Guideline live workshops

The examples of the DT’s need to be presented, in order to have an idea of what it is and what it is supposed to ‘do’.

The workshops are designed to enhance reflection about the societal aspects of digital twins with end-users. This reflection has different stages: we first ask for an intuitive reaction, then we ask to deepen reflection with help of values, and sometimes we also add a phase where participants are asked to reflect on societal issues as citizens of a democracy.

To get the reflection going and to deepen it, we provide different content to participants. During a live workshop we first use scenarios (or ‘vignettes’) which are based on interviews with end-users. After that we offer a list of values and sometimes we also ask them to reflect on societal issues related to the twin. The conversation is structured in three phases and a fourth one can be added, if this fits with the twin and if the available time permits it.

Possible future scenarios (or ‘vignettes’) need to be presented of digital twins, which reveal alternative ways they could impact on the lives of end-users. This opens the reflection of participants to alternative possibilities. After the presentation, participants are asked to share their intuitive preferences for one or more of these vignettes, and tell their reasons for that choice to the group. In this phase participants are asked to reflect, based on their intuition.

The third round asks participants to reflect on cards with personal values noted on them. The group is split up in subgroups of 2-4 people to reflect on these values and to choose the three values that are most important to them. Subsequently, participants are asked to prioritize three values and explain their preferences to the group. A conversation follows about those preferences, as well as how they can be related to the scenarios: what scenarios deserve prioritization according to these values? Do the scenarios need further elaboration? This is the phase in which participants are asked to reflect, based on personal values.

If there are possible societal issues related to the digital twin, it is possible to add a new set of cards, which present societal issues that digital twins might raise. In this round participants are asked to reflect on the value of the various scenarios for society as a whole. It invites participants to reflect as citizens on the future with the digital twin.