Fw: Open space tech

[Peg Holman]

Koos,

I visited your site.  Thanks for setting it up!  Even in Dutch, it seemed to
be straightforward.  I tried to add a message and got:

Sorry, u heeft een GebruikersNaam ingevoerd die niet is geregistreerd. Als u
zich nog nooit heeft aangemeld kunt u dan nu doen. Aanmelden is gratis.

The "sorry"  combined with not seeing my reply posted leads me to believe it
didn't take.

So, here's my question:  what do you think of enlarging the experiment by
linking this to the Open Space Institute web site?  (perhaps with some
English for us single language types)

Peg Holman

-----Original Message-----
From: koos de heer <koosdhr at auryn.nl>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 2:11 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Open space tech


>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/

>From  Thu Apr  8 16:34:19 1999
Message-Id: <THU.8.APR.1999.163419.0000.>
Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 16:34:19 +0000
Reply-To: bjpeters at amug.org
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: BJ Peters <bjpeters at amug.org>
Subject: Re: evening opening?
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Michael,

Don't know how much of an OST "purist" you are.  I'll "risk" sharing my
thoughts anyway...

I have successfully combined the DISCOVERY and/or DREAM phases of
Appreciative Inquiry with Open Space on a number of occasions.  In your
situation, having pairs engage for an hour in appreciative interviews in
which they share stories about school experiences and learnings which
have energized and impacted their lives might bring everyone to the same
level of connection and excitement about possibilities based on what
already is working and diminish the "we/they" syndrome to which you
alluded.  The interviews could be followed by small groups sharing and
emerging the themes, which could serve as "brain and soul food" for the
open space topics.

At any rate, I wish you good happenings at your event.

BJ

**************************************
“We must be the change we seek in the world."

                                                            Gandhi
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BJ Peters
Consultant, Facilitator, Coach, Trainer
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