About Themes for Open Space

[Gerard Muller]

Hello Diane,

Sometimes the theme is blindingly obvious (a), an sometimes everyone 
seems to know what it is about but no-one can express it clearly (b),
or in the case the client is not an organisation but a system, the 
challenge is to formulate the theme in such a way that everyone you 
want
to come, feels like coming (c)

An example of the first was a software firm: "How do we improve our 
development process for version 2.0 from what we've learnt developing 
version 1.0 ?"
An example of the second: - a hospital: "Two years from now we will 
close: how do we at the same time keep offering the services our 
citizens expect while
developing our employees and ensuring they all have another job once we 
close ?"
An example of the third was one where the issue was to do something 
about failures with medicines in hospitals.This does not really seem to 
be a well known
issue, and certainly not one high on the agenda for many of the 
relevant stakeholders. However quality of care is. Inviting sufficient 
hospital pharamicists
ensures the original issue gets sufficient attention.

If the issue is not blindingly obvious I develop it with a preparation 
group typically going through a process somewhat like the following:
- I invite each to note down any issues/questions/themes they can think 
of regarding the as yet undefined theme down, one on a card (or 
post-it);
- I ask them to read them out loud;
- I have all cards put on the table;
- I ask the group to organise the cards so those that are clearly 
linked are together; typically some clusters appear (without talking; 
just by moving the cards);
- I ask to give each grouping a title.

Often at this point, the issue has become clear and people start 
suggestion what the central issue could be.
Depending on where the first steps brought us, sometimes I ask "If we 
could only talk about one of these groupings on the meeting, which 
would you choose?",
or "Do you see a story in these topics ?".

I find that in most cases that gets you to the heart of the matter, but 
not necessarily to the right formulation.
Probably finding the right words is a bit like the title of an article 
or book - you sometimes don't find it until the rest of the work is 
done.
So often I agree that the person producing the invitation can get 
suggestions for better formulations until a deadline.

Essential elements of a theme I would say is that the theme:
- creates a sharp focus;
- which those who are invited recognise as the right one, and an 
important one for them;
- inspires;
- is action focused.

In a next mail I will list some theme's I have had so far.

Many greetings,




Gerard Muller
Open Space Institute Denmark
Phone: (+45) 21269621				Skype: openspace1
Mail: gm at openspace.dk



On Sep 24, 2006, at 4:51 PM, Diana Larsen wrote:

> As I go into planning for an upcoming open space, I want to take a 
> fresh vie of Themes. Try out some heretofore unexplored ways of 
> thinking about themes. Will you help?
>
> 1) What are some avenues you pursue when developing the overarching 
> theme for an Open Space? i.e., How do _you_ go about it? Where do you 
> look and listen for a theme that intrigues your desired participants?
> 2) What have been some of the most evocative themes you've developed 
> or encountered? When have you been hooked by a theme?
> 3) What forms the essential elements of a theme?
>
> Just wonderin'
> Diana
>
>
> Diana Larsen
> co-author, _Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great_ (Pragmatic 
> Bookshelf, 2006)
> www.futureworksconsulting.com
> 503-288-3550
>
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