S ystems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology 1 Dialogue on the Internet: Myth or Possibility Systems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology Sebastian Slotte and Raimo P. Hämäläinen

S ystems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology 2 Dialogue and Democracy Isegoria i.e. the ancient Greek idea of free and unrestricted right to partake in dialogue Dialogue is the primus motor of democracy as the generator of ideas, possibilities, viewpoints, sharing thoughts, understanding and interpretation Dialogue promotes inquiry rather than advocay and is an alternative to specious argumentation and cynical rhetorics

S ystems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology 3 Transformative Dialogue Enhancing and improving communication, knowledge creation and collaborative decision making Better and richer decision structuring, effective joint investigation, the seeing of possibilities of co-operation in conflict situations and democratic expression and investigation of ideas Facilitated Building capacity for dialogue by learning and practicing the arts of listening, respecting, suspending,voicing.

S ystems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology 4 Dialogue on the Internet Cezec-Kcmanovic et al. (2000) and Cezec-Kcmanovic (2001) Computer Mediated Communication affect on interaction and understanding Katzy et al (2000) recognize that mental models of participants affects how people understand and appropriate meanings for groupware. Also, the possibilities of role play, anonymity and restricted onymity on the net and its possibilities to foster inclusive dialogue and democratic participation have been studied (Balthazard and Potter, 2000). Some of the characteristics and traits of face-to-face dialogue is lost on the internet. The totality of human experience and interaction such as it is opened up in dialogue cannot completely be transformed to the internet. Aspects of face-to face dialogue can be transferred to the internet. These aspects concern the rules, guidelines and the etiquette of the communication.

S ystems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology 5 Traditional facilitation Enhancement of dialogical skills in individuals Skill focused Sensitivity to oneself Rules and methods are general and global

S ystems Analysis Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology 6 Systems Intelligent Facilitation Systems Sensitive Alternative to moderation from above Rules and methods are specific and local Response focused References: Systems Intelligence - Discovering a Hidden Competence in Human Action and Organizational Life, editors Raimo P. Hämäläinen and Esa Saarinen, Systems Analysis Laboratory, Research Reports A88. Slotte, S and Raimo P. Hämäläinen (2003). Decision Structuring Dialogue.Systems Analysis Laboratory Research Reports, E13. Slotte, S (2004) Systems Sensitive Dialogue Intervention. Manuscript.