What are the unstated assumptions and aims of OS?

[Larry Peterson]

Doug:

I did have a misspelling there so that might have been confusing.  The
process I have used often and do not call open space has the following
elements:

-Broad topic for discussion pre-determined by sponsors (e.g. how do we
apply the insights of the morning presentation.)

-I then stand at the flip chart and ask for discussion topics and
"initiators", people who will volunteer to start/lead a discussion.  (No
topic without an initiator, like Open Space.)   I record the topic and
the name and assign a location, or a flip chart.  This takes 15-30 min
or so, depending on the size of group.  It can work up to 100. (Have
folks post topics either takes too long or there is no wall.)

-Then participants are free to choose which discussion they want. I
don't usually invoke the principles and law per se, but encourage some
of the same freedom with various statements.

-Sometimes I use report forms or discussion guides and sometimes not
depending on the intent.  (I am working with a client who wants to
generate ideas for policy change, but is not ready to engage the groups
that emerge in moving it forward.  They want ideas and a good
discussion.)

-Sometimes there is a brief report back, depending on the intent.

-I do this for one "round" of discussions, one managed start time.

This is usually with a sponsor who only has 1.5 hours or so for the
discussion at hand.  It enables some self-organization.  People usually
like it better than other ways to enable group discussion.  It works to
generate some energy.  It is not Open Space Technology (even if I had
people post their own topics) from my perspective.  It is still managed
by the facilitator.  There is some but not much space for real
self-organization by the participants.

Hope this helps

Larry

Larry Peterson
Associates in Transformation
Toronto, ON, Canada
416.653.4829

larry at spiritedorg.com
www.spiritedorg.com

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html