What would you do?

[Lisa]

Hello, all - I have just returned from travels and have enjoyed this
(and other) conversations you've been involved in lately.

Before I met the fabulous Laurel Doersam (Victoria, British Columbia,
Canada) and the fabulous Jeff Aitken (Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA) I
didn't feel OST could be done in the extra-short format.  They opened up
my eyes.

I cannot say that I have accepted an invitation to do OST in 90 minutes
(though read two paragraphs down for a time this has worked for a needs
assessment) but I have done so in 3 hours.  Open, two short sessions,
close.  All the principles/guidelines and elements included.  45-minute
sessions.  Of course it also depends on how many participants, as it
takes time / logistics / room capacity / ease of traffic and so on.

I wouldn't do it if I had to drop any of the 'classic' elements, as
Michael and others have named.  I *don't* to 'demonstration' OST, just
'real' OST (real topic of meaning to the participants for real work they
wish to do).

I have seen it done in a one-session format with 200 people at the
International Association of Facilitators global conference, as a way to
identify emerging issues for organizational committee members to work on
during the coming year.  In this case it was very explicitly identified
as an issues-of-meaning-to-the-constituency needs assessment event (the
last portion of the several-day conference, followed by closing circle
for the entire conference).

All were what I would call 'true' Open Space.  By that I mean inclusive
of all basic steps/elements, without any other imposition of control via
the blending of another method into the mix.

Therese, you have added sparkle to our conversation.  I so enjoy when we
stretch and pull at what is this amazing method we share.

Cheers from Berkeley, California, USA,

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
lisaheft at pacbell.net

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