X? …


Bridging the Structural GapBridging the Structural Gap

We need tools We need tools that show both that show both surface & deep surface & deep structures and structures and the connections the connections between thembetween them

Surface Structure – how we Surface Structure – how we communicate about an issuecommunicate about an issue

Linear Process & Linear Process & MediaMedia

Deep structure – the Deep structure – the organization of the contentorganization of the content

Non-linear Process Non-linear Process & media& media

Article about Article about global global

warmingwarming

Map of deep Map of deep structure of articlestructure of article


CogNexus InstituteCogNexus InstituteKnowledge Mapping for Nonlinear Knowledge Mapping for Nonlinear

ProcessesProcesses

http://cognexus.orghttp://cognexus.org The bookThe book

1 Dialogue Mapping: Dialogue Mapping: Dr. Jeff Conklin CogNexus Institute cognexus.org Revealing the...

Documents

Transcript of 1 Dialogue Mapping: Dialogue Mapping: Dr. Jeff Conklin CogNexus Institute cognexus.org Revealing the...