Future search versus Open Space

[Agneta Falk]

Hi everybody!

I  will also, as many of you have done, express my thanks for the many
inspiring and wise conversations on the list. I open my Email  every day,
eagerly looking for your contributions. Now I would like to have a little
feedback on my thoughts after a  four day workshop on how to facilitate a
Future Search Conference, it was the first time I´ve experienced this
meeting form.

Firstly, I felt that personally this is not my cup of tea. It is much too
structured and controlled. I agree with Harrison when he says ”why
complicate things”. I lacked joy and inspiration and it made me greatly
appreciate the freedom of OS. But, you might have experiences from a ”real”
Future Search, the energy might be different there from a simulated
workshop.  Here we were people from all kinds of places and our theme was
very wide ”How to create participation and new meeting forms in community
work.” So we really didn´t have a common focus, that we could gather around
and also do something about. No natural work groups. I would be interested
to hear your experiences.

I also reflected on this procedure to have the ”whole system” in the room
all the time. I can see that it would be very unpractical to break out in
small groups since the time for different tasks is quite short and you
report every now and then. But.. I felt the difference in the group energy,
that the attention is split between an individual in the group and the rest
of the room. Is this feeling of being part of a whole group more important
than creating intimacy and real listening in a breakout group? Is one way
better than the other? I have of course thought of the idea to have the
whole Open Space system in the same room too. Any thoughts?

I realise that there might be situations where you need all this
information about the past, the present and the the future and in the
different aspects (global, local, personal) and the list making. But is it
really necessary for the creation of a preferred future and future
projects?  What type of situations would call for a Future Search, instead
of Open Space?  Or would the choice more depend on the sponsors need for
controlling a process?
Best regards
Agneta Falk