It Takes Three to Converse: Empirical Observations on How the Developer, the Convener and the Participant Shaped 119 Polis Conversations

Analysis of 119 Polis conversations, a democratic innovation tool, reveals that the final output is significantly shaped by three distinct parties: the platform developer, the conversation convener, and the participants. Critical design choices made by the developer, such as the number of reportable groups and statement prioritization, along with the convener's initial statement framing, fundamentally influence the engagement outcomes.

Why it matters

This research highlights how platform design and initial framing significantly influence outcomes in digital citizen engagement tools. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for organizations employing technology to gather diverse perspectives and ensure the integrity and representative nature of public input processes.

Key insights

• Polis is a democratic innovation tool enabling asynchronous citizen engagement through atomic statements and 'Agree/Disagree' voting.
• The study analyzed 119 Polis conversations with over 100 participants each, drawn from a larger dataset of 271 processes.
• Three primary actors determine the output of a Polis process: the platform developer, the convener, and the participants.
• Developer design choices, such as the limitation of reported groups (2-5) and statement prioritization, restrict potential outcomes.
• The convener's role in defining the assignment and initial statements sets the conversational tone and scope.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.28368