[OSList] Soliciting Open Space facilitation/organization "feedback"

[Michael Herman]

i think there is an important distinction to be made between focusing on the
experience (and risking the appearance of reclaiming responsibility for
that, like saying whenever it starts is the right time and then looking at
your watch)... and focusing on the work.  i'm not really interested in
people's experience, because i've already told them they could create
whatever experience they want.  i am interested in what work got done and
what was learned in terms of what they could now put up for doing next.  m


--

Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
312-280-7838 (mobile)

http://MichaelHerman.com
http://ManorNeighbors.com
http://OpenSpaceWorld.org





On Tue, May 24, 2011 at 6:25 PM, Peggy Holman <peggy at peggyholman.com> wrote:

> I like your questions, Michael.  They're similar to ones we've used for
> Journalism That Matters.
>
> Frankly, I have little energy for feedback instruments.  My partners feel
> it is important for briefing funders.  So I have helped to shape the
> questions so that they mostly focus on what participants got out of the
> experience.  We don't get many responses.  And I still don't see much value
> in it.  Though it has been handy in responding to some foundation questions
> specifically asking if we've done a post-event evaluation with participants.
>
> Peggy
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Peggy Holman
> Journalism that Matters
> 15347 SE 49th Place
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> www.peggyholman.com
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> *Enjoy the award winning* Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into
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>
> On May 24, 2011, at 8:42 AM, Michael Herman wrote:
>
> i have always advised against feedback and evaluation forms, harold,
> because i can only imagine two main kinds of feedback:  the food was too
> cold/room was too hot (which really doesn't matter) and there should have
> been a session/design for this or for that (which really just pushes
> responsibility for their experience back to the hosts).  the only kind of
> feedback or evaluation that seems useful would be to help suggest that this
> was worth doing, so as to support funding for more of the same, but anyone
> funding more of them ought to be able to evaluate the proceedings themselves
> to decide if the event worked.  when a form of some kind is an absolute
> non-negotiable must do, i suggest three questions of this sort:  what did
> you see happening during the event?  what got done because of the event?
> and, given that, what are the issues or opportunities you would put on the
> wall next time?  the answers to these more directly evaluate the work of the
> group and feed directly into the writing of future invitation(s).  in this
> way, there is no break in the action, ownership, responsibility, etc.
> there's a bit more, and some different questions, posted here:
> http://www.michaelherman.com/cgi/wiki.cgi?EvaluatingOpenSpace
>
> m
>
>
> --
>
> Michael Herman
> Michael Herman Associates
> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
>
> http://MichaelHerman.com
> http://ManorNeighbors.com
> http://OpenSpaceWorld.org
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 24, 2011 at 5:12 AM, Harold Shinsato <harold at shinsato.com>wrote:
>
>>  What do Open Space facilitators think about soliciting "feedback" as part
>> of an improvement process for a series of Open Space events?
>>
>> I was initially resistant to the idea because it is definitely "one more
>> thing to do", but I do wonder if an appreciative inquiry style feedback
>> solicitation could be powerful.
>>
>> I notice that the Journalism That Matters event in Detroit had a feedback
>> form - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RYP6TPT. So clearly some Open Space
>> facilitators think this is a good idea.
>>
>> Any experiences? Any thoughts?
>>
>> --
>> Harold Shinsato
>> harold at shinsato.com
>> http://shinsato.com
>> twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush>
>>
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