| Abstract:
combines involvement and ascertainment of the views of non-professional members of the public with evidence-based expertise. Second, we would not propose that the exercise should be the only source of public input on complex issues that will drive policy decisions. Other deliberative techniques, for instance those that involve several days of intense exposure to information and deliberation by a small number of selected individuals, might also, or more appropriately be used depending on the decision(s) to be made. CHAT projects often enroll hundreds of participants in dozens of small deliberative groups (often geographically dispersed), while longer, more intense deliberations may be limited by location or the availability of people willing to serve long-term. While we would not suggest that CHAT is necessarily sufficient on its own to incorporate the public voice in policy decisions, we do believe it adds a very important dimension that ought not to be missed.....
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