Think Tank Process Design and Organizing Committee

Think Tank Process Design and Organizing Committee
Testing and evaluation of the Seminar process design was the major activity of the September Organizing Committee meeting. Sesh Velamoor, Deputy Director for Programs, provided an overview of the design. The process design test was a simulation of the Seminars using the design to discuss the proposition, “Humanity’s survival depends on the death of individualism and the birth of evolutionary humanism.” Organizing Committee members were divided into two working groups, representing separate affinity groups. One group discussed the proposition while the second group observed. The roles were reversed when group two discussed and group one observed. At the end of the session, both groups reported on their findings. In the second session, the groups were restructured, mixing the former groups into two new composites. Each group discussed the topic while the other group observed. At the end of session two, the groups reported their findings. General conversation followed on the process design capacity to engage each participant, explore the topic in an “affinity” group setting, and then expanded the discussions in groups with individuals of diverse perspectives. It was agreed that the process design does work; it provided the requisite framework and process for the conversations to take place.
The Organizing Committee devoted considerable time to the challenges inherent in assigning participants to affinity groups. It was decided that the participants will be required to pr ovide in advance a two page
statement of their own view of the longterm future of humanity. This brief document, including narrative on the highest potential that the author envisions for the future in his/her professional field, will be the basis upon which each participant is assigned to an affinity group. The brief paper will serve additional purposes, including challenging the writer to think through and articulate a long term vision. The statements
will be provided in advance to the participants, and will be the basis for each person’s self introduction to the group as a whole.