AT&T, the 1996 Olympics, and Open Space

[Peggy Holman]

Ed,

Here's the story, as written by Harrison, from the opening of the Open Space
Technology chapter of The Change Handbook: Group Methods for Shaping the
Future.

Peggy

Open Space at Work


AT&T had an interesting problem. The design team they had assembled to
create their pavilion for the '96 Olympics had lived up to all expectations.
The design, in fact, was so good that AT&T was invited to move its pavilion
from the edge of the Olympic Village to dead center. Since exposure was the
name of the game, and $200,000,000 was riding on the project, making the
move was an easy decision. There was, however one small problem. At the edge
of the Global Village, 5000 visitors per day could be expected. At the
center that number moved up dramatically: 75,000 people at the gate. Talk
about exposure, but clearly a structure designed for 5000 would not
accommodate 75,000. To make matters worse, the original design had taken 10
months to complete, and it was now December with the Olympics a bare six
months away.



The 23 member design team was a dispirited group when they assembled to meet
the challenge. The knew they were good, and given the time, could easily
rise to the occasion. But the time was not there. As they sat in a circle,
preparing to engage in what they perceived to be a very doubtful enterprise
called Open Space Technology, one of their number was heard to comment, "I
think we are about ready to turn a disaster into a catastrophe."



Two days later, the atmosphere was rather different. A totally new design
had been created down to the level of working drawings, and everybody agreed
that aesthetically it was much better than the earlier one. In terms of
implementation, they were actually further along with the new design than
they had been with the old one, for as they planned they were also ordering
up materials for delivery. Perhaps most importantly, everybody was still
talking to each other, and some even described the undertaking as "fun,"
complaining only that they should have used Open Space the first time.



Reprinted with permission of the publisher.  From The Change Handbook: Group
Methods for Shaping the Future, copyright 1999, Peggy Holman and Tom Devane
(editors), Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., San Francisco, CA, all rights
reserved, 1-800-929-2929.







----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward Ball" <OpenSpace01 at aol.com>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 6:37 AM
Subject: AT&T, the 1996 Olympics, and Open Space


> Good morning, special people
>
> Would you be kind enough to share information on AT&T's use of Open Space
to
> redesign its pavilion for the 1996 Olympics?
>
> A potential client has asked for "more information than is in the
> Collaborating for Change booklet Open Space Technology."
>
> Your assistance is appreciated as we continue to "spread the word"
regarding
> business world uses of Open Space.
>
> Walk in peace,
> Edward C. Ball, Associate
> Hanna & Associates
> "Serving Boards That Lead"
> 4678 West Hoffer Street
> Banning, CA 92220-1283 USA
>
> E-mail: EdBall at Hanna-OpenSpace.com
> Telephone: 01+909.922.0856
> Fax: 01+909.922.0956
>
> www.Hanna-OpenSpace.com
> www.Hanna-PolicyGovernance.com
>
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