A New Approach to Large-Scale Deliberation

In this article we propose a novel approach for group-decision making, i.e., proposing and selecting solutions to issues discussed in online settings, based on the structure of the discussion. Our approach consists of three steps: (1) assigning weights to participants based on formal criteria such as degree of engagement in the discussion, (2) assigning scores to comments, considering the weights of authors and raters, (3) assigning scores to proposals, based on the scores of the pro and contra arguments. An important point is that individuals whose behavior is in line with our formal criteria have a higher influence on the decisions. Having built a respective online platform, we have evaluated the proposed model by means of an experiment with more than 100 participants who have discussed several topics relevant to them and a subsequent survey. Looking at both the results of survey and the discussion outcomes, we conclude that our approach yields comprehensive discussions and outcome decisions supported by the community.