CDG meeting decision making process
The CDG meeting decision making process is as follows
- Discussion of the item:
- The item is discussed with the goal of identifying opinions and information on the topic at hand. The general direction of the group and potential proposals for action are often identified during the discussion. Items may be raised directly by the CDG, TDG, or through the Harmonisation Group process
- Formation of a proposal:
- Based on the discussion a proposal on the issue is developed and presented to the group. Where there are potential conflicts with TDG concerns, an issue is raised through the Sparked Harmonisation Group process.
- Check for consensus:
- The facilitator calls for consensus on the proposal using a voting mechanism (e.g. mentimeter). Each member of the group can vote if they agree or consent, disagree or object, or abstain. The number of objections is counted to determine if this step’s consent threshold is satisfied. The CDG will strive for consensus in decision-making; however, decisions of the CDG are accepted by simple majority. Dissenters are asked to share their concerns with proceeding with the agreement, so that any potential harms can be addressed/minimised.
- Identification and addressing of concerns: If consensus is not achieved, each dissenter presents his or her concerns on the proposal, potentially starting another round of discussion to address or clarify the concern.
- Where concerns raised require further input, issue may be escalated to the HG.
- Modification of the proposal:
- The proposal is amended or re-phrased in an attempt to address the concerns of the CDG. The process then returns to the call for consensus and the cycle is repeated until a satisfactory decision passes the consent threshold for the group
- Deferring of proposal:
- A proposal may be deferred for future discussions if consensus is not reached. A proposal may be deferred to the backlog to be readdressed or escalated to the Sparked Harmonisation group for advice.