True Causes
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Why do high-street shops keep closing?
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anyone with the link · listed publicly · federation on
30 people · 26 ideas · 2 groups
Logic → · record
THE QUESTION

Why do high-street shops keep closing?

The causes, deepest first. Disagreements stay on the map.

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The map
Left to right: deepest causes first; outlined green boxes are the roots. Only direct links are drawn — a link implied by a path is on the record, not in the picture. Dashed red is contested. Hover for full text.
Rent is due quarterly in advance, which a new business cannot fund → Charity shops pay lower rates, so landlords prefer themShops open at ten and close at four, after most people are at work → The market moved to Wednesday and the shops' best day went with itThe town's website lists shops that closed years ago → Events are organised by volunteers who are burning outTraders' association meetings are attended by the same five people → Shops open at ten and close at four, after most people are at workYoung families shop where there is a toilet and a place to park a pram → Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep themYoung families shop where there is a toilet and a place to park a pram → Residents drive past the high street on the way to the parkGrants exist for shopfronts but the paperwork takes longer than a leas → Traders' association meetings are attended by the same five peopleEvents are organised by volunteers who are burning out → Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep themEvents are organised by volunteers who are burning out → Residents drive past the high street on the way to the parkShopkeepers say they were never asked before the one-way system came i → Rents were set when the street was full and have not come downShopkeepers say they were never asked before the one-way system came i → Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep themThe council's economic plan was written for the whole district, not th → Events are organised by volunteers who are burning outRent is due quarterly in advance, which a new business cannot fundRent is due quarterly inclusterCLUSTER 1The town's website lists shops that closed years agoThe town's websiteclusterCLUSTER 3Young families shop where there is a toilet and a place to park a pramYoung families shop wherethere is a toilet and a…Grants exist for shopfronts but the paperwork takes longer than a leasGrants exist for shopfrontsclusterCLUSTER 5Shopkeepers say they were never asked before the one-way system came iShopkeepers say they werenever asked before the…The council's economic plan was written for the whole district, not thThe council's economicclusterCLUSTER 1Rents were set when the street was full and have not come downRents were set when theclusterCLUSTER 1Events are organised by volunteers who are burning outEvents are organised byclusterCLUSTER 4Traders' association meetings are attended by the same five peopleTraders' associationclusterCLUSTER 4Charity shops pay lower rates, so landlords prefer themCharity shops pay lowerrates, so landlords prefer…Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep themFestival days bring peoplein and there is nothing to…Residents drive past the high street on the way to the parkResidents drive past thehigh street on the way to…Shops open at ten and close at four, after most people are at workShops open at ten and closeclusterCLUSTER 2The market moved to Wednesday and the shops' best day went with itThe market moved toWednesday and the…
How this dialogue measures
why
The indicators the method's own practitioners use to judge a dialogue's quality (Laouris & Metcalf 2024, Table 7), computed from this record so it can be compared with the hundreds of face-to-face and virtual dialogues behind their baselines. Spreadthink is the share of ideas that got at least one vote: 100% means everyone voted only for their own, and it usually settles to 25–45% once meaning has been shared. Situational complexity falls as more ideas are structured.
ideas (N)
26 usual: 50–100
with 1+ vote / 2+ votes
25 / 21
spreadthink
95.2% usual: 25–55
demosensus
4.8%
clusters (dimensions)
5
cards in a cluster
42.3%
structured / levels / links
20 / 4 / 12
situational complexity
0.57
minds moved
—
cards hidden by the steward
0
pairs contested
0
The merged map
why
Every group built its own map from its own wall; these are folded into one. The same claim raised in two groups is one item, and each connection shows how many groups found it. Where groups found opposite things, that is published as a conflict.
ROOT CAUSES
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Connections several groups found (12 of 12)
Events are organised by volunteers who are burning out→Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep them1 group
The council's economic plan was written for the whole district, not th→Events are organised by volunteers who are burning out1 group
Young families shop where there is a toilet and a place to park a pram→Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep them1 group
Shopkeepers say they were never asked before the one-way system came i→Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep them1 group
Shopkeepers say they were never asked before the one-way system came i→Rents were set when the street was full and have not come down1 group
Shops open at ten and close at four, after most people are at work→The market moved to Wednesday and the shops' best day went with it1 group
Young families shop where there is a toilet and a place to park a pram→Residents drive past the high street on the way to the park1 group
Events are organised by volunteers who are burning out→Residents drive past the high street on the way to the park1 group
The town's website lists shops that closed years ago→Events are organised by volunteers who are burning out1 group
Grants exist for shopfronts but the paperwork takes longer than a leas→Traders' association meetings are attended by the same five people1 group
Rent is due quarterly in advance, which a new business cannot fund→Charity shops pay lower rates, so landlords prefer them1 group
Traders' association meetings are attended by the same five people→Shops open at ten and close at four, after most people are at work1 group
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