Experimenting with Dialogue: A Trial Run of ThoughtExchange
In April 2019, the affiliated organization Prospect of the UNI collaborated with the Young Workers Lab to trial the digital survey tool ThoughtExchange with approximately 770 archaeologists in the UK. The objective was to test the potential of digital tools in fostering collective action among decentralized communities, particularly those composed of young workers.
For seven days, archaeologists could anonymously express their views on the question, "What are the biggest challenges for the future of archaeology in the UK?" The aim was to gather insights through an engaging platform without compromising participants' privacy.
ThoughtExchange's unique feature is its capacity to allow participants to anonymously view and rate each other's responses. This functionality encourages open discussion and fosters a sense of community, much like in-person gatherings. As Steph Izzard, Digital Project Officer at Prospect, noted, "It gave us a chance to reach out to workers in a specific sector, while gathering essential insights about their experiences and perceptions."
The trial marked part of an ongoing initiative at the Young Workers' Lab to explore how digital technologies can empower unions and young workers to improve job quality and voice in the digital workforce.
The Advantages of Anonymity
Since ThoughtExchange is anonymous, it enables all union members, regardless of age, location, or seniority, to voice their opinions equally. By promoting inclusivity and equal footing, the tool serves as a powerful platform for the members to express their perspectives.
One advantage of the tool is its ability to reveal patterns in opinions within a group. The ThoughtExchange platform's analytics help unions identify areas of agreement and disagreement, enabling them to focus on resolving contentious issues and facilitating compromise.
Examining One of the Core Issues
When analyzing the results, Steph Izzard emphasized the importance of understanding the human element behind the data. "This is about human beings, not statistics. It's crucial to hear people's feedback in their own words, so we can better respond to their concerns."
Engagement Requires Careful Planning
The trial's results were not accidental; they were the result of thoughtful organization. Running a ThoughtExchange is analogous to hosting a virtual event or campaign, requiring careful planning and strategy. The initial invitation resulted in a 50% open rate and a 25% click rate. Over the week, reminder emails were sent to encourage participation.
Survey Outcome
Of the possible 770 participants, 123 took part in the survey, representing a 16% participation rate. Members shared 191 thoughts and rated 68 of them, contributing to a total of 3651 rankings. Although results are private, they covered a broad range of issues, combining personal concerns with more collective matters.
Steph Izzard advised allowing more time for planning to ensure effective communication and improved outcomes. "Having a checklist or guide of essential tasks to cover before, during, and after the exchange ensures that key aspects are addressed, regardless of the time available."
Preliminary Findings
Although ThoughtExchange does not fully replace traditional methods such as in-person town halls, it proved to be a valuable tool for unions in identifying core issues for their members. Steph Izzard expressed her positive experience with the platform, sharing that ThoughtExchange had shown her a "new approach to recruiting, retaining, and organizing union members."
One strength of ThoughtExchange is its ability to surface issues that might not be immediately obvious. By allowing participants to anonymously share their experiences, the platform encourages open dialogue and helps unions foster inclusive dialogue tailored to their members' needs.
ThoughtExchange uses natural language processing to categorize similar responses automatically, providing union organizers with insights on the key topics raised during the campaign. Post-campaign analysis involves reviewing the categorizations to ensure precision.
Conclusion
Based on the successful trial, Steph Izzard enthusiastically recommended ThoughtExchange. The organization Prospect is already using the platform to engage with other members. As technology continues to shape the future of work, tools like ThoughtExchange play a crucial role in ensuring unions remain responsive to their members' evolving needs.
- With ThoughtExchange, anonymity serves as a powerful equalizer, allowing union members of all ages, locations, and seniority levels to voice their opinions freely about various issues, fostering inclusivity and enabling the tool to serve as a potent platform for expressions.
- As Artificial Intelligence and technology progressively reshape the workforce, tools like ThoughtExchange contribute significantly by empowering unions with insightsful analytics that help identify areas of agreement and disagreement among members, facilitating compromise and responsiveness to their evolving needs, much like the role of Artificial Intelligence in driving decisions based on data patterns.
