July 4, 1992 WINNING TEAMS VISION

Our goal is to develop and make available a comprehensive system which offers methods that allow any group, organization, business

or community to optimally manage itself through inspired participation and collaborative action. These methods offer people the occasion to recognize the commonality of their concerns, to uncover their shared hopes and visions, to regain a sense of their own strength and wisdom, and to design and create their solutions together, easily and practically.

Collaborative decision-making methods have been successfully used and applied in communities all over the world to help people

manage and take responsibility for all aspects of their lives in

a harmonious and cooperative way, by including everyone in

creating a common vision and action plan and eliciting the wisdom

of the whole group.

The system we are creating will be available first in the form of a series of written procedural manuals. Information in these manuals will then be adapted for computer software, video and audio systems.

The series will include simple and comprehensive explanations and directions on the following:

1. The historical significance of producing a focus group or a

forum based in collaborative methodologies: the power and

promise, and the dangers.

2. Description of the various components of management and

internal operations of creating a focus group.

3. Marketing and public relations: how to find prospective

participants for such a forum.

4. Facilitating a meeting (including scripts for the

facilitator): style, procedures, outcomes and preparation. A

directory of available facilitators included.

5. Structure: how to use focus groups and the methods to set up collaborative organizations.

6. Financial operations including a)how to apply for grants and

fundraising b)financial reporting c)budgets d)cash flow.

7. Ongoing interactive support and updates on all of the above

through established electronic and written networking systems.

In addition we will provide installation support including

consulting, training of facilitators, local research and

development for a specific local situation. Compilation of
information from the focus groups will be integrated into a

growing database to document the results for a variety of

applications. A directory and database of groups involved in participatory process will be created for the use of those in the network.

The focus group structure may be customized for specific applications. Such applications include:

1. describing the current reality.

2. creating a vision.

3. uncovering obstacles and underlying contradictions.

4. developing strategies and focusing the power.

5. encouraging creativity.

6. action planning.