1. New Issue

A member may submit a new issue at any time if he or she feels that it merits the attention of all members. A new issue will not proceed to the discussion phase until enough members register in the issue. The members collectively establish a minimum number of participants required for the issues.

Members may prioritize the issues from when the issue is first submitted to the end of the discussion phase. The prioritization process helps individual members visualize how their individual priority of the issue compares with those of all other participants.

Once an issue proceeds to the discussion phase the issue may be viewed in either the currrent issue list or the personal issue list -- if the member has registered in the issue.

2. Discussion Phase

The discussion phase is the period of time when the issue participants can submit propositions in an issue and participate in the generalized issue forums and specific proposition forums within the issue.

An overload of propositions is avoided by the members establishing a limit to the number of propositions in a discussion group. Once this limit is exceeded a discussion group is split in two. The propositions are evenly distributed between the two new groups, and the issue participants can make their choice as to which new group to join.

The discussion period ends only when a sufficient number of members enter their notice to end the discussion -- a number determined collectively by the members. When the members have ended the discussion of a specific issue the issue goes into its final discussion phase. A deadline, determined by the members collectively, is established for this final discussion period. Members may continue to submit propositions or make the final alterations on their existing propositions during this final period.

3. Proposition Rating Phase

All issue participants have the opportunity to view and rate any or all submitted propositions in their issue group. It is a simple process of assigning 1 to 5 stars to a proposition. The proposition with the highest number of stars at the end of the rating process is selected and presented to all the members for their acceptance or rejection in the final vote.

4. Qualifying Questions Phase

Members determine the percentage of all issue participants required to implement qualifying questions in a final vote of an issue. Qualifying questions assure that all members who participate in the final vote have a minimum level of understanding of an issue before they vote. Members also regulate the total number of qualifying questions that may be asked in a final vote.

If the issue participants require qualifying questions in a specific issue, the issue goes into the qualifying question submission phase prior to the final vote. Issue participants have the opportunity to submit and rate qualifying questions that will be used in the final vote.

5. Final Vote

In the final vote members will determine whether to accept or reject a proposition that was developed by issue participants during the discussion phase. Members determine what percentage of voters will be required to accept a proposition. Members will also determine a minimum number of voters required to legitimize the results of a final vote.