Allocating Breakout Groups

[Joelle Lyons Everett]

Joe--

I have observed that groups are very creative when it comes to finding
additional meeting spaces, or sometimes splitting a time slot to make room for more
sessions.   I don't usually have to do anything about this.

However, I wonder if the number of breakout spaces that are set up encourages
people to think that there are "supposed to be" a certain number of sessions
per time slot.   I wonder whether at some, perhaps subconscious, level that
some people see the number of identified spaces as an upper limit.

I usually make the time space grid with the breakout rooms or spaces which
are identified, and which usually have a flip chart for groups who wish to use
it.   But at the bottom of each time slot, I add a handful of Post-Its marked
"Other," and encourage people to find informal spaces in and around the
facility.

 In nice weather, groups often work outside.   In a hotel setting, some find
a spot in the coffee shop or lounge.   Many facilities have a hallway or
reception area that is very comfortable for small groups or butterfly
conversations.  One OSmeeting took place in a brand-new spa hotel, and the meeting room was
really too small.   However, there were no other groups and only a few other
guests present, so they told us to use any space in the hotel.   A number of
sessions took place in the beautiful Great Room, a large lobby with a central
fireplace and clusters of comfy leather chairs, and some were on a mezzanine
overlooking that space, which had room for 3-4 well-separated groups.   Plus a
couple of groups met in the room we used for meals.

I also like the buzz of having several groups meeting in the space used for
the opening and closing circles.   The noise level rises, but so does the
energy level, and it makes it very easy to be a bumblebee.

Joelle






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