Community Planning and OS

Mon Feb 7 06:21:32 PST 2000

Dear Chris
Thank you for your request and indeed, I have used OST with small (and soon
to be larger!)community planning processes - Birgitt Williams (nee Bolton)
and I collaborate often where I, as a landscape architect specializing in
sacred spaces and therapeutic landscapes deals with the results and design
process and Birgitt as the keeper of OST and all of things related to the
"people" process. I have found in my practice that I will no longer plan
large scale projects without this.

Last June, Birgitt and I have made a paper presentation at the Canadian
Institute of Planners conference and will be published in an upcoming issue
of Plan Canada. My background has been in both planning and landscape
architecture - for example the largest project I have ever worked on is a
city for 100,000 people to small gardens for private clients. It has been my
experience that the people piece is critical to outcomes (funny how that
works!!) and I now stand by OST and process facilitation as part of all my
projects as Spirit is manifest and captures the passion and creativity of
who (singular or group) I am designing for.

In our expereince,  we have learned is that this process can be integrated
into the governing public processes and makes them more effective - one of
the examples in public planning is the hardest part is for politicians to
trust the process....they are often frightenened by the prospect of "once
the toboggan is going down the hill there is no changing the direction or
hill"(to quote Birgitt!).

Chris, if you are still curious, send me your personal email and I will
forward an attachment to you directly with some other pieces. Take care and
great work out there! and of course - do ask Birgitt in person while she out
there with her OST training at the end of this month. Virginia
    -----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Chris
Corrigan
Sent: February 7, 2000 3:52 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Community Planning and OS

Has anybody had much experience using OS for planning in small
communities?

I've had a couple of requests to Open the Space for some First Nations
here who want to use it for community planning proceses.  I haven't used
it in formal community planning processes, but I know others have.  So I
thought I'd consult the intellegent body electric for some
perspective....

How have you found it?  What are the advantages and pitfalls of using OS
in this way?  I can think of a few of the obvious ones, but what little
nuggets have folks unearthed?  What has the fit been like between OS and
the rather formal requirements imposed by most community planning
processes?

Curiously yours,

Chris

--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
108-1035 Pacific Street
Vancouver BC
V6E 4G7

Phone: 604.683.3080
Fax: 604.683-3036

>From  Mon Feb  7 14:02:23 2000
Message-Id: <MON.7.FEB.2000.140223.0700.>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 14:02:23 -0700
Reply-To: bjpeters at amug.org
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: BJ Peters <bjpeters at amug.org>
Subject: Re: Community Planning and OS
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Chris Corrigan wrote:

> Has anybody had much experience using OS for planning in small
> communities?
>
> I've had a couple of requests to Open the Space for some First Nations
> here who want to use it for community planning proceses.  I haven't used
> it in formal community planning processes, but I know others have.  So I
> thought I'd consult the intellegent body electric for some
> perspective....
>
> How have you found it?  What are the advantages and pitfalls of using OS
> in this way?  I can think of a few of the obvious ones, but what little
> nuggets have folks unearthed?  What has the fit been like between OS and
> the rather formal requirements imposed by most community planning
> processes?
>
> Curiously yours,
>
> Chris
>
> --
> CHRIS CORRIGAN
> 108-1035 Pacific Street
> Vancouver BC
> V6E 4G7
>
> Phone: 604.683.3080
> Fax: 604.683-3036

Chris-- I have used a combination of Appreciative Inquiry and Open Space to
do an exciting community planning project in a small County in Arizona. If
you would like details, contact me off-list or call me and we can chat.

BJ Peters
602 279 4805

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>From  Mon Feb  7 15:00:11 2000
Message-Id: <MON.7.FEB.2000.150011.0700.>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 15:00:11 -0700
Reply-To: bjpeters at amug.org
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: BJ Peters <bjpeters at amug.org>
Subject: Re: THANK YOU for giving counsel on presenting OS to a group
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"Partnow, Susan" wrote:

> I find the suggestion of introducing the general concept and then doing the
> set-up -- in a circle, up
> to and including posting topics-- a very exciting and intriguing idea.

You might want to consider moving immediately into open space - have the chairs
in a circle and do the opening so that they are "experiencing" rather than
hearing "about" open space. That seems like it might be the best utilization of
the short time you have.

>  First let me clarify:   one key piece of information was unclear in my
> original posting:
> this group draws managers and CEOs from a range of organizations.  The only
> time they come together is for this ongoing Round Table -- which is a support
> group/learning forum for them ("Ideas, Learning & Partnering").    1) Any
> suggestions on what I might use as the 'focus question'?

Perhaps something as simple and straightforward as: "What are the opportunities
we have for creating greater learning and partnering that could (benefit this
community, result in...)"

> 2) Any suggestions on simple ways to convey the concept of OS for their
> meeting announcement/invitational flyer?

You might do an invitation that is an odd size (like a party invitation) that
has some "what if..." questions. For a community event I facilitated, the
questions on the invitation cover were: "What if... community meant what it used
to mean? What if... finding health care, family programs, or child care was as
easy as finding a new pair of sneakers? What if... our communities truly
supported all parents in their job of raising healthy children? What if... a
small group of dedicated people decided they could change the world?"

This sounds like a wonderful opportunity to introduce open space to a group that
could so benefit from it. I hope these thoughts are helpful.

In harmony --BJ

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