advice on os for 600

[Martin Boroson]

Hello everyone:


I may have the opportunity to facilitate a one-day Open Space for a group of
500 - 600 people in January.  The event is an annual staff conference for
the UK division of a US multinational.  (The confidentiality agreement is
quite strict so I can’t say who this is.)  

 

The vast majority of the staff will never have been to an event like this,
as the staff conferences have usually been based on presentation, rather
than participation.  However, I’ve just done a day-long Open Space for the
directors and senior managers, and based on the success of this, I believe
they will decide this week to use OS for their whole staff, in order to
foster a greater sense of community and introduce OS principles into their
work practices.  This is a huge culture shift, and yet it is happening very
easily, so the moment must be ripe!    

 

We will be looking for a venue next week, and I’d like some practical
advice, especially from anyone who has dealt with the special logistics of a
large event like this.   We may use a racetrack (enclosed and heated!), and
if so, that would be big enough for most of the breakouts to be in the main
area.  If not, then I imagine I need to leave some extra space in the
schedule for people to locate and get to the breakouts.

 

So my specific questions are:

 

a.  Do you have any ‘top tips’ on special needs for a group of this size?

 

b.  Any special suggestions for how to create the circle/s?  (I am
considering three concentric circles:  one of cushions, one of benches, and
then one of chairs.  But we could also possibly build risers.  How much
space will we need for this circle/these circles?  Do you suggest three
concentric circles or more?  

 

c.  How much extra time will be needed for the agenda setting, given the
size of the group?

 

d.  How many sessions should I expect from 600 people?  (In a highly
motivated group of 100 people, I would usually provide breakout spaces for
about 50 sessions.  But my guess is that this ratio should go down as the
numbers increase.  Also, we expect a lot of people who are too shy,
reserved, or not sufficiently motivated -- this time -- to post a session.
So I am guessing that I’ll need about 150 breakout slots.

 

d.  Any advice on the schedule?  The day is limited to 8.30 – 16.30.  Some
people might be able to stay later, but we can’t plan on this.  I normally
don’t schedule tea breaks, but in this case, it might be necessary to give
people time to find their way around the venue.  Here are three versions:

 

Version A:  3 sessions, each 1.5 hours in length; no tea breaks or transit
time between sessions.

 

8.30 – 10.00                Intro and agenda setting

10.00 – 11.30              Session 1

11.30 – 13.00              Session 2

13.00 – 14.00              Lunch

14.00 – 15.30              Session 3

15.30 – 16.30              Closing Circle

 

Version B:   Same as A, but sessions are 1 ¼  hours in length; with 15
minute transit times or tea breaks

 

8.30 – 10.00                Intro and agenda setting

10.15 – 11.30              Session 1

11.30 – 11.45              Break

11.45 – 13.00              Session 2

13.00 – 14.00              Lunch

14.00 – 15.15              Session 3

15.15 – 15.30              Break

15.30 – 16.30              Closing Circle

 

            Version C:  4 sessions, each 1 hour in duration; no transit time

 

8.30 – 10.00                Intro and agenda setting

10.00 – 11.00              Session 1

11.00 – 12.00              Session 2

12.00 – 13.00              Lunch

13.00 – 14.00              Session 3

14.00 – 15.00              Session 4

15.00 – 16.30              Closing Circle

 

 

THANK YOU!

 

Marty

 


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