outcomes and one-off OSTs and OSLIST

[Harrison Owen]

Lisa Wrote:

Outcomes and One-Off (single, isolated) OSTs:  Seems to me this raises
the age-old issue known to facilitators everywhere - how do I measure
success?  And I feel that our measuring tools / need for measurement is
what makes me feel we are limiting ourselves and our understanding of
success/outcomes.

Useful question / useful point! We just concluded a conference in
Toronto  on Collaborative Research on Open Space and Emergent Systems -
and you can believe that the question of measuring "success" put in more
than a single appearance. We made no attempt to come to consensus, but
the range of observations were, I thought, instructive. At the most
basic level one might say Open Space "worked" when a group comes
together, identifies and discusses their issues, and departs with
whatever degree of resolution they were able to achieve. Then, of
course, there are those times when the group does all of the above and
comes to the realization that the organization or project they were
interested in improving/working was actually dead in the water. Would
one then say the Open Space failed? My sense is No - the Open Space
worked (succeeded) superbly. It is only that the results were not quite
what one might have anticipated. Be prepared to be surprised.
Personally, I find it useful to have a conversation with the "client"
prior to the event that goes something like this. "Please understand my
role in this whole thing. I am not here to "save" your project, your
company, or even your job. My sole concern is to create an environment
in which you and the people associated with you may be fully and
honestly themselves. What happens next is up to you." I can't ever
recall being quite that blunt, and usually you don't have to be that
blunt. But I think the thought is important.

Harrison
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