Report on using OST in a conference setting

[Chris Corrigan]

A couple of months ago we had a conversation here about using OST in a
conference setting as a "workshop" session.  I did that in August with
the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements world
congress which was held in Victoria, Canada.  We held a four hour OST on
"The Way Forward: Opportunities for growth and influence of the organic
movement."  We had about 45 people come, from four continents, and
although the session wasn't very well advertised or really well
understood, and the room set up was laughable, we got some good
conversations going.

The only thing that was really different was the fact that the Law of
Two Feet was really in full force, and very few people stayed for a
closing.  Only eight people were left at the end of the session, nearly
all of them somewhat relieved to be avoiding a 1500 person plenary, and
the attendant mingling that comes before and after that.

So, here's the thing.  Several of us have done this now, and no doubt we
are wiser for it, so it's time to share the knowledge.  At
http://www.chriscorrigan.com/ifoam you will see the proceedings of our
session.  If you click on
http://www.chriscorrigan.com/ifoam/ifoamreport.pdf (that link does NOT
appear on my site)you can read the report I wrote for the conference
organizers based on the feedback of our participants and some of my own
thinking.  I suspect that this could form the basis for a piece written
in collaboration with whoever wants to on ways to use OST in the context
of a traditional conference.

So that's my session.  I'll be convening it right here, but if we get a
neat little group going to work on it, we'll move to that sunny corner
over there, where we can use html and coloured text and stuff....




---
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Bowen Island, BC, Canada
http://www.chriscorrigan.com
chris at chriscorrigan.com

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