Fw: Open space tech

[koos de heer]

Bruce, Peg, and all,

I have done some experimenting with software that might
serve the purpose of making internet connections between
Open Space locations. For one reason I think it could
work very well, for another reason I am afraid it might
not work at all. Which is why I am a little reluctant
to give it a try in real life. So far, my experiments
have been limited to fiddling with the software. I post
this to the list to get your opinions on this and maybe
find an opportunity to put it to practice.

It is standard software and it does what it promises to
do. That is the reason why I think it could work. It is
called forum software and there is an implementation of
it running on my website. It is in Dutch but if you want
to give it a try, I have opened a special experimental
space for the purpose. The idea of a forum is that it
is a space where anyone can open a topic and post a
message about it. Others can react and contribute to
the discussion. Every discussion thread functions as a
small group in a break out room discussing a topic.
It can be found at: http://www.auryn.nl/forum.
When you enter the forum called Experimental Open Space,
you can click on a topic to read what was said there,
choose "post reactie" to add your thoughts to what is
there already, or click on "nieuw onderwerp" to start
a new thread of discussion. See? Dutch is not so hard
after all ;-)

The reason that makes me think it might not work at all
is the fact that the software allows participants to
exchange just words. Words are an important part of our
communication, but especially in Open Space, I think we
communicate much more than just our words. A lot happens
because we are together and because of the way we are
together. The presence of the facilitator, the fact that
we open and close in a circle, the difference between
butterflies, bumblebees and the others, much of all that
is lost when we digitize the communication.
Another thing is the fact that Open Space usually works
best when it is compacted into a few consecutive days,
in which the OS is the main thing that happens. A forum
on a web site is a place where you spend a few minutes
or half an hour on a day and go on with your usual
business the rest of the day.

The way I think it would work best is when there is a
real physical Open Space going on in a few locations,
with each location having its own facilitator who opens
and keeps the space. Each location would have a few PC's
linked to the internet. The results of each break out
group could then be posted to the forum and people could
also take part in the discussions in the forum between
sessions or while bumblebeeing or butterflying around.
That would also open the opportunity for folks who can
not attend physically to take part in the forum, but the
whole thing would be carried by the locations that do
have a real-life OS.

I would really like to set up a thing like that, if there
would be an opportunity for it. I am eager to find out what
you all think of it. While writing all this, I become more
and more excited about the idea. I should be doing all
sorts of other very important things, but somehow I could
not get this out of my mind. Obviously there is passion
involved... ;-)

Cheers
Koos

------------
koos de heer
auryn management advies
utrecht, netherlands
mailto:koosdhr at auryn.nl
http://www.auryn.nl/