Appreciating OSLIST
Chris Corrigan
chris at chriscorrigan.com
Wed Dec 7 18:53:21 PST 2005
Yup...the FAQ can be found at
http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?FrequentlyAskedOSLISTQuestions
But for those too tired to click through, the complete text follows:
*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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?MichaelHerman>and
ChrisCorrigan <http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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&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 <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 <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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=MurliNagasundaram>.
He is at mailto:murli at boisestate.edu <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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?OSonOS>?*
OSonOS <http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=FlorianFischer>.
Previous Poets Laureate have included:
- RalphCopleman?<http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=RalphCopleman>
- ChrisCorrigan<http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?ChrisCorrigan>
- ChrisWeaver?<http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=ChrisWeaver>
- JeffAitken <http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?JeffAitken>
- FlorianFischer?<http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=FlorianFischer>
- LaurelDoersam?<http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?action=edit&id=LaurelDoersam>
- AudreyCoward<http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?AudreyCoward>
- JoelleEverett<http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/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
to's," 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://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?ChrisCorrigan> (
http://www.chriscorrigan.com)
mailto:chris at chriscorrigan.com<chris at chriscorrigan.com>
On 12/7/05, Douglas D. Germann, Sr. <76066.515 at compuserve.com> wrote:
>
> Chris--
>
> Aren't you the keeper of the FAQs for the OSlist? This would be a
> wonderful
> addition to the material that goes out to people once or twice a year or
> so....
>
> :-Doug. Germann
> Seeking people making community change.
>
> *
> *
> ==========================================================
> 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
>
--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology
Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
*
*
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