The Synanim Process


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To participate you must first register for the specific project. You will then be sent access instructions. We recommend that you plan to arrive 15 minutes early. Synanim is a synchronous process. At the start time, it will assign you to a group of at least six people and present you with the first step.

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Each project consists of a series of steps in which you submit a text entry according to instructions. You will then be asked to review all the text entries submitted by your group. Your task is to select the one entry you feel best reflects the group.

 

The entry you select is then inserted into your writing area for the next step. You then edit your chosen selection, freely incorporating new ideas and those from entries you did not select. Synanim tracks your selection choice and computes a score for you and everyone in your group. It uses two measures: “Entry Points” and “Vote Points.”



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You earn Entry Points based on the number of times your entries are selected. This measures your communication skill. 

 

You earn Vote Points based on the number of others who vote the same way you vote. For example, if you select an entry that many others also choose, you earn those points. It helps to think of your selection choices as votes. Your "votes" earn one point
plus a point every time someone else selects the same entry. This is how Synanim measures and rewards empathy, your Vote Points reflect your ability to identify group values.

 

Leadership is assessed by the combination of both of these measures: (a) initiative is inherent in the decision to vote for or against one’s own entry, and (b) in order to earn the votes of others, Synanim users must both communicate what they know others value and introduce compelling new ideas.

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What to Expect

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The Synanim process is very simple. The essence of Synanim is answering questions according to instructions and then considering the entries from your group. You will interact with just two primary screens, the Text Entry screen and the Entry Selection screen.

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Text Entry


 

The first screen you will see is for text entry. This is where you will do your writing and editing. Key elements of this screen are: text entry box, question, instruction, countdown timer, character limit, and the button for submitting your entry.

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You will start with a blank text entry box. Each new question starts blank, but after each selection step the text entry you choose is automatically inserted for you. Note that the text entry area can sometimes hold more text than you can see, depending on the word/character limit (see below). You may use an external word processor and cut and paste if you wish.


 

The question appears above your text entry box followed with each step’s instruction underneath. The instruction will change from step to step.


 

The countdown timer indicates the amount of time you have remaining to submit your entry. You MUST submit your work before time runs out.

 

Each step has its own allowed character count. You may not go over the limit. This counter will show you how many more characters you may enter or how many characters you are over the limit.

 

The button to submit your entry is beneath your text entry area. You MUST click this button or your text will not be submitted to the system.

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Entry Selection

 

The entry selection screen displays all the text entries your group submitted in the previous step. Your task is to select the entry you feel best reflects the preferences of your group overall. Key elements of this screen are: the text entries, question, instruction, countdown timer, and buttons for selecting an entry.

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