The order in which people speak in a group has a profound effect on the course of a discussion. Earlier comments are more influential, and they tend to provide a framework within which the discussion occurs. Once that framework is in place it’s difficult for a dissenter to break it down. This wouldn’t be a problem if the people who spoke earliest were also more likely to know what they were talking about. But there’s no guarantee that the most-informed person will speak first or will be most influential.
Start the discussion, frame the discussion.
— The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki
