The largest size of a session group

[Harrison Owen]

Andrew - my experience on "optimal group size" is anything that works. I
know that people have spent endless hours attempting to define the perfect
number - but I have never seen that reflected in an Open Space. I think the
reason is that OS groups are self-organizing/emergent - and therefore
natural. In other situations, the groups are formed by some higher
intelligence (The Facilitator). I don't think the optimal group size has
anything to do with the nature of groups, and has everything to do with the
capacity of the facilitator. In Open Space there is obviously no
facilitator, so the groups can do whatever feels good. And in my experience,
that is precisely what takes place. The largest breakout group I personally
have ever seen was pretty close to 100 - but I didn't count. It was
dynamite!

 

Harrison

 

 

 

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive

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Phone 301-365-2093

Skype hhowen

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Open Space Institute  <http://www.openspaceworld.org/>
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Personal website  <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com 

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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Andrew
Rixon
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 6:09 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: The largest size of a session group

 

Dear all,

 

I have just returned from OsonOsinOz and it was great! I sure picked up a
few gems. One which I loved was "being happy with not-knowing" which I've
blogged about:
http://www.anecdote.com.au/archives/2006/02/being_happy_wit.html

 

Anyway, ever onwards, I was wondering: What have been the largest
self-organising breakout group sizes for sessions raised in OS that you
might have seen? 

 

(I think there has been some research into the sizes of naturally occurring
groups and what their natural limits are.?)

 

I will go back now to trying to be happy with not-knowing. :-)

 

Warm regards,

Andrew

 

--
Andrew Rixon PhD
Director
Anecdote Pty Ltd
Skype: AndrewJRixon
Mobile: 0400 352 809
Fax: (03) 9383 6274
Email: andrew at anecdote.com.au
URL: http://www.anecdote.com.au

 

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