Enhancing Democratic Engagement through Effective Proposal Ranking

Description:
In an environment where the number of proposals is far higher than what we may expect an average user to inspect, how can we ensure that each idea gets the attention it deserves? This talk delves into the crucial role of ranking methods on Decidim, i.e. the way Decidim orders proposals in a list when showing them to users. The position of a proposal can make or break its visibility, thereby significantly impacting the democratic decision-making process.

We will first briefly run through the current ranking methods offered by Decidim and other similar platforms. Then we will ask how information about "likes" can and should impact the ranking of proposals shown to users and spell out a number of criteria, stages, and goals of the participatory process. We'll then introduce three foundational principles that could drive ranking based on "likes" and critically examine the pros and cons of each.

By the end of this talk, you'll gain insights into which ranking methods best align with democratic values and the overarching goals of participatory decision-making. We will provide concrete recommendations for enhancing Decidim's ranking methods and suggest directions for future improvements.

Language of the session: English

Logistical needs: a screen or projector for a slide presentation

Authors: Nicolien Janssens and Frederik van de Putte (Erasmus Institute for Philosophy and Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands)