Synanim is an online system for guiding "town hall" discussions. It efficiently drives conversations forward and identifies leaders, based on participants' own values and choices.

Synanim enables vast numbers to engage one another by bringing them together online in groups of six to ten. As they collaboratively write a document, participant groups synthesize consensus and identify leaders. Leaders then move forward into groups with other leaders. This process may be repeated until as few as one person and one document emerges.

How It Works Participants select leaders by their actions. Individual choices determine communication skill and sensitivity to group values. Empathy is emphasized, diversity is valued, and group bonds are strengthened.

Consensus emerges naturally, alongside a renewed commitment to community. Synanim participants share conceptualizations, because they build them together. Participants develop a social bond in the process. They get energized!

Leadership By selecting representative leaders from each group, Synanim develops a single document and identifies a single leader, regardless of the number of participants. Leaders (and leading documents) are determined with a two-part score:

• Communication: based on the number of votes an individual text entry receives
• Empathy: based on the number of people who vote for the same entry

Communication skill is measured by how many in a group choose a particular text. Empathy is reflected when an individual votes for a text that many in the group also deem superior. [Screenshots]

Flexible Scheduling Synanim projects can offer multiple start times. Participants login at the time they choose. The system groups them as they log in and starts them on the process.

To accommodate large numbers, yet still crystallize the best ideas, Synanim brings selected leaders forward into later "tiers" where they meet and engage with other leaders. These later tiers of sessions may be scheduled on the same day or over a period of days. People chosen to continue are typically excited by the prospect (90% of those selected, proceed).

The Exit Page At the end of each session, all participants are presented with an "Exit Page" that tells them whether or not they were chosen as the leader of their small group. Selected leaders may opt to continue in a later session or defer to the group's second or third choice.