One day in OS without notes??
Jeff Aitken
tzimtzum at earthlink.net
Mon Aug 23 18:11:14 PDT 2004
Phil,
I'm reminded of a 6 hour OST event with a San Francisco neighborhood planning group who invited neighbors to offer input into a city planning process. During the opening circle I always say that "taking responsibility" for your topic includes seeing to it that good notes are generated. In this case, I invited them to bring back recommendations that could be put into a report to be given to the city. I suggested that they might try to agree on recommendations during their sessions, rather than come out with a long list of brainstorm items without agreement.
In three periods of breakout sessions, participants generated high quality conversations which were captured in the breakout groups on flipchart paper. In some cases these included architectural drawings and aerial photographs! These were all taped to the walls for others to see during the day.
During the closing circle, representatives from each group came to the front to briefly go over their recommendations with the whole group. I then took home the flip papers and supporting documents, and typed up a draft report for the neighborhood planning group to edit into their recommendations to the city, and distribute to participants.
I don't mind doing such typing, esp for a short event, a day or less; it took a few hours. And I often invite people to capture their proceedings on flipchart paper in a way that can be understood and used by others -- often this means NOT verbatim transcripts of the session.
Jeff Aitken
California
-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Culhane <pculhane at magma.ca>
Sent: Aug 23, 2004 4:41 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: One day in OS without notes??
Lisa (et al.)
Thank you for the wonderful and full response. The reasons you list are the
precise reasons I have always used recorded notes in the past. The little
voice you speak of (and I speak of) is saying that there's so tremendously
much for them to do in the course of 7.5 hours, and the process of
re-entering notes onto the PC usually takes 15-20 minutes per session.
Oftentimes, the person(s) who lead the first session(s) is/are some of the
most passionate, and asking them not to go directly to a second group, but
to sit and do data entry, well, it takes some of the energy out of the
group. In particular, I had a very passionate group (only 11) work for a day
this spring, and I noticed demonstrable lulls while data entry took place.
With 1.5-2.5 days, there's more space for reflection, hence the lulls aren't
really noticeable.
I want them to be enabled to work passionately for the full time the space
is open. I don't want the data entry to dilute their energy or their
passion. I have been rereading all of Harrison's books, and I've been
starting to wonder, maybe I push them too hard when there's only 8 hours,
maybe they don't ~need~ notes - maybe the time would be better spent if they
spent the time talking, without notes.
Of course, you gave me a third option, obvious but hidden nonetheless. I
think what would make everyone happy (that little voice in particular) would
be to ask the note-taker to take notes, long-hand as best they can, then to
give me the notes at the end of the session. I can either do the data entry
while the sessions are ongoing (lets me hold the space and be genuinely
busy, without being readily available to guide - I haven't learned to take
naps during OS's!), or tape the originals up to the wall in the NEWS area,
then compile the book of proceedings when I get back to the office Thursday.
I've always though that it was necessary to have the participants do the
data entry. They retain ownership of the document, and they go through
mental processes while transcribing, processes that refine the original
text, based on comments spoken at the time but not copied down. The
transcriber can do a round of edits, as it were; something I can't do.
Perhaps, presuming I transcribe faithfully, without my own editorial bias,
the group is better off trading the data entry for more time in discussions?
How does that sound?
Warm regards,
Phil
-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Lisa Heft
Sent: August 23, 2004 7:01 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: One day in OS without notes??
Hello, Phil -
You wrote:
<I've got this little voice tugging at my mind, telling me to leave the
laptops and the printer in the trunk, and just to let them talk. But that
book of proceedings seems to have become my own crutch over time - I'm
worried about not having anything to "show" for the time these people have
invested, many of them flying in for the day. Any thoughts as to what you
might do in this circumstance; what you've done in the past - any would be
appreciated. I suppose OS without computers "works" - in fact, I don't
question it. How do you decide when it's best just to let them talk?>
To me, it is all about what your client/host/sponsors and participants need
- it is a conversation you would want to have with your key contact people
in these organizations as you develop and prepare for the event together -
and to inform how you want to design your OS event.
What is the objective of gathering these folks together? What is going to
happen post-event with the ideas that come out of the event? Would a Book
of Proceedings (even if you decide to compile and send it to participants
post-event - say, within 2 weeks following the event) re-energize people as
it would remind them of the experience they had together? Could they use
quotes from it to create proposals for funding future projects or
collaborations? Could it spark some continuing conversations? Would they
want to see what happened in the conversations they were *not* part of that
day?
I have done a few Open Spaces where no notes have been taken - because the
host team felt it would not be necessary. They did of course give all
participants a list of contact information to continue their networking and
conversations post-event. I personally like to have the notes-taker option,
and people can 'opt out' of taking notes if they don't think that recording
a particular conversation is necessary.
Even in very short Open Spaces of just a few sessions, I have also had
groups take notes.
I've also of course done a number of Open Spaces where there is no
'technology' (no electronic support). People can still write up their notes
on paper and we can still post them all around the room as they happen, and
we can still send out a xeroxed Book of Proceedings.
My "Devil's Advocate" question to you: why *wouldn't* this group want to
have a record of its conversations, findings and action items, like any
other group you've worked with?
More specifically, what does your little voice say? The little voice is
often in my experience my intuition talking, which is always wiser than my
logical brain. Is the voice saying 'no technology', 'no notes', or ...
what? I'd explore this little voice further, most of all...
My two (technologically, intuitively or otherwise) cents,
Lisa
________________________________
L i s a H e f t
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
O p e n i n g S p a c e
2325 Oregon
Berkeley, California
94705-1106 USA
+01 510 548-8449
<mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net
<http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net
* * ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist *
* ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>From Mon Aug 23 21:38:20 2004
Message-Id: <MON.23.AUG.2004.213820.0400.>
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:38:20 -0400
Reply-To: pculhane at magma.ca
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Phil Culhane <pculhane at magma.ca>
Subject: Re: One day in OS without notes??
In-Reply-To: <33123275.1093309877801.JavaMail.root at daisy.psp.pas.earthlink.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Jeff,
Thank you for some excellent additional insights. I always enjoy when
someone puts their ideas in the context of a story - in this case, the San
Fran neighborhood OS brought to life the idea (and moreover the value) of
using flip charts.
I've watched GE Workouts in the past, and have always been saddened by the
number of beautiful ideas left on the floor, the flip charts, and the
post-its. Perhaps someone will remind me that that's where they belonged,
because no one had the passion or was willing to take the responsibility to
do these ideas justice, in those times, in those places, in those events.
With OS, capturing everything on disk seemed to offer those fledgling ideas
more of a chance at survival. As Lisa says below, participants can review
the book of proceedings a couple weeks after the event and perhaps rekindle
an interest that was brought up on the day of the event.
I'll have much to ponder in the remaining 34 hours prior to event setup...I
do want to capture the conversations; given the short time these people will
be together, I want to concentrate on capturing the greatest value from the
conversations, with the least disruption to the participants.
If anyone else has stories, I'm all ears (eyes?).
Best wishes,
Phil
-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Jeff
Aitken
Sent: August 23, 2004 9:11 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: One day in OS without notes??
Phil,
I'm reminded of a 6 hour OST event with a San Francisco neighborhood
planning group who invited neighbors to offer input into a city planning
process. During the opening circle I always say that "taking responsibility"
for your topic includes seeing to it that good notes are generated. In this
case, I invited them to bring back recommendations that could be put into a
report to be given to the city. I suggested that they might try to agree on
recommendations during their sessions, rather than come out with a long list
of brainstorm items without agreement.
In three periods of breakout sessions, participants generated high quality
conversations which were captured in the breakout groups on flipchart paper.
In some cases these included architectural drawings and aerial photographs!
These were all taped to the walls for others to see during the day.
During the closing circle, representatives from each group came to the front
to briefly go over their recommendations with the whole group. I then took
home the flip papers and supporting documents, and typed up a draft report
for the neighborhood planning group to edit into their recommendations to
the city, and distribute to participants.
I don't mind doing such typing, esp for a short event, a day or less; it
took a few hours. And I often invite people to capture their proceedings on
flipchart paper in a way that can be understood and used by others -- often
this means NOT verbatim transcripts of the session.
Jeff Aitken
California
-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Culhane <pculhane at magma.ca>
Sent: Aug 23, 2004 4:41 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: One day in OS without notes??
Lisa (et al.)
Thank you for the wonderful and full response. The reasons you list are the
precise reasons I have always used recorded notes in the past. The little
voice you speak of (and I speak of) is saying that there's so tremendously
much for them to do in the course of 7.5 hours, and the process of
re-entering notes onto the PC usually takes 15-20 minutes per session.
Oftentimes, the person(s) who lead the first session(s) is/are some of the
most passionate, and asking them not to go directly to a second group, but
to sit and do data entry, well, it takes some of the energy out of the
group. In particular, I had a very passionate group (only 11) work for a day
this spring, and I noticed demonstrable lulls while data entry took place.
With 1.5-2.5 days, there's more space for reflection, hence the lulls aren't
really noticeable.
I want them to be enabled to work passionately for the full time the space
is open. I don't want the data entry to dilute their energy or their
passion. I have been rereading all of Harrison's books, and I've been
starting to wonder, maybe I push them too hard when there's only 8 hours,
maybe they don't ~need~ notes - maybe the time would be better spent if they
spent the time talking, without notes.
Of course, you gave me a third option, obvious but hidden nonetheless. I
think what would make everyone happy (that little voice in particular) would
be to ask the note-taker to take notes, long-hand as best they can, then to
give me the notes at the end of the session. I can either do the data entry
while the sessions are ongoing (lets me hold the space and be genuinely
busy, without being readily available to guide - I haven't learned to take
naps during OS's!), or tape the originals up to the wall in the NEWS area,
then compile the book of proceedings when I get back to the office Thursday.
I've always though that it was necessary to have the participants do the
data entry. They retain ownership of the document, and they go through
mental processes while transcribing, processes that refine the original
text, based on comments spoken at the time but not copied down. The
transcriber can do a round of edits, as it were; something I can't do.
Perhaps, presuming I transcribe faithfully, without my own editorial bias,
the group is better off trading the data entry for more time in discussions?
How does that sound?
Warm regards,
Phil
-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Lisa Heft
Sent: August 23, 2004 7:01 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: One day in OS without notes??
Hello, Phil -
You wrote:
<I've got this little voice tugging at my mind, telling me to leave the
laptops and the printer in the trunk, and just to let them talk. But that
book of proceedings seems to have become my own crutch over time - I'm
worried about not having anything to "show" for the time these people have
invested, many of them flying in for the day. Any thoughts as to what you
might do in this circumstance; what you've done in the past - any would be
appreciated. I suppose OS without computers "works" - in fact, I don't
question it. How do you decide when it's best just to let them talk?>
To me, it is all about what your client/host/sponsors and participants need
- it is a conversation you would want to have with your key contact people
in these organizations as you develop and prepare for the event together -
and to inform how you want to design your OS event.
What is the objective of gathering these folks together? What is going to
happen post-event with the ideas that come out of the event? Would a Book
of Proceedings (even if you decide to compile and send it to participants
post-event - say, within 2 weeks following the event) re-energize people as
it would remind them of the experience they had together? Could they use
quotes from it to create proposals for funding future projects or
collaborations? Could it spark some continuing conversations? Would they
want to see what happened in the conversations they were *not* part of that
day?
I have done a few Open Spaces where no notes have been taken - because the
host team felt it would not be necessary. They did of course give all
participants a list of contact information to continue their networking and
conversations post-event. I personally like to have the notes-taker option,
and people can 'opt out' of taking notes if they don't think that recording
a particular conversation is necessary.
Even in very short Open Spaces of just a few sessions, I have also had
groups take notes.
I've also of course done a number of Open Spaces where there is no
'technology' (no electronic support). People can still write up their notes
on paper and we can still post them all around the room as they happen, and
we can still send out a xeroxed Book of Proceedings.
My "Devil's Advocate" question to you: why *wouldn't* this group want to
have a record of its conversations, findings and action items, like any
other group you've worked with?
More specifically, what does your little voice say? The little voice is
often in my experience my intuition talking, which is always wiser than my
logical brain. Is the voice saying 'no technology', 'no notes', or ...
what? I'd explore this little voice further, most of all...
My two (technologically, intuitively or otherwise) cents,
Lisa
________________________________
L i s a H e f t
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
O p e n i n g S p a c e
2325 Oregon
Berkeley, California
94705-1106 USA
+01 510 548-8449
<mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net
<http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net
* * ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist *
* ==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
More information about the OSList
mailing list