Public dialogue and strategic planning using methods based on complexity and archetypes

State-of-the-art methodologies derived from and based on complexity and archetypes provide a new perspective to public dialogue and strategic planning in local and regional government, mostly within a rapidly changing context or/and while dealing with highly complex problems. By using them, decision makers, social stakeholders, policy planners, consultants and general public are enabled to capture the collective patterns and reveal the different facets and the hidden issues of local complexity. Moreover, local leaders are enabled to make sense of the factors that sustain or impede a participatory culture and thus set and energise the proper attractors towards the desirable state of developmental initiatives. The challenges and outcomes of such methodologies, as well as their strong and weak points, are discussed within the frame of a relevant project in Greece.