This essay draws from game design to improve the prospects of democratic deliberation during government consultation with the public. The argument begins by reviewing the problem of low-quality deliberation in contemporary discourse, then explains how games can motivate participants to engage in demanding behaviors, such as deliberation. Key design features include: the origin, governance, and oversight of the game; the networked small groups at the center of the game; the objectives of these groups; the purpose of artificial intelligence and automated metrics for measuring deliberation; the roles played by public officials and nongovernmental organizations during the game; and the long-term payoff of playing the game for both its convenors and its participants. The essay concludes by considering this project’s wider theoretical significance for deliberative democracy, the first steps for governments and nonprofit organizations adopting this design, and the hazards of using advanced digital technology.

中文翻译：

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玩就是问题：游戏设计原则如何使在线审议引人注目

本文从博弈设计中汲取灵感，以改善政府与公众协商期间的民主协商前景。该论点首先回顾了当代话语中低质量的审议问题，然后解释了游戏如何激励参与者从事高要求的行为，例如审议。主要设计特征包括：游戏的起源、治理和监督；游戏中心的联网小团体；这些团体的目标；人工智能的目的和衡量审议的自动化指标；公职人员和非政府组织在比赛中扮演的角色；以及为召集人和参与者玩游戏的长期回报。