Gradients of Agreement

For Use with the Wellness Roundtables

Kay Wais adapted Sam Kaners "Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making " to apply to discussing health wellness related discussions. For the original source (used for voting on business topics) at  https://www.amazon.com/Facilitators-Participatory-Decision-Making-Jossey-Bass-Management/dp/1118404955 

There are eight degrees of separation between “Fully Agree and “Totally Disagree” as individuals express their views on health wellness issues where diverse perspectives are essential, and where complex challenges require careful consideration. It's an optional tool for Wellness Roundtable facilitators to provide a more participatory approach to topics under discussion. 

Gradients of Agreement is a participatory opinion-oriented activity that uses the Gradients of Agreement scale developed by Sam Kaner and Duane Berger to move beyond simple “yes” or “no” thinking. Participants have the opportunity to express a range of opinions about a view on a health topic coming from the perspective of "would you advise a person to do this or not"?

This decision-making framework is conducive to decisions:

●  That do not have one correct answer.

●  That mark a change in overall health strategy.

●  That benefit from participant input or deep discussion.

●  That present a high element of risk or reward.

 This activity is designed for a general audience and works well with groups of 6-30 participants in an in-person, hybrid, or remote setting.

Click here to download the Gradients of Agreement in PDF format.