This guide walks you through running a deliberation in HDTwin Council, the HDTwin web application: loading a panel, starting the debate, and reading the resulting report.
Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure you have:
- access to the HDTwin Council application (an account may be required);
- an HDTwin panel file (
.hdt). If you do not have one yet, you can request a trial panel by booking a personalised demo — open the Get a demo panel tab in the application to find the booking link.
Unfamiliar with terms like panel or deliberation? Check the Glossary.
1. Open the Application
Navigate to the application home page at https://council.hdtwin.eu/. Authenticate if requested.
2. Load a Panel
Once you have your panel file (e.g. mypanel.hdt):
- Switch to the Upload panel tab.
- Drag the file into the upload area, or click the area to select it from your computer.
In this guide we use an example panel consisting of 10 Italians.
3. Initiate a Deliberation
After the panel is loaded, fill in the deliberation details. For a quick start, use the Example button next to the Topic Title and select the “De gustibus” example. This example simulates a deliberation among 10 Italians expressing their preferences on gelato flavours.
- Topic Title: De gustibus
- Topic Description: Quale gusto di gelato preferisci?
Three flavours are pre-loaded as seed comments: the deliberation takes them into account during the discussion, and the Human Digital Twins may add others themselves.
Click the Let the debate begin button at the bottom of the page to start the process.
4. Monitor Progress
Once the deliberation starts, you are redirected to the report page. While the deliberation is running:
- the message “Deliberation is running…” appears at the top of the report;
- the report automatically reloads every 10 seconds, updating with new votes and statements until all participants have finished.
You can stop the deliberation process at any time.
5. Understand the Report
When the “Deliberation is running…” message disappears, the deliberation is complete. The report consists of several sections:
- Overview — total participants (voters), grouped participants, total votes cast, and statements submitted.
- Divisiveness — how much consensus or disagreement exists within the panel on the topic.
- Participant Metrics — average votes and statements per author, giving insight into the engagement level of your HDTwin panel.
Note
In the “De gustibus” example, the Human Digital Twins added three additional flavours on top of the initial seed comments. One of the most popular flavours in the final report (stracciatella) was not in the initial list at all — an example of how panels can surface options the researcher did not anticipate.6. Next Steps
- To understand where panel files come from, read the HDTwin studio System Integrator guide.
- For data protection and responsible-use obligations when working with synthetic personas, see the Compliance section.