Structured Dialogic Design CS I Software

“The Institute for 21st Century Agoras is distributing 1000 copies of CognSystem I [CS I] software for participatory design along with a user manual. To get a copy of this software, you need only register on this site by creating a profile and download the software. Proceeding with the download signifies that you accept the following user agreement.:

Use of the CogniSystem I ™software constitutes an explicit agreement to abide by the following:

• Upon registering as a recipient of the software at the website of the Institute for the 21st Century Agoras, users are granted an unlimited, worldwide license to install and operate the software on any three (3) computer systems that they may periodically use.
• End-users will make no claims with respect to the practice of the CogniScope ™ method unless those users are certified as trained in this method by the Institute for the 21st Century Agoras or its designated corporate training affiliate.
• End users will hold blameless CWA, ltd., the Institute for the 21st Century Agoras, and any corporate partners of the Institute for any damages, alleged or actual, that may result from the use of this software.
• Users will not copy and redistribute copies of the software

NOTICE:  Our automated download function is not operating at this time.  Please check back in a few weeks to see if we fully operational.  Thank you. 

A SIGNIFICANT DISTINCTION:  Both the CS I and the CS II software are only part of the Structured Dialogic Design process, and it is even possible to conduct Structured Dialogic Design sessions without software (though this would take considerably longer to complete). 

A NOTE OF CAUTION:  It is important that individuals who choose to start using the software recognize that personal use and very, very small group use of the Interpretive Structural Modeling module is likely to be straight forward.  As group size expands, the power of the software tool increases, but so does the challenge of using it appropriately.  Reasons why this is true relate to the sociotechnical context of the emergence of shared meaning through language and dynamics of large group decision making.  These considerations are discussed in detail in The Talking Point (details about the book can be found on our PUBLICATIONS section).

To make this point in another way, Structured Dialogic Design is not a hammer looking for nails, but rather a hydraulic lift which much be used with care and with skill in appropriate situations of need. If the design process is not used effectively, in not only will fail to solve the problem but it may cause some additional pain by consuming valuable time and energy from your thoughtfully assembled groups.