Conflict & Collaboration in Dialogue 207-03

Goals in Dialogue

Athlete takes aim with a javelin, preparing to throw it.

All conversations center around a topic. The topic may change over time, but typically there is one focus at any given time. In turn, every character participating in the conversation has a goal in mind. Typically a dialogue goal will center around information, either trying to learn, impart, or conceal information. For example, two characters in a car might debate whether to take the highway or stay on back roads. The focus of the conversation is determining which route they’ll take.

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High Intensity Dialogue 205-05

4. Debate

A silhouette of 2 figures sitting and talking.
Medium to High Complexity
Medium Intensity
Medium to High Importance

Debates are a little more intense, a little more conflict driven. Where a focused conversation has at least one invested character, debates have at least two, each with their own position. Debates are, in many ways, a median between focused discussion and argument. A focused discussion may transition into debate on the way to becoming an argument, just as an argument may downgrade to a debate or even a focused discussion.

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