What is public dialogue?

Public dialogue provides in-depth insight into citizens’ views, concerns and aspirations on issues relating to science and technology.

Public dialogue provides in-depth insight into public views, concerns and aspirations on issues relating to science and technology.

A diverse group of the public explore an issue in detail, so that they can contribute informed opinions and ideas about it.

This provides valuable insights into

ethical questions
the safeguards that the public expect
the opportunities that the public value
understanding of an issue and how to communicate and engage the public best
the practical applications of science and technology in society

Public dialogue can be used to explore long standing areas of policy and provide up to date insights on it. It can also be used to help formulate and test policy options in the early stage of development.

Typical components of a dialogue project

Clear purpose

A public dialogue must have a clear and well-defined purpose, and it must engage with policy questions.

Tailored to the specific circumstances

The process is tailored to the specific circumstances of the topic and decision-making process.

Diverse participants

Participants are recruited to be broadly reflective of the population in the countries or regions where dialogue activities take place. The delivery contractor recruits to predetermined demographic quotas (e.g. 50% men and 50% women) using well-established methods.

From 30 to 200 + participants

The number of citizens participating in a Sciencewise funded dialogue project ranges from 30 to over 300. Sometimes, dialogue workshops will be supplemented with surveys or digital tools, enabling a project to reach a larger number of people (e.g. over 1000).

Stakeholder involvement

Sciencewise funded projects are guided by an oversight group comprising stakeholders with an interest in the policy area. The oversight group must include a diverse range of opinions and interests in a topic, as one of their primary roles is to ensure that the process and materials are balanced.

Scientists and policy experts take part in public workshops. Their role includes listening to and engaging in discussions with the publics involved, providing information when required, exploring participants’ ideas and sharing their reflections on what they have heard.

A public dialogue may also include dedicated stakeholder workshops. These are usually held at the start and/or end of a project.

Expert design and facilitation

Sciencewise funded projects are designed and facilitated by independent contractors with a track record of delivering successful dialogue projects.

We support the lead government body to appoint an experienced contractor using the Sciencewise framework of dialogue delivery contractors.

Interactive workshops

Interactive workshops, typically lasting a half day or full day, are at the heart of Sciencewise dialogues.

Workshops are designed around the requirements of the particular topic. Information and evidence are provided in a variety of forms, including oral presentations, videos and written materials. There is always a lot of time for questions and discussion. Participants are encouraged to share and develop their views and to deliberate on the implications of the information they have reviewed.

Typically, workshops are repeated, enabling the same participants to meet two, or sometimes more times over the course of the project. This allows time for individual reflection between workshops.

Measuring the impact

Sciencewise funded projects are independently evaluated. An evaluator is appointed from the Sciencewise framework of evaluation contractors. The evaluator will assess the early impacts of a project on the stakeholders involved. The Sciencewise programme team continues to monitor impacts in the months and years following the conclusion of a project.

Communicating the results

Sciencewise co-funds projects where there is a clear plan for outputs to inform policy development and decisions. The evaluator will assess the extent to which the commissioning body has disseminated the findings to key stakeholders and wider audiences and, through interviews, what impact these findings have had.

Public dialogue and other engagement methods

Public dialogue shares some features in common with social research and other engagement methods. However, Sciencewise work places a particular emphasis on the following:

Independent oversight from a group to a diverse range of views and interests
Public and experts (both scientific and policy) deliberating together on the ethical and social issues raised by the science
People being involved in problem solving and balancing the tensions and trade-offs posed by controversial innovations
Building scope into the design for adapting the framing, and questions asked, during the work
Giving people who take part tailored feedback about the findings and impact
Working transparently, never in secret
Independent evaluation, providing assurance of a robust process and the credibility of the findings

“If you cut across the grain of the public instinct, it’s disastrous. Engaging with people should help us devise policies which are acceptable and sustainable.”
Academy of Medical Sciences working group member (Case Study: Drugs futures dialogue)

More about public dialogue

For more details see “What is public dialogue? Frequently asked questions”

“[Its] strength came from the depth of the discussion – it seemed to open up the deep and personal views of attendees who had, through exposure to the issues, begun to explore what the issues meant to them.”
Stakeholder, Living with Environmental Change dialogue