Development of workshop to facilitate consensus building and decision making, for handling trans-science problems

Applying AHP for structuralization, visualization, sharing, and recognizing diversity of opinions and value systems inside individuals and groups

Abstract

Several methods have been tried for handling trans-science issues by participation of citizens. However, they need much resources, and the discussions there include many options and evaluation criteria and participants find difficulty in visualizing and sharing important agendas. To solve the problem, we tried to develop novel workshop method based on AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) for collective decision making, consensus building, community building, and citizenship learning. The method developed in this study suggested that the value systems of the workshop participants and their diversity could be structurally visualized and shared, and that this would affect each participant's decision-making confidence.