Supporting Collaborative Deliberation Using a Large-Scale Argumentation System: The Mit Collaboratorium

Abstract:     
Current open-source/peer-production technologies, such as forums, wikis and blogs, have enabled an unprecedented explosion of global knowledge sharing, but appear to be less successful at enabling collaborative deliberation (i.e. the systematic enumeration, analysis, and selection of solution alternatives) around the complex systemic challenges, such as climate change, now facing humankind. In this paper, we present a new kind of collaboration platform, based on the large-scale application of argumentation theory, aimed at addressing this weakness. We present its rationale and design, as well as preliminary results obtained from a field test with a moderate-sized (220 member) user community.

Keywords: MIT Collaboratorium, collaborative deliberation, peer-production

Working Paper Series