The Pros and Cons of OST?

[Allison & Jim Baensch]

Hello list members,
My name is Allison and I have been around Open Space since  
experiencing it in 1996 at the Uni of Western Sydney.
I've mainly used OST for spacious conference 'papers' and I was at  
the OSonOSinOz in Marysville.
Hi to everyone on the list, especially those I've connected with before.

This is my first week as part of the OSLIST, I've been too scared to  
join in case of being overwhelmed by information.
I'm trying to study and 'trust the process' of learning, but  
sometimes get rattled by deadlines and trying to meet them.
Now I'm sorry I didn't join the group earlier - I'm enjoying the  
conversations.
I also feel a bit rude asking the following questions when I am so  
new to the list.

By the end of November (oh gosh!) I need to write a conference paper  
entitled "The Pros and Cons of Open Space Technology".
I assume the papers are being published prior to the event.
My offer of a 90 minute interactive OST session was rejected, and  
another suggestion was made to me, which I accepted as a challenge.
(The organiser's response to my proposal is copied, with his  
permission, after my signature below.)
What I originally wanted to do, as I have done before, is to offer an  
invitation to delegates to attend a 90 minute OST session.
I then co-create a paper with participants on the day for possible  
publication.
The topic is usually one about which the conference community feels  
passionate and/or divided.
But I find, in this case, that a paper is expected to be written  
before the conference.
Though it seems there may also be web space for conference  
'discoveries' to be posted after the event.

In preparing this paper, I am having difficulty writing the "Cons" part.
I have ideas about when Open Space is inappropriate (eg when no is  
space available).
But I'm not aware of its limitations (if any exist) when  
circumstances for its use are favourable.

Also, I would like the participants in 'my' presentation to be as  
involved as possible, but find the 10 minute rotation a challenge.
I haven't experienced these rotating sessions at a conference before.
I thought I'd speak to each group for 2 or 3 minutes about OST then  
hand out 'proceedings' pages.
Then I might ask people to chat and give me written feedback for the  
last 5 minutes or so before they move on.
Maybe there'll be a wall for news at the conference where I can post  
these forms as they are returned?
I won't cope with recording or remembering all the conversations  
myself and prefer to let my role melt away after each intro.

(Someone might also like to analyse why I get myself into such  
challenging situations.
I'd pay a generous fee for an effective therapeutic intervention.
Agreeing to this revised topic seemed like a good idea at the time.  
How quaint.)

If anyone has any suggestions, especially about OST limitations, I'd  
appreciate reading them.
Thanks for the group member's inspiring and heartfelt messages so  
far, I'm delighted to hear of the spread and diversity of the work.
In my attempt at brevity, I hope I have given enough details to  
explain my situation.
Regards,
Allison Baensch.
(Presently in cumulus-cloudy Clifton Springs, Victoria, Australia -  
on Corio Bay and near one end of the Great Ocean Road. Warm sun, cool  
breeze.)

The conference organiser's response to my original proposal:
1. Most (or many) [... Network] members would have experienced the  
use of Open
Space (tehnology) at least once. Some would be quite skilled in its  
proper
use.

2. Some (even many) probably have serious reservations about its  
value in
many situations (especially among people not used to speaking in  
public).

3. I have never seen at an [... Network] event, any paper that  
reviews the pros and
cons of Open Space, and perhaps talks about the ways that its  
limitations
can be overcome.

Personally I think that a short oral/interactive session on the main
principles of Open space, and its pros and cons - could be very  
useful and
could fit nicely into the Interactive sessions - where you would have 10
mintes to present the same clear message to a number of small groups  
that
rotate past your station.

I have read your abstravt and see that it would need to be changed to  
fit
the different purpose and structure outlined above. Let us know what you
think about the idea of a short session - in which you could sell the
ideas of Open Technology (you can expects some serious oponents among  
the
audiences - could be very lively).




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