OSLIST Frequently Asked Questions list
Chris Corrigan
chris at chriscorrigan.com
Thu Mar 18 11:19:44 PST 2004
Welcome to the OSLIST Frequently Asked Questions List
Contents:
1. What is Open Space Technology?
2. What is OSLIST?
3. How do I change my list settings?
4. Is the list archived and publicly accessible?
5. What is the etiquette for posting to OSLIST?
6. Dealing with viruses
7. What other online discussion forums are there for Open Space
Technology practitioners?
8. Where can I find out more about Open Space Technology?
9. What is OSonOS
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?OSonOS> ?
10. Does the OSLIST really have a Poet Laureate?
11. Finally, A word from our sponsor...
This FAQ has been prepared to outline some of the "givens" around the
OSLIST, the online list for Open Space Technology practitioners. This
FAQ does not represent the official position of the OSLIST membership,
but rather, is the result of observation and participation by a few list
members who had the passion to create a FAQ.
1. What is Open Space Technology?
You'd be surprised how contentious a question that one can be. Over the
years on OSLIST list members have gone through spells of defining Open
Space Technology both explicitly and implicitly. In fact one of the
benefits of being subscribed to this list is that over time a definition
will emerge for each individual that makes sense.
Having said that, in 2000 a group of list members wrestled with the
challenge of crafting an Open Space Technology definition that was 25
words or less, and among the results were the following:
"Open Space is based in the belief that organizations and communities
run on passion and responsibility. It allows groups of any size to
self-organize around what they really care about to get things done." --
PeggyHolman <http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?PeggyHolman>
"Open Space Technology is a natural communication process that
recognizes that people take responsibility to pursue what they are
passionate about, and it ensures that what is important to each
participant will be discussed." -- developed by a small group during a
BirgittWilliams
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?BirgittWilliams> Open
Space training workshop in Halifax May 15-18, 2000
That is the short answer. How this happens is the interesting part
Open Space Technology meetings begin with all the participants sitting
in a circle, and no items on the agenda. The meeting opens with an
agenda setting exercise following which the group self-organizes into
smaller discussion groups. Discussion group conveners are responsible
for providing a report of the discussions, which is immediately added to
a book of proceedings. At the conclusion of the meeting, or very shortly
thereafter, participants receive a copy of the proceedings including all
of the discussion groups' reports and any action plans that were
developed.
Open Space Technology meetings operate on four principles and one law.
The principles are:
* Whoever comes is the right people
* Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened
* When it starts is the right time
* When it's over it's over
And the law is known as The Law of Two Feet (sometimes referred to as
"The Law of Mobility"). It states that "If you find yourself in a
situation where you are neither learning or contributing, go somewhere
where you can."
As a result, Open Space Technology meetings are characterized by
self-organization and high degrees of freedom for participants.
If you want to know more about Open Space Technology visit the site of
the international Open Space Technology community at
http://www.openspaceworld.org (a companion site to this list) where you
can find an Introduction to OST in many languages and resources and
links to other materials about OST on the Web.
For the record, Open Space Technology was developed by HarrisonOwen
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?HarrisonOwen> , a Maryland
USA based consultant who was searching for a way to create better
meetings after hearing that the best parts of a conference he organized
were the coffee breaks. Open Space Technology meetings are still known
for capturing the "buzz" that permeates the gathering and turning it
towards action. Open Space Technology meetings have been held with
groups as large as 1200 and as small as 5.
Harrison wrote "the book" on Open Space Technology, called "Open Space
Technology: A User's Guide" which serves as an important articulation of
the mechanics and meaning of the process. In 2002, 37 Open Space
Technology practitioners contributed to a book called "Open Space
Technology: A User's Non-Guide," edited by MichaelHerman
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?MichaelHerman> and
ChrisCorrigan
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?ChrisCorrigan> which is a
compilation of some fascinating foundational thinking about Open Space,
gleaned entirely from conversations on the OSLIST.
* Link to the User's Guide:
http://www.openspaceworld.com/literature.htm
* Link to the User's Non-guide:
http://www.globalchicago.net/ost/nonguide.html
2. What is OSLIST?
OSLIST is the international mailing list for Open Space Technology
facilitators and those interested in the process. It is a lively forum
with 399 members (as of December 19, 2003) and generates around 10-15
messages per day, during its most active times.
3. How do I change my list settings?
To join OSLIST, or to change your settings, visit
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=oslist
<http://listserv.boisestate.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=oslist&A=1> &A=1 and
fill out the form. You may also unsubscribe using this page.
You may also join OSLIST by sending a message to the following address:
mailto:listserv at listserv.boisestate.edu. IN THE BODY of this message
type ONLY the following text: "subscribe oslist" (don't type the
quotes!). Enter nothing in the SUBJECT field and nothing else in the
message (including, for instance, signatures, addresses, etc.).
To unsubscribe from OSLIST Send a message to
mailto:listserv at listserv.boisestate.edu. IN THE BODY of this message
type ONLY the following text: "unsubscribe oslist" (don't type the
quotes!). Enter nothing in the SUBJECT field and nothing else in the
message (including, for instance, signatures, addresses, etc.).
Upon successfully registering for the list you will receive a piece of
mail containing useful information about OSLIST including how to
unsubscribe. It's worthwhile saving this treasure!
If you have any problems, our list moderator is MurliNagasundaram
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=MurliNagasu
ndaram> ?. He is at mailto:murli at boisestate.edu . Murli helps out with
any technical issues that need to be resolved with the list, but he does
not "moderate" in the traditional sense of filtering messages. All
messages mailed to the LISTSERV are posted to the list.
4. Is the list archived and publicly accessible?
Yes, the list is archived, and all material posted to the list is also
posted to the archive. The archive is publicly accessible, so you may
wish to keep this in mind if you choose to post to the list.
The archives can be read and searched by visiting
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>From time to time, discussions and postings to the list find their way
into other forms, such as the User's Non-Guide, onto websites, or
forwarded to others who are not on the list. List members should be
aware that posts to the OSLIST are public, and posting to the list is
generally understood to mean that your thoughts are okay to be shared
with the rest of the world.
If you would like to use material that has been posted to the list,
please quote the source of the material, and maybe let that person know
how you are using their words.
5. What is the etiquette for posting to OSLIST?
There are no hard and fast rules about what to post to OSLIST, but in
general people appreciate the following:
* Questions about working with Open Space Technology
* Answers to relevant questions
* Stories about Open Space Technology meetings
* Poems (there is a regular poetry contest that happens every six
months or so)
* Notices of upcoming Open Space Technology training or
conferences
* Resource material that may be of interest to Open Space
Technology facilitators
* Opportunities and calls for OST facilitators.
* Introductions from new subscribers
* Discussion about theories and ideas that can help to improve the
understanding and practice of Open Space Technology
* Experiences working with Open Space Organizations
* Accounts of other ways of "opening space.".
* Posts in languages other than English are acceptable. OSLIST has
readers who speak Cantonese, German, Swedish, Danish, Mandarin, Hindi,
Russian, Portuguese, Hebrew, Haitian Creole, Spanish and French among
others and items have been posted in several of these languages in the
past.
In general, OSLIST users seem to prefer that people avoid the following:
* Attachments. Please either post these to a website and provide
the link to the list, or ask people to indicate if they wish to receive
them off list. Viruses are sent as attachments, and so most people will
routinely delete them if they are not sent personally.
* Flaming. We are a pretty congenial group, and flaming is
relatively unknown amongst us. It would be nice to keep it that way. If
you have negative things to say about individuals it would be
appreciated if you could keep them off list.
* Virus warnings. If you absolutely feel the need to post a virus
warning to the list please ensure that the warning is not a hoax by
first checking with the Symantec AntiVirus?
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=AntiVirus>
Centre at http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/
* Please try to avoid sending messages in HTML. Plain text is
preferred on this list. All mail browsers have this option.
* It must also be said that the jury is still out on small
personal notes of appreciation or support to individuals. Some feel that
these are a waste of bandwidth and add to an increasingly heavy personal
email load. Others feel that personal messages of support sent to the
list provide valuable affirmation to individuals by recognizing them
within
the worldwide community of Open Space Technology practitioners. It's
best to use your own judgment on this. If you do post notes like this to
the list, be aware that the reception of others may be mixed.
6. Dealing with viruses
Like many email lists, the OSLIST is occaisionally vulnerable to viruses
being circulated by its members. Although very rare, it has been known
to happen from time to time. While there is no fool proof way to stop
viruses being sent to the list, there are a couple of things you can do
to avoid being affected by viruses. There is an excellent FAQ on dealing
with email viruses at ( http://www.onenw.org/bin/page.cfm?pageid=14 ).
This includes instructions for making Microsoft Outlook safe.
In addition, OSLIST users have offered the following pieces of advice:
* Never open an attachment from an email sent to the list, even if
it comes from a source you know and trust. If you are curious about an
attachment, ask the sender to send it to you off list.
* Don't use Microsoft Outlook as your email reader. Choose Eudora
(http://www.eudora.com ) or some other free mail program instead.
* Use Anti-virus software such as Norton Anti-virus produced by
Symantec (
http://enterprisesecurity.symantec.com/content/productlink.cfm#0 ), or
the free software produced by H+BEDV ( http://www.hbedv.com/ )
7. What other online discussion forums are there for Open Space
Technology practitioners?
The most heavily visited online forums are as follows:
* Worldwide Open Space at http://www.openspaceworld.org
* Open Space World.NET - an online space for practitioners and
participants projects.
* The Meta Network at http://www.tmn.com/new. Follow the link to
"make a new account" and fill out the form. Where you are asked for your
host or sponsor on The Meta Network enter "Openspace" This forum has not
been used heavily for more than a year but there some rich archived
discussions there.
8. Where can I find out more about Open Space Technology?
The best place to start is at the Open Space World website which can be
found at: http://www.openspaceworld.org/. Here you will find resources
for facilitators, links to websites of Open Space Technology
practitioners, stories, poetry, training opportunities, conference
information and more.
9. What is OSonOS <http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?OSonOS>
?
OSonOS <http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?OSonOS> stands for
"Open Space on Open Space." It is an annual event that gathers together
150 or so Open Space Technology practitioners to spend two or more days
discussing issues related to the practice of Open Space Technology.
The next OSonOS <http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?OSonOS>
will be held in Goa, India in September 2004. Exact locations and dates
are to be determined. Once the invitation is finalized, More information
about that event will be found at
http://www.openspaceworld.org/osonos.html along with links to the
proceedings of previous OSonOS
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?OSonOS> events.
10. Does the OSLIST really have a Poet Laureate?
Of course! The title of OSLIST Poet Laureate is awarded to the winner of
the Biannual OSLIST Restricted Form Poetry Contest. Anyone may enter
this contest, and all list members have an opportunity to vote for the
winner. The winner is responsible for organizing the next contest. The
current OSLIST Poet Laureate is FlorianFischer
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=FlorianFisc
her> ?.
Previous Poets Laureate have included:
* RalphCopleman?
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=RalphCoplem
an>
* ChrisCorrigan
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?ChrisCorrigan>
* ChrisWeaver?
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=ChrisWeaver
>
* JeffAitken
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?JeffAitken>
* FlorianFischer?
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=FlorianFisc
her>
* LaurelDoersam?
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=LaurelDoers
am>
* AudreyCoward
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?AudreyCoward>
* JoelleEverett
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?JoelleEverett>
11. Finally a word from our sponsor
Here are some parting words from Harrison Owen:
"From the very beginning (1985) Open Space Technology has been free and
freely available. I can't possibly remember how many times I have said
this in print, verbally, and online - but I am reasonably certain that
whenever I said it, I followed with the words -- But there is a cost.
That we freely share what we are learning. The mechanisms of sharing are
multiple including training programs, public presentations, private
emails and of course OSLIST. The substance of what we share is even more
diverse: Technical "How toss," Philosophical meanderings, and deep
feelings from the heart. And in many ways, I think the deep feelings are
the most important. It is from those feelings that we learn who we are,
what we are doing, and what the true value might be. Were Open Space
simply a technical approach to better meetings, we might avoid both the
philosophy and the feelings. I believe we have discovered, however, that
OS as a meeting methodology is but a tiny part of the reality. Over time
we have wandered into the strange world of self-organizing systems,
questions of peace making, human dignity, personal sense of worth,
constructive conflict. And our journey has always been a shared one. No
single person has, or could have, the total experience. And no one has
the interpretive capacity to explain and elucidate that experience. We
can only do this together, freely and openly.
"Occasionally I am asked why I never trademarked, patented, or
franchised Open Space Technology. A flip, but honest answer would be
that I was too lazy, in addition to the fact that I had better things to
do than spend my time defending the sacred precincts. The same might be
said for my refusal to "Certify" OS Practitioners. More to the point,
and closer to my heart (true feelings :-)), I really felt/feel that OS
does some good in ways that this funny world of ours can truly benefit
from. Therefore I wanted it to be freely available to whomever,
wherever, and however. . . And I don't just mean Open Space Technology
as a narrowly prescribed methodology. I mean the whole enchilada -
Method, Philosophy, Feelings, and anything else that has popped up along
the way.
The OSLIST has been one critical part of the Open Space experience, and
the evolution of the global Open Space community. From the very
beginning it was open to anybody who cared - with no questions asked
about why they cared or how much. People have come, people have gone,
and some have just hung out. There has never been any promise of privacy
or exclusivity, indeed just the opposite. Anybody who thought they had
joined a private, exclusive club was operating under a severe
misunderstanding. Indeed, the nature of the Internet, of which OSLIST is
an infinitesimally small part, fosters this openness, for anything that
appears anywhere in cyberspace is quite likely to show up somewhere
else. In the case of OSLIST, all of this has been profoundly and
wonderfully true. Messages forwarded and copied have gone around the
world multiple times making Open Space, and the possibilities of Open
Space, available to people and places we will never know."
Welcome to the OSLIST!
Updated March 18, 2004 Please email any additions or changes to
ChrisCorrigan
<http://openspaceworld.org/wiki/wiki/wiki.cgi?ChrisCorrigan>
(http://www.chriscorrigan.com) mailto:chris at chriscorrigan.com
---
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Bowen Island, BC, Canada
(604) 947-9236
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology
Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Homepage: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
chris at chriscorrigan.com
(604) 947-9236
*
*
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