How are issues framed for deliberation?
Framing issues and developing issue books or briefs is one thing we do to help along the process of deliberation. It is a difficult and time-consuming process that requires some training and experience, but it has many rewards. When we frame an issue well, we capture the most fundamental concerns that are behind the ways people see a problem. The goal is to make sure everyone can see themselves in the choices or approaches they’re asked to consider. When this is accomplished it can encourage citizen participation. Framing an issue well-for public deliberation-requires “working through” the following steps, ideally with a group which represents the diverse views in a community: Identifying people’s concerns, grouping like concerns and perspectives, bringing the problem into focus, recognizing the tensions, outlining the benefits and drawbacks of each approach, listing the actions and trade-offs, and testing the framework.
