A Note to Phil from The Old Curmudgeon

[Harrison Owen]

It occurred to me as I read over some of my latest notes on the LIST that I
may have come across as the embodiment of the Old Curmudgeon defending
doctrinal purity at the expense of innovation and exploration. Doubtless I
am an old Curmudgeon but I am heartily in favor of innovation of all sorts.
Specifically, I think we have an enormous opportunity to use the powers of
data management in much more productive and useful ways. And Matt Taylor has
some good stuff in this area, albeit I have some questions about the
execution, particularly in an Open Space Environment. Those of you who have
wandered through my book, "The Power of Spirit," may remember in the final
section some discussion of using advanced (and some not so advanced) tools
for data mining and management in large OS's, multi-site simultaneous OS's,
and for longer term multi OS's in a single organization. At present we do
proceedings with computers and online. That is a good start, but once all
that data and information has been entered it seems a waste to just let it
sit there as a book or in some computer files. Technically there are simple
ways to mine that material to find over arching themes, related themes etc -
all of which may be of use to the organization as it searches its mental
space for new ideas and opportunities. To the best of my knowledge, nobody
has really done that. And of course there is also the possibility of
cross-correlating all of that material with larger data and literature bases
- which can give clues to new avenues and possible areas of collaboration
with folks who are not naturally resident in the initiating organization. In
effect, the organization would map itself and surrounding environment
electronically. Wonderful! And it all should be done. However, it should, in
my opinion, be done in a way that does not overwhelm the participants with
electronic shock and awe. Nor should it relieve participants of their
responsibility to take responsibility. What I am suggesting is that we pull
out all the electronic plugs, bells and whistles - but do that
transparently. It may be "nice" to have techies and knowledge workers
wandering about - but I would want to banish them to the back room and get
rid of them entirely as soon as possible. 

On another and (I think) related issue - "The ideal Open Space Environment"
I would suggest a change in wording and talk about "the appropriate Open
Space environment." To make the point allow me a little "reducto ad
absurdum." I would never suggest doing a corporate Open Space in a village
square all in the name of pristine simplicity. Corporate folks like
corporate trappings (maybe including sticky walls) and that is fine with me.
But I think it would be a terrible shame if it were to be assumed that Open
Space requires the service of a Five Star Hotel. It would also be a shame if
the corporate types assumed that you could never do an Open Space without
all the bells and whistles (pre-printed signs in multi colors etc). It will
work fine in a cramped meeting room, old warehouse, odd hall way - all on
the spur of the moment. 

So anyhow Phil I am by no means trying to rein you into the straight and
narrow. Just the opposite. I want to widen the discussion just as far as we
can go.

Harrison 

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/>

Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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