Consultation¶

In a consultation, one person makes the decision – but only after having specifically sought the views of relevant individuals. The responsibility lies with the person making the decision, not with the group.

How it works in Rhizome¶

The consultation is initiated when, whilst making a decision, you select delegated and then wish to seek input. You specify who makes the decision there – yourself, someone directly appointed, or via a nomination round.

Enquire about prospects¶

As soon as a person is assigned the role of decider, they can seek input. The selected individuals will receive a notification and be asked to share their assessment, thoughts or relevant knowledge directly on the decision.

All contributions are visible to everyone involved. Insight are not votes – they inform the decision without committing the decider.

A insight that has been taken on board can be marked as integrated. This is not a mere courtesy, but the answer to the question that everyone who has contributed asks: Has this been taken on board?

Other stakeholders may also suggest that a particular person be consulted. If you are not the one making the decision but know that a colleague has relevant expertise that the decider may not be aware of, you can suggest that this person be asked for their insight.

Decide¶

The decider can make a decision at any time – even if not all the requested insight have been received yet. Anyone whose input is still pending is named in the decision. This ensures that no one can block the process simply by remaining silent, whilst it remains clear who has not had a say.

Once the decision has been documented with a written statement of reasons, it is deemed to have been taken and is visible to all parties involved.

Feedback¶

For consultation decisions, feedback is enabled by default. Once the decision has been finalised, a comments section opens below it, where other participants can respond. As the group does not make decisions collectively, this provides a channel for feedback and follow-up discussions.

Advanced decision rules¶

None. A quorum would be irrelevant here: a decision is taken as soon as the person responsible makes it – regardless of how many people have spoken beforehand.

Use cases¶

Consultation is suitable for situations where one person is clearly in charge but should not make decisions without involving others. The process combines speed and individual responsibility with a sound basis. It is particularly suitable when:

• a decision falls within the remit of a defined role
• relevant expertise is spread across the team and should be sought prior to the decision
• the organisation wishes to document which insight have been taken into account – even without a group process