[OSList] How to assess the effectiveness of an OS Meeting.

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Thu Apr 18 12:32:40 PDT 2013


Keith - Been there a time or two. I believe the request (for
assessment/evaluation) is not only understandable but quite legitimate and
can lead to some very interesting deeper discussions. Even if the requesters
are quite cynical, which is sometimes the case. But dealing with their
request does take some thought, as you indicate, and may well (should) lead
to some unexpected places.

 

Our ability to assess the immediate effects of an Open Space is usually
pretty good, and involves some basic questions: Did the process work in a
formal sense? (Always works J) How did the participants feel about their
experience? If there was a concrete objective, was it achieved? 

 

The answer to the first question (formal function) is usually so obvious as
to be overlooked. For the second question (feeling/experience), the closing
circle normally provides sufficient data to make even the most serious
skeptic hold their tongue, and for some people it is almost embarrassing
that they felt so good and did so much. As to the "concrete objective" -
that often depends on what it (the objective) was. If "hard and immediate"
no problem. For example, I did an Open Space to design a $200,000,000
structure. By the conclusion of the OS, the design was complete, the folks
were ecstatic, and construction actually beginning. One did not need a
random, double blind statistical analysis to make the case. The building was
built, on time and under budget. But if the "objective" was a little
squishier, conclusions can be of the same sort, but the effort is still
worthwhile.

 

What makes the assessment effort worthwhile has little to do, I think, with
the validation of Open Space. It has everything to do with a deeper
understanding of the nature of the organization in question and its current
status and future possibilities. Forgive me, but I suggest that the data is
"in" on Open Space. Simply put, after 200,000-300,000 iterations all over
the world with comparable results - Open Space becomes the standard against
which organizations can be measured. Put quite directly, the meaningful
question is, "How did you organization do in Open Space?" If it just seemed
like "another day at work" that would be good and sufficient reason to
believe that the organization in question was truly outstanding and high
performing. If, on the other hand, the experience of Open Space came as a
Bolt-from-the-Blue Revelation of the power, capacity, focus, community
spirit of the people involved, you will indeed have fertile grounds for
asking deep questions - How on earth did that happen?

 

That question can be painful but very productive. Some little while ago, I
told the tale of a US federal agency, which had been characterized as
"Dysfunctional and worse" by its leadership group and became a totally
different creature once the circle opened. In fact, I saw absolutely no
evidence that the people were as advertized. A week or so after the Open
Space, a group of the people wanted to assess its impact - and I quickly
agreed. I proposed a question with which to begin the assessment: "What is
it that you are currently doing, as a way of doing business, that clearly
cripples and sub-optimizes the abilities and personhood of your people?"
There was a stunned silence and then a truly interesting and fruitful
discussion began.

 

So I think we have a real opportunity through "assessment" but it has little
to nothing to do with somehow validating Open Space - or more importantly
the incredible power of self organization that makes it all happen.

 

Harrison  

 

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Dr.

Potomac, MD 20854

USA

 

189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)

Camden, Maine 04843

 

Phone 301-365-2093

(summer)  207-763-3261

 

www.openspaceworld.com 

www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)

To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST
Go to:
<http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org>
http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org

 

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Blundell, Keith
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2013 6:18 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: [OSList] How to assess the effectiveness of an OS Meeting.

 

Dear OS practitioners

 

As some of you already know I have been trying to pioneer the use of OS in
our agenda driven, action outcome orientated organisation.  I have had the
opportunity to run several meetings, but they have been short sessions and
restricted participants (in terms of organisational functional structure).

 

This has created a bit of a buzz and I am delighted that I have been
approached to run a meeting with a larger diverse group of participants
(cross functional) for at least a whole day!  Brilliant and I have no
concerns that it wont be successful.

 

But...unfortunately it is viewed as an "experiment" and so I am being pushed
by the sponsors as how will we assess its success.  I know that there will
be some good discussions, that participants "heads" will be in a different
place after the meeting, and it will be a great sharing and learning
experience.  I also know that any change and actions may come long after the
discussions so that the link between the event and outcome will be more
tenuous.

 

Has anyone experience and ideas for explaining the effectiveness of OS
within an organisation?

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Keith.


 

-- 

Keith Blundell

Leadership and Team Excellence Leader
Innovation, Communication and Engagement (ICE)
Product Development Global Operation

 

Office:   +44 (0) 1707 36 661

Mobile:  +44 (0) 7990 777 120

Mail to:   <mailto:keith.blundell at roche.com> keith.blundell at roche.com

Registration Number: 100674 

The information transmitted in this message is intended only for the person
or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or
privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use
of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you receive
this message in error, please contact the sender and delete the material
from any computer.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20130418/5576448e/attachment-0008.htm>


More information about the OSList mailing list