Scriptapedia/Uses, Misuses and Misunderstanding of GMB Scripts

Uses of Scripts

• To design a behavioral protocol for small group exercises in GMB workshops
  • The protocols can then be compared to what actually happened as a way to assess fidelity.
• To use as a teaching tool in GMB
• To document what happened in a small group process

Misuses and Misunderstandings of Scripts (Hovmand et. al., 2011)

• Practitioners following scripts mechanistically 
  • Response: Scripts are not a substitute for the non-specific effects of the “right attitude”
• Scripts are too reductionistic and take the art out of GMB 
  • Response 1: Reducing discretion is precisely the point; discretion and improvisation “cuts both ways” 
  • Response 2: There is still a lot of room for professional judgment and improvisation (going off script only makes sense if you have a script) 
• Practitioners failing to adapt to local contexts, expectations, etc.  

References

Hovmand, P., Rouwette, E. A. J. A., Andersen, D. F., Richardson, G. P., Calhoun, A., Rux, K., & Hower, T. (2011). Scriptapedia: a handbook of scripts for developing structured group model building sessions.