Why do we drive on the right side of the road and not the left? Why do we call it a spork and not a foon? There was no big meeting at which these things were determined.

When engineering group decisions, you are focusing on an intentionally designed process that leads to an intentionally achieved outcome. However, many group decisions are made accidentally.

It's important to notice when decisions are being made. Sometimes you might want to try to optimize the process, sometimes you might be OK with letting it happen naturally. But what you don't want to do is stumble into some outcome that doesn't work for you.

Understanding these dynamics is also important for creating social change. For example, we can use these principles to think about how to overturn dominant conventions in a society.

Ultimately, engineering a group decision process is about being intentional. We can discuss how group decisions emerge accidentally, and how you might intervene to best accomplish your goals. Of all the topics I cover, this is the most philosophical and least defined.