Table 4. Communication and information flow in the Botswana research process (based on Rowe and Frewer’s (2005) classification) Tasks in Fig. 2 Selection of participants Elicitation of information from participants Aggregation of information from participants Information flow to participants Rowe and Frewer’s (2005) Classification 1–3, 5 Controlled Face-to-face, facilitated, open response mode No use of structuring tools N/A Consultation type 4 “Focus Groups” 4, 8, 9 Controlled Face-to-face, facilitated, open response mode No use of structuring tools Flexible/ responsive Participation type 1: consensus conferences or citizen’s juries 6 Controlled Face-to-face, facilitated, open response mode No use of multi-criteria evaluation to structure aggregation of information Flexible/ responsive Participation type 3 “planning cells” 10–12 Not controlled Not face-to-face, not elicited N/A Flexible/ responsive Communication type 4 “hotlines”