The World Cafe

Wed May 4 06:24:50 PDT 2005

Chris -- It is probably important to point out that the difference between
World Café and Open Space has nothing to do with time. It is all about
control and pre-existing structure. I have been part of Open Spaces that
were organized in the moment and lasted for less than an hour. Given the
situation, it was the only thing that could be done, and the level,
intensity, and productivity of the conversation was outstanding. And, for
whatever it is worth, none of the participants had ever been in an Open
Space previously. Of course, we did not reach the depth that is possible in
a multi-day Open Space -- but there was zero question about the capacity of
the people involved to thrive in the space/time available.

Personally, I find World Café (and other such pre-structured approaches) to
be very constraining, and to some extent demeaning in that there is an
implied presumption that the assembled folks will not be able to initiate
and sustain a meaningful conversation. I can understand that there is always
that fear, but 20 years of Open Space experience in just about every
configuration imaginable has brought me to the conclusion that fear is
simply unjustified -- provided the people involved actually CARE about the
subject and about addressing it. And if they don't care, I am not sure that
any other approach could create the conditions for conversation. Yes, folks
will go through the motions -- but that, as I've seen it -- is where it
stops. Just motions.

At the end of the day, I suspect that the deciding factor about using Open
Space or something else (World Café, etc.) has little, if anything, to do
with the participants, and everything to do with the feelings, expectations
and desires of the client (sponsor) and the consultant (facilitator). If
either is afraid that things might get out of control, or just have an
inherent need to feel that they are still, somehow, in control -- then Open
Space is definitely the wrong choice. But for the people, Open Space will
present no problem -- provide they truly care to be there. Absent that
caring, there is probably not a lot of reason to have the gathering in the
first place.

Harrison

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

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of chris
macrae
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 5:02 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: The World Cafe

I think there is a desperate need for a 1 hour (2 hour max) café/circle
format -let them openly multiply and see which thrive

I would like to see open space people catalogue those clarifying what it
is that you give up in each format compared with the full 3 day open
space. Seen from this perspective: world café is only one of various
viable formats, and like Open Space itself, there is also potential for
huge execution slip, but the more with WC the less clear it makes what
its minimal rules are

When it comes to cafes giving up something I believe this is perfectly
legitimate to love open space but to want to do its spirit more often
than 3-day events will allow, as well as induct people in the
possibilities who will never start with a 3-day event. Those managers
who are most out of control of their time -and other people's -
paradoxically need Open Space most but will seldom find the 3-day
starting line

Here is a context of critical interest to me and people in large cities
I network with. It is not like World Café's which says its scale to any
number by multiplying tables in circulation but it is intent on
maximizing the learning of the 12

Suppose that we put all the same effort into an invitation process so
that contextually the people who come are the right people; suppose that
we make the maximum number at a café 12. Speaking very personally I
simply do not believe JC would have used WC, but then I have given up
understanding what many people mean by both faith and bushes because I
am just a mathematician who likes seeing what maps people connect
around.

Suppose what we "mathematicial open sourcers" want to know after 2 hours
is which of those people will continue networking for ever until the
invitation's puzzle is resolved at least in all the minds of those who
join in.

How does one do that café? I suspect within the facilitation experiences
of this listserve there is much wisdom for iteratively designing the
answer as anywhere. And at least in terms of learning networks, this
open source café's "Request for Design" could be a baby in the open
space family??

Chris Macrae, wcbn007 at easynet.co.uk London 0793 144 2446  & DC
http://www.disruptive-mice.org/forums/24/ShowForum.aspx
The most disruptive virtual café known until you all beam us up

Open Maths of The Game of Your Life http://futurewealth.blogspot.com/

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