[OSList] Virtual Open Space

[Lisa Heft]

Hi, David -

I am wondering if others could share experiences with virtual Open  
Space events? I have a diverse group of somewhere between 20 and 100  
people that I would like to bring together in a virtual open space to  
address a somewhat urgent and important issue. I have questions such  
as...
- How can you do a virtual open space?
- What's the same and different vs. a in-person open space?
- What considerations are important in selecting a technology platform?
- What are your tips and suggestions for what may work and what may  
hinder?

There is an online Open Space tool created by a wonderful Open Space  
facilitator - Gabriela Ender and her team - and field-tested by Open  
Space facilitators.
See http://www.openspace-online.com/

As always - being together in-person first is the ideal for then  
moving into virtual meetings. People can sense each other and form  
relationships when they sit together, eat together, be on-site  
together. If this is not possible, then the next step - to me -  
because it is the next step for any dialogue work in my experience -  
is to analyze what the meeting is for, why are you bringing people  
together, what are your desired outcomes, how much time is possible,  
and all the other components of analysis before selecting tool. In  
addition, on-line tools are sometimes harder for people who do not  
absorb data through text, are not first-language speakers, are  
reflective (not quick-) responders, or contribute immensely without  
speaking - so to me, attention should be paid to access / inclusion /  
cultural differences issues - just as much as for a face-to-face  
environment.

OpenSpace-Online does a marvelous job of creating a physical space and  
of approximating a live Open Space event - even though it is text- and  
image-based and on the flat screen of your computer monitor.

Like anything involving human dynamics and dialogue process - I would  
hope that to create a new tool in a non-face-to-face setting the  
creator would first *completely* know the method, what is unseen, what  
changes when one changes any part of the process, when to use, when  
not to, why things work, why some things do not work, what is possible  
and not possible / inclusive and not inclusive in short sessions and  
so on. Before knowing how an online tool would replicate what happens  
face to face. And I would hope that the facilitator of an online  
process has rich experience in facilitating the same process face-to- 
face - to understand the nuances behind the surface, understand the  
pre-work, understand the human dynamics. Then they could apply their  
extensive knowledge of face-to-face work in that process to their  
facilitation of or selection of online process and tools.

I look forward to hearing what Suzanne or Christine and Harold or  
others have as their own lessons-learned in working with  
MaestroConference or other virtual tools and services for on-line  
meetings - because they have experimented with holding Open Space or  
Open-Space-style meetings using these other tools...

Lisa




  
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