AW: 2108 -- Remember the Number

[Hoinka/Wicke]

Dear Gabriela,

I am surprised about myself. Usually I don't participate so much actively in
the debates in OS-Lists, but after the Würzburg OS it is different - I feel
even more enthusiastic about OS than before. I don't know whether this
effect will last longer, I'll see.

Being part of the 2108-OS as an assistant there are two things I learned,
which are very essential for me in my own role as an OS facilitator (I am
sure for most of you it's nothing new, but for me it was really a learning
experience):

Firstly: In Würzburg I have learned that we need nothing more than the
circle, the market place, bulletin board... to get an OS working. No chairs,
no pinboards, no flipcharts, no report forms, no signs, no break out rooms,
no fineliner, no copies, no pillows etc. 2108 people have proofed that they
are perfectly able to organise themselves. Everything was reduced to the max
in Würzburg, we needed only 45 minutes to put all our material for this
giant OS in a normal car. And after that I would say that it could have been
less or even nothing. The crowd would have been able to cope with that
without any problems. Thats for me as an OS facilitator very relieving and
reassuring,  especially for the preparation of an OS and in the case the
resources (in terms of finances, staff, facilities, space, time, material)
are limited.

Secondly: But, but, but I see my role as OS facilitators to create working
conditions which enable the group to concentrate on their issues as much as
possible - and not to distract people. chairs instead of pillows to sit
comfortably, enough chairs to have a seat and not to search for, break out
rooms to work in immediately, pinboards to work with and to get more silence
in the break out rooms, signs to find the rooms easily, fineliners, markers
and paper to notice things in the moment they come into my mind, report
forms as a help to write down the most important results of the work, copies
to be able to follow what happens or has happend, flipchart paper to enable
participants visualise group discussions, to get something to eat all the
time in order not to be hungry but also not tired and so on, and so on. As a
participant in a lot of OS I have always enjoyed (and still do) very much
this easiness - for the duration of the OS I have the chance to take care
for nothing else than my passion.

We have been working very often and succesful as an organisation with
embeded OS. From that perspective there is a lot to say - but later in a
seperate email.

Hans-Georg Wicke
  -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
  Von: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]Im Auftrag von Gabriela
Ender
  Gesendet: Mittwoch, 7. Mai 2003 09:37
  An: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
  Betreff: Re: 2108 -- Remember the Number


  Dear Harrison, and dear Michael!

  Congratulations to this amazing record!!! I am happy to know, that you are
very pleased with the run of your big Open Space!

  For me, OST with 10 people is always so very different as with 30. And OST
with 90 participants is also so different as with 150. And an one-day is so
different to a two, or three-day OST. And it is so different, if you have
your "own" Open Space or if it is combined with another event.

  What do you think, is there also a special difference between 1000 and
2000? What I know is, that your OST was an one-day-event at the end of a
very big 4-days-conference. With your new experiences of today - what have
you learned about that imbedded setting?

  I would very much appreciate to learn more from your work, and I am
curious about the longer effects.

  Best wishes
  Gabriela

*
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