- The IQA shall form DTFs (Deliberative Task Force) consisting of about fifteen Members randomly selected from the Whole IQA. A DTF shall exist for a short period, usually half a day, to deliberate on an issue assigned by the Plenary Session and either take a DTF vote on that issue or return and participate in a Plenary Session deliberative IQA discussion or vote on the issue.
- Each DTF shall meet in a separate room. A DTF shall elect a Moderator by simple majority vote, or if no simple majority vote can be reached then by lot. The Moderator shall ensure that members of the DTF get a chance to speak and shall appoint a devil’s advocate if the discussion is one-sided. Minutes shall be kept of any DTF votes by a DTF recording secretary elected by the DTF, and the minutes shall be forwarded to the IQA. When its assignment is complete, or by IQA vote, the DTF shall disband. Members shall not be assigned concurrently to more than one DTF.
- The IQA shall periodically divide itself entirely into DTFs of about 15 Members that shall debate the initiatives and other matters under consideration in an environment where each Member can exchange information, voice their opinions and discuss the issues with others. This process may be repeated several times until in plenary session the IQA agrees that no more can be achieved by this process in furtherance of the matter under consideration.
- The IQA may appoint two or more DTFs to consider the same issue in order to minimize risk of error.
- A DTF may itself subdivide to undertake routine functions with maximum efficiency, but all members of a DTF shall vote together.
- Outside consultants shall occasionally monitor DTFs in order to improve the deliberative process, improve Member training, and develop innovations. They shall not comment on the individual performance of any DTF or its members without written permission of all the DTF members and the IQA.
Our Founders' Warning: “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.” (Thomas Jefferson)