Fun with Stickers, or How the Massachusetts Autism Commission Chooses Its Priorities for Policy

On 15 August 2011, the members of the Massachusetts Autism Commission attempted to cull something on the order of thirty or forty recommendations to a much smaller number. The identified priorities — all thirty to forty or so of them — were written on large pieces of white paper taped to the walls. Each commissioner and sub-committee co-chair present had six colored dot stickers — the kind usually seen at yardsales or in kids' reward books. They were instructed to place their stickers next to the numberered recommendations that they saw as most important. What ensued was highly amusing, particularly when I put it to video and set it to music later. (Pay close attention to the hands placing the stickers.)