The Use of a Scenario-Based Nominal Group Technique to Assess P/CVE Programs: Development and Pilot Testing of a Toolkit

Abstract

Preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) requires coordination among multiple agencies, stakeholders and systems. The complexity of this task (compounded by the variety of P/CVE programming around the world) creates a challenge for those hoping to develop these initiatives. The purpose of this project was to develop a replicable process and corresponding toolkit to engage multiple stakeholders in consensus building around the efficacy and improvement of nascent, developing or mature systems-level P/CVE programs. As a method, we adapted the process of nominal group technique (NGT), a structured-brainstorming tool that provides an orderly procedure for obtaining qualitative and ranked information from heterogenous participant pools. The technique we developed is based on a case-study approach (“scenario”) which we then tested in three countries (USA, Sweden, and North Macedonia) with existing P/CVE initiatives at different stages of development. We conducted scenario-based NGT sessions in each location and then systematically analyzed the results using iterative qualitative coding based on a common framework. Results were analyzed to achieve consensus on the most common system-level challenges and system-level functions, necessary to overcome those challenges, in each location. Practitioners in each local jurisdiction were then able to utilize the results derived from the NGT for their own purposes, such as advocacy to policy makers, strategic regional P/CVE planning, and ongoing stakeholder engagement.

Keywords

• countering violent extremism
• preventing violent extremism
• systems
• nominal-group technique