18 Software Support for Face - to - Face Parliamentary Procedure

Parliamentary procedure of the sort codified in Robert’s Rules of Order is a widely used system of rules for group decision making. Unfortunately, in many settings where parliamentary procedure is used, unfamiliarity with the rules inhibits participation, working against the aim of giving due consideration to each member’s opinion. This chapter describes a software interface that supports face-to-face parliamentary procedure by publicly displaying information about items under consideration and about actions available under the rules. These features facilitate shared context among the participants, encourage adherence to the rules, and help novices engage and learn the process.