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Course 145 · Life course 32

Help a Group Make a Fair Decision

Collect everyone’s input, compare options consistently, and turn a group choice into a clear action record.

Before you start

Basic addition; all member statements, votes, and constraints are supplied. A real group is optional.

See everything you’ll need

Practice materials and a worked example · Free download. Download the starter pack

What you’ll leave with

A group-decision packet with scope, input rounds, eligibility and scores, vote record, concern-based revision, and follow-through log.

Start course Start without an account. Sign in to save lesson progress across devices.

Your project

Start with the practice files. Build your project one lesson at a time.

Practice files are free without an account. Sign in to save your project record in My Proof: a description, checklist, and optional work link. Keep the original files in your own app or notebook; saving a project record does not upload them.

  1. Get your materialsDownload practice filesStart with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.
  2. Make your projectView the project checklist Work in your own notebook, document, or software. Use the supplied practice examples when you prefer.
  3. Keep a private recordSave a project record Sign in to save a description and checklist, then return to update them.
Optional course overview

Watch an introduction.

This overview from Stephen Klien introduces ideas you’ll practice in the lessons.

Watch directly on YouTube
Stephen KlienGroup Decision-MakingYouTube
Course handbook

Know the route before you begin.

Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll make. You can return to this guide during any lesson.

Who this is for

For learners 14+ exploring practical skills for school, work, and everyday life.

Prepare before lesson one
  • Basic addition; all member statements, votes, and constraints are supplied. A real group is optional.
  • Use the time shown for each lesson; it includes the supplied practice, changed-input work, and applied questions. Keep the six lesson outputs for the final project. Optional videos, setup, and any optional real-world extension take extra time.
Your final project

Finish with proof you can use.

A group-decision packet with scope, input rounds, eligibility and scores, vote record, concern-based revision, and follow-through log.

Save a project record in My Proof
See project checklist and review criteria

Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.

What to include

  • State decision authority, limits, and a neutral question.
  • Provide a participation round with a written-input option.
  • Apply mandatory screens and preference scores consistently.
  • Record both ballots, the concern, and the location revision.
  • Create a task log and a trigger for reconsidering the choice.

Review and revise

Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.

  • All four members have a usable input route.
  • Eligibility and score arithmetic match supplied facts.
  • The vote threshold and tie process are applied correctly.
  • The final record preserves dissent and assigns follow-through.
Three ideas to help you along the way
Three useful ideas

The rules behind the steps.

01

Agree the process early

State authority and decision rules before knowing the winner.

02

Offer multiple input routes

Written input and passing can preserve participation.

03

Record disagreement honestly

A valid group choice need not be everyone’s favorite.

What do these words mean?
Key words

Key terms worth knowing.

Constraint
A limit the current decision must respect.
Criterion
A condition used to compare options.
Majority
More than half of votes under the stated rule.
Consensus
A process seeking an outcome all participants can accept.
Facilitator
A person guiding participation and process.
Your route

6 lessons.
One useful project.

Work in order the first time. Each lesson makes something the next lesson can use.

  1. 1
    Up next

    Define the group decision

    Set the decision, authority, and constraints before collecting opinions.

  2. 2
    22 min

    Collect input without dominance

    Use a participation structure that captures every member’s ideas.

  3. 3
    22 min

    Agree criteria before ranking

    Separate required conditions from preferences and apply them consistently.

  4. 4
    24 min

    Choose and rehearse a decision rule

    Apply a stated voting or consent rule and handle ties consistently.

  5. 5
    24 min

    Surface concerns and revise options

    Distinguish a preference from a requirement-related concern and test a revision.

  6. 6
    28 min

    Record and review the group choice

    Create a decision record with the rule, reasons, owners, and review triggers.

Use the tools

Tools to help you practice.

See all tools
ZIP · practice files

Help a Group Make a Fair Decision practice files

Start with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.

Text worksheet

Your course project worksheet

A downloadable text worksheet with each lesson’s working output, space for your answers, and the shared final-project checklist. Save your own copy.

Source transparency

Sources and further study.

Explore the references behind the lessons and take your learning further. Source notes explain access and reuse.

University of Waterloo: Group Decision Making
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected decision criteria, majority, ranking, consensus, and implementation steps.

Access: Public page or PDF inspected without payment or institutional sign-in on September 12, 2026. Optional external accounts are unnecessary for this course.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

University of Minnesota: Benefits to Consensus Decision Making
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected inclusive input, shared purpose, consensus process, and limits.

Access: Public page or PDF inspected without payment or institutional sign-in on September 12, 2026. Optional external accounts are unnecessary for this course.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

University of Kansas: Developing Facilitation Skills
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected process neutrality, participation structure, ground rules, and accessibility.

Access: Public page or PDF inspected without payment or institutional sign-in on September 12, 2026. Optional external accounts are unnecessary for this course.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

Group Decision-Making
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Watch URL discovered through web search or an inspected official page; YouTube oEmbed returned this exact title and channel. Metadata verified; full playback and captions were not tested.

Access: Public YouTube metadata returned without sign-in on September 12, 2026. The video is optional; playback and caption availability were not tested.

Reuse: Link and original paraphrase only. Public access does not grant blanket reuse; no provider text, figures, or exercises are reproduced.

Ready when you are

Start with the first useful move.

You’ll always know what to do, what to make, and where to go next.

Start lesson one