[OSList] Half the conference participants doing open space?

Fri May 25 09:08:29 PDT 2012

Hi Sandy,

What a challenge!  I have heard stories of spaces opened successfully in auditoriums.  I believe Lisa Heft has a story about it somewhere in the archives.  If you take that approach, those I know  who have done it say the work is to set a metaphorical circle. In other words, invite people to imagine themselves sitting in a circle, what that means, how that feels.  That creates the openness in which people will come forward.

I've had two experiences as a participant in non-circle settings.  In one, no attention was paid to the quality of the space before inviting people to post sessions.  No one did.  So the organizers named sessions instead.  In other words, the space wasn't very open.  

In the other case, the session began with a meditation that invited people to get clear on what mattered to them.  When the invitation to post a session happened, they were primed.  It worked beautifully.

So it can be done.

If you go the route of having people sign up, I encourage you to do it loosely.  If someone changes their mind and shows up for the Open Space instead, welcome them.  People will figure out how to make room.

To Bhav's comment about running an OS in parallel with pre-set sessions, it has been done many times.  Check the list archive for stories. I've seen it done where the pre-set sessions were announced and posted side by side the spontaneous sessions.  I've run an OS in a room off the main conference space in parallel to a traditional conference.  Both can work, though the containers are a bit "leaky".  

I think the main question is what do you want to accomplish?  Given your purpose, what form best serves the need?

appreciatively,
Peggy

_________________________________
Peggy Holman
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On May 25, 2012, at 6:47 AM, Barbara B. Bunker wrote:

> Sandy... I understand the logistics dilemma but however you decide, I missed what
> the compelling theme for this OST will be that will attract people to it.  B3
> 
> 
> Barbara B. Bunker Ph.D.
> Professor of Psychology Emerita
> The University at Buffalo
> 117 Highland Avenue
> Buffalo, NY 14222
> 716-881-2166
> 
> On Fri 05/25/12  9:29 AM , "Harrison Owen" hhowen at verizon.net sent:
>> Gee Sandy - You do have yourself in a tight spot. I'd go for the
>> garden, if there is one. Then - Does the Auditorium have a stage? If
>> so, half the group might be on the stage, and the remainder in the 1st
>> rows facing… It is not that the folks will have to be there very
>> long. I did something like this once, and it was rather amusing. Lots
>> of hopping up and down sort of thing. But as usual it worked out. 
>> Harrison
>> Harrison Owen 
>> 
>> 7808 River Falls Dr.
>> 
>> Potomac, MD 20854
>> 
>> USA
>> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
>> 
>> Camden, Maine 20854
>> Phone 301-365-2093
>> 
>> (summer)  207-763-3261
>> www.openspaceworld.com
>> 
>> www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
>> 
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>> FROM: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>> [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] ON BEHALF OF Sandy Gee
>> SENT: Friday, May 25, 2012 4:49 AM
>> TO: oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>> SUBJECT: [OSList] Half the conference participants doing open space? 
>> Dear colleagues,
>> 
>> ME & REQUEST FOR HELP:
>> 
>> I've informally been around OST for over a decade and facilitated a
>> number of events. But this latest I've been asked to do is a challenge
>> I'd appreciate your thoughts/comments on....
>> THE CHALLENGE: 
>> 
>> Its a one day psychotherapy conference with expected attendance of
>> 100+ participants. But unfortunately the venue has already been booked
>> and paid for and the only large enough space for all is an auditorium
>> with fixed rows. The next largest room is a space that could hold a
>> circle of a little over 50 (and no room for 2nd concentric circle).
>> They already want most of the morning to be conventional presentations
>> so the OST slot was to be for the afternoon (maybe with the
>> marketplace the last slot before lunch). 
>> 
>> I'm thinking that a fixed row auditorium just won't work for OST.
>> MY IDEA:
>> 
>> So I'm wondering about having just _half the conference_ do OST! (and
>> the other half sign up in advance to pre-offered workshops) - I've no
>> idea if this could work or if it would be too divisive. This group
>> have always had a very conventional set up before, they're a fairly
>> straight/conventional crowd and the organisers are anyway worried
>> about introducing OST and how it'll go down. 
>> 
>> But maybe the more stuffy conventional ones could do the
>> pre-scheduled (and big name) workshops (and sign up in advance). And
>> we've got a 50 max space for OST participants.
>> COMMENTS?
>> 
>> Has anyone ever tried something like this? 
>> 
>> What are your thoughts?  
>> 
>> Do you think it could work?
>> I'd SO appreciate any input!
>> 
>> Thanks
>> 
>> Sandy
>> 
>> Links:
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>> [1]
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>> 
>> 
> 
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