Method guide · Arrange people and ideas
Map-Based Audit
Use to organise sourced community information by verification status while keeping sensitive locations restricted and conflicting data unresolved.
- People
- 4–24
- Base procedure time
- 60 minutes
- Recording
- Shared record
Purpose: Reflect and learn; Organise and narrow ideas.
English guide
Text acceptance is not approval of this rendered page, its media, or publication.
How this method works
Place sourced community information on a map by verification status. At the start, set the map reference date and a legend for verified, needs checking and restricted records. Record source, check date and verifier on information slips. Do not depict incomplete or conflicting information as fact. Generalise locations whose disclosure increases danger, such as private homes, people needing assistance, evacuees and individual support locations, to wider areas or separate them into restricted records. At the end, read gaps as well as concentrations and leave an official verification contact, owner and deadline for each matter to check. The map includes hypotheses at the time of creation and does not replace on-site verification or current official information. Do not run this where confidential information cannot be separated safely.
Phase schedule
Minutes are cumulative from the start of the base plan, not a live timer. Read scaling for any additional time. Phase controls do not advance automatically.
Use the arrow keys, Home or End while these controls have focus. The complete phase schedule remains below, including without JavaScript.
- Set legend, reference date and disclosure boundary0–5 minutes from the start (5 minutes)
Action: Bound. Participation: Groups of 3–6.
Shared record
- Place sourced information at locations5–25 minutes from the start (20 minutes)
Action: Place. Participation: Groups of 3–6.
Shared record
- Check conflicts and unverified information25–40 minutes from the start (15 minutes)
Action: Check. Participation: Groups of 3–6.
Shared record
- Distinguish concentration from information gaps40–55 minutes from the start (15 minutes)
Action: Read. Participation: Groups of 3–6.
Shared record
- Assign verification contacts and deadlines55–60 minutes from the start (5 minutes)
Action: Assign. Participation: Groups of 3–6.
Shared record
Facilitation steps
- For 5 minutes, check the map reference date, verified/needs-checking/restricted legend and disclosure boundary.
- For 20 minutes, place only information with a source, check date and verifier at locations, one item at a time.
- For 15 minutes, separate conflicting information for the same location, old information and unsourced information into the needs-checking field.
- For 15 minutes, read concentrations and gaps in verified information, removing individuals and vulnerable locations from the public map.
- For 5 minutes, record an official verification contact, verification owner and deadline for each matter to check, and retain the map reference date.
If something changes
If
At least one item intended for the map lacks a source, check date or verifier.
Then
Do not put it in the verified field. Mark it as needing checking and add a verification contact and deadline to the card.
If
At least one location becomes more dangerous if disclosed, such as a private home, person needing assistance, evacuee or individual support location.
Then
Do not put it on the public map. Generalise it to a wider area or separate it into restricted records with designated readers.
If
At least 2 information items for the same location have different dates or content.
Then
Do not treat one as fact. Put both in the conflicts field and record an official verification contact and verification owner.
Preparation
Materials
- One blank map per group with reproduction terms checked, or an original abstract map
- Verified, needs-checking and restricted-record status cards: 10 of each per group
- Information slips showing source, check date, verifier and verification contact: one per item
- One opaque envelope per group for restricted records
- Broad-tip pens: 2 per group
Room and setup
- Display the map reference date, reproduction terms, permissible content, legend for verified/needs-checking/restricted records, and restricted-record readers and disposal date.
Adjust for people and time
For 4–6 people, gather around one map. For 7–24 people, distribute participants into groups of 3–6 differing by no more than one person, using maps for separate areas. Use a shared legend, but do not consolidate original information or restricted records. Return only verified topic names and contacts for unresolved checks to the whole group. For 25 or more people, use separate sessions.
Safety and non-applicable situations
Do not portray missing, old or conflicting information as verified fact. Keep sensitive locations generalised or restricted, with designated readers and disposal dates. Do not consolidate original/restricted records or expose individuals and vulnerable locations on public maps. The map is provisional and does not replace on-site checks or current official information.
Manuscript's recorded references
These translate the original manuscript's source and rights claims. They remain separate from any current-page notice below; they do not establish new verification.
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: A Guide to Discussion Using Workshop Methods, p.5 menu 2
https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000997425.pdf
PDL-1.0 adaptation; changes made
- Conditions applying to PDL-1.0
https://www.soumu.go.jp/menu_kyotsuu/policy/tyosaku.html
PDL-1.0
Diagram, print, and video language
Original Japanese guide, diagram, and print view. Their labels and print text have not been translated; an English print edition is not provided here.
English video-library navigation. Original Japanese audio, subtitles and transcripts remain labelled Japanese resources. Their translations are separate later work. No remote player is embedded here.
The manual English phase controls are a navigation aid, not a live facilitation timer. Interactive diagram motion remains pending.
Editorial provenance
Japanese source status and logs are provenance only. They do not mean this English text or interface was field-tested. Historical fixed-text acceptance and hold records remain specific to their recorded versions; displaying them neither asserts current acceptance nor resolves source-specific restrictions.