Advice on running Open Space with 250-300 people

[Deborah Hartmann]

Harrison wrote
 > Call it sensory overload or whatever

Good point. I've only attended/spoken at lightning talks once, but yes 
it's very, very stimulating. I can't imagine lasting more than 90 
minutes, myself. That's 30 3-minute talks.

The appeal of lightning talks may be peculiar to the high-tech space, 
upon reflection. Many of us are used to (crave, even :-) 
high-stimulation environments - think video games, ipods, ten browser 
windows and three IM windows open at once. The workaholism inherent in 
too many software environments is not solely due to management abuse - 
we ourselves are susceptible to succumbing to our passions to the point 
of excess. In some places this drive toward burnout is a badge of 
honour, but in the Agile software development community we place high 
value on "sustainable pace," and we are trying to make "being healthy 
and creative"  the new badge of honour.

Note that this isn't an event for an organization or business, or even a 
regional association, where people have a common context and culture. 
People will come from all over America and Europe for this event, and 
the first evening is a chance for people to (re-) discover one another. 
Many have only met online, others may be entirely new to the community. 
I don't consider the lightning talks a part of the OpenSpace event - 
and, in fact it's optional, as not everyone will be able to get there 
for Friday evening, but all will be there Saturday morning when we Open 
Space. As Aslak points out, lightning talks are the chance for anyone to 
introduce themselves and their passions or questions. Think of it 
soapbox speeches in Hyde Park :-) 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speakers'_Corner

And, though some come for the topic, even more so they come just to be 
together, knowing that good things will happen. Being a coach and mentor 
can be lonely - this is a chance for the leaders to be among peers and 
to build their support network. We're thinly spread across the globe and 
revel in these face-to-face events.

So, taking the comments in this thread into consideration: I'm going to 
suggest to my partner for AgileCoachCamp that, in parallel to the Friday 
night lightning talks, we provide refreshments and a lounge where people 
can sit and get acquainted at a slower pace. After all, it's the end of 
the week and some will just have flown across the country. People can 
pick what they need - stimulation or relaxation - and move between the 
two areas at will. And, I must remember to ask our facilitator to remind 
people to rest! For some of us, OpenSpace is as exhausting as 
LightningTalks, if we are not careful :-) and it lasts a LOT longer!

Thanks for the input, and thanks for raising the subject, Aslak.
deb

Harrison Owen wrote:
> Aslak -- It occurs too me that Jack's comment about his "batty" state may be
> more about learning style and differences in generations than about Open
> Space. Never having experienced several hours of Lightning Speeches I must
> say that just the thought of it is sufficient to bring me into Jack's
> corner, although I may well have been Batty long before. But I must confess
> that I have much the same reaction when attending music/video productions by
> my son and his friends. Call it sensory overload or whatever but the
> experience of several hours of simultaneous multiple images and sounds is so
> overwhelming (to me) as to be mind numbing. And yet it is quite obvious from
> the reactions of everybody else that they are in a very different place --
> They love it. Probably the 'ol Curmudgeon Syndrome.
>
> Harrison
>   
-- 

Deborah Hartmann
Agile Process Improvement Coach
Open Space Facilitator
Lead Editor for InfoQ.com/Agile
deborah.hartmann.net



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