Transcript Diapositive 1

Consensus Conference
Definition
The Consensus Conference is a method for
lay people assessment, where a panel of
ordinary citizens (around 14) meets an expert
panel.
Rationale
The conference creates a framework for a
debate in which citizens’ thoughts and
recommendations come face to face with the
arguments and attitudes of politicians, experts
and interested parties. In this way the
technology debate is enriched and developed,
people’s attitudes can be better informed and
more qualified, citizens views are
communicated and politicians and experts
may learn to see a problem area in a new
light.
The Citizens Panel
Made out of a wide range of different
opinions, the citizens panel defines the
agenda during the two weekends prior the
conference. They decide and formulate the
key questions drawing upon the kind of
expertise and documentation they ask for.
Budget
The questions
are presented to a panel of
experts in a public conference. The general
public, experts in the field, invited stake
holders, the media, and political
representatives assist (and may even
participate) to the discussion.
Day 2 is used for more questions,
clarifications and deliberations between
the 2 panels and the audience can
contribute.
Hereafter on the day 3, the citizens
panel deliberate and make conclusions
and recommendations in a Final
Document, devoted to inform policy
decisions on the topic.
Objectives
• Put light on controversial and complex topics
• Create debate and produce knowledge on
citizens’ views
• Contribute to clarification and delimitation
about knowledge, attitudes and values
• Create advice: proposals and
recommendations for policy making
On day 1 of the consensus conference
the expert panel present answers to the
questions from the citizens.
In Denmark, the public conference takes place
in the Parliament
They present this report the last day of
the conference and answer questions in
the following debate. Members of
Parliament are invited to come and
receive the Final Document.
Main steps
1. Compose an Advisory Group with important
actors/stakeholders to validate procedures,
introductory material, selection of experts
and conference programme
2. Recruit randomly and select a panel of
citizens without any specific relationship to
the topic
3. Produce introductory material for the
citizens panel and get acceptance from
advisory group
4. Plan work of citizens panel to formulate and
agree on key questions to experts
5. Select experts, who can answer the
questions, get acceptance
6. Produce a programme for a 3-4 days
conference, send out invitations and
organise all practicalities
7. Support the panel’s writing of the Final
Document
8. Dissemination of results; evaluation
Some tips
All sides of the issues should be addressed in the information package. However,
the panelists will not necessarily have the time or the interest to go through the
whole.
The writing of the report is a very intensive and quite difficult task.The help of a
facilitator and/or a scribe is recommended. The report is structured around the key
questions.
References
Since 1987 The DBT has held more than 30 consensus conferences in Denmark, for example on How
can we assign value to the environment (2003) or Testing our genes? (2002).
More information in: http://www.tekno.dk
S. Joss and J. Durant (1995), Public Participation in science. The role of consensus conferences in
Europe, Science Museum: London
Ida-Elisabeth Andersen and Gy Larsen, The Danish Board of Technology
Poster edited by Luis Aparicio and Delphine Ducoulombier