[OSList] The Mind Map in the Planning Meeting

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Hege,
thanks for your question on the design of the mind map.

Before addressing your specific question I talk a bit more about the 
entire Planning Meeting design assuming that this will also show more 
clearly the purpose of the mind map phase itself.
Also, I want to point out that as we kept experiencing Planning Meetings 
we continuously worked on the design for more than a decade now and 
learnt more about some of the theoretical background on why some things 
were important and how to improve on them. All the time, I am aware that 
the Planning Meeting is not an OST event... it does, however, allow for 
many opportuninities to "remember" open space, get an inkling, without 
this being pointed out in any manner, of the principles, the Law, the 
Admonition, the force of selforganisation... and some other things as 
for instance the Differentiation/Integration theory (D/I Theory...in 
German Aufgliedern/Zusammenfügen, A/Z Theorie) that I was introduced to 
by Marvin Weisbord/Sandra Janoff (they deal with this in great detail in 
"Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!" which is also available in a 
German translation which I gave the title "Einfach mal Nichts tun!" ... 
a great read for folks in the facilitation mode).

Ok, here a bit of the Planning Meeting design:

The Planning Meeting starts with a break, about 15 Minutes, in which 
people chat, partake from the neverending lush buffet, have a look at 
the list of participants that is posted... and finally follow the lead 
of the sponsor and me as we sit down in the circle.

After each member of the Planning Group has introduced himself (this is 
the first thing they do, sitting in a circle, after the very brief 
welcome by the sponsor,  responding very briefly to three things I have 
written on a large poster:
My name is... / I work as..at... / Now I'm here to...)

(This takes about 12 seconds per participant, so with a group of 15 no 
more than 3 to 4 minutes BUT it is a very important 3 to 4 minutes in 
which everyone speaks, is heard and seen, gives some very simple 
information which requires not a great deal of reflection AND its the 
first opportunity to work with the D/I theory: every time a group 
differentiates, in this case with 15 participants into 15 "subgroups" 
that instantaneously "integrate" in the whole group of 15 the group 
"focuses" on itself and its resources and improves its capability for 
collaboration...)

I ask them to get up and move the chairs into a half-circle so they all
face the work-surfaces also set up in a half circle (this is the second
time they do something themselves, actually rearranging the geometry of
the seating design... they do form a circle again at the end of the
Planning Meeting for the closing circle, facing each other again).

(As we started working with Planning Meetings we did have everyone sit 
in a half circle, me standing next to the poster with the three 
questions. This seemed to work well until one day a participant, who had 
not answered the 3 questions came up to me in the break later on in the 
meeting, saying. "I was not going to follow your instruction as I was 
sitting in front of you and you were there as the teacher directing me 
to do something." This was a grand feedback which got us to start with a 
circle with me sitting in it, too - why had we not seen that from the 
beginning? - even though it exists only for a few minutes and is then 
rearranged, luckily allowing for an experience of the group of actually 
doing something for a few minutes at the very beginning of the meeting 
which is always accompanied by laughter, smiles, chatter)

After they have arranged the chairs in a half-circle and sit down I go 
through the Planning Meeting design asking at the end whether the design 
is ok for them. I do point out that if anyone has to leave before the 
end of the meeting that they just do that (The Law).

After that, I uncover the mindmap and see to it that it is in the center
of the work surface that the group is facing (the work surface usually 
consists of 3 to 5 pinwalls)... the poster with the design moves to the 
edge of the work surface always visible for everyone.

Now to your question:
I prepared the mind map poster (it is usually two large A1
flipchart papers pasted together and mounted on a pinwall) ahead of the
meeting with the typical little cloud in the center of the mind map 
showing the date of the first workday after the event, for instance 
"Monday, September 16, 2013"
I step up to the mind map saying something like this:
"I invite you to go on a journey to the day after the event you are 
planning in September, this will be Monday, September 16. From this day 
in the future you look back on the event that took place in the previous 
three days. You might be at work, in your office... wherever... imagine 
what is happening now, what is different, what perspectives have opened 
up for you, your project, your group, your community? If something comes 
to your mind that you care to share, you step up, grab this marker (I am 
holding it in my hand), draw a line from the center (I draw a line, just 
that, no words) and use a few words to write it on the line and say it 
out loud to the group and then return to your chair.
Now I stand next to the mind map, holding up the marker, ready to let 
the fist person that comes up, grab it. From this point onward I say 
nothing... true to "Dont just do something, stand there"... it usually 
takes not more than 20 seconds before the first person comes up, grabs 
the marker, writes something on the line, repeats it out loud to the 
group, puts the marker on the stool next to the mind map where I placed 
a small box with other markers (black, blue, green and red marker) or, 
sometimes, stands as I did holding the marker waiting for the next 
person to step up.

(In the beginning I used to write things on the mindmap until, happily, 
I facilitated a Planning Meeting in English for Ukrainians where most 
did understand English and could follow the few things I said but could 
not express stuff well in English, so I soon gave up and asked them to 
write their things on the mind map in their mother tongue themselves... 
what a relief. They not only got up, moved to the mind map, touched it 
and put their thoughts on it but also connected theirs with other 
strings or expanded on other strings by adding stuff. It was clear this 
would be the way to go in from there on.)

As the mind map expands, people who already put something up, get up 
again expanding on their original input or expanding on the input of 
others or adding a new string... often intentionally using certain 
colors, adding symbols, connecting things. Each mindmap I have seen is 
unique and always immediately identifiable by group members as theirs.
As things ebb I ask "Is it over?", sometimes it is, sometimes a few more 
things go up. In all, it takes between 12 and 18 minutes, pretty 
independent of the size of the Planning Group.
After the mind map is finished I do three more things. First, I point 
out that though the mindmap is a two-dimensional picture of what the 
situation will be on the day after the event they will probably also see 
more dimensions reflecting their aspirations, dreams, visions, hopes, 
believes... secondly, I say that the mindmap will be in the room for the 
entire meeting for them to consult in the following steps of the 
Planning meeting and can be expanded on any time and thirdly I move into 
the "My Theme" phase.

(Further Phases are "Our Theme", "Who all needs to be at the 
conference", "Nuts and Bolts" and the closing circle under the heading 
"How was it today?").

Greetings from Berlin
mmp

On 01.06.2013 19:15, Hege Steinsland wrote:
> Michael - I would love to see how you design the mindmap? Do you just
> write the question in the middel and let people write out from that,
> or do you do something more than that?
>
> Hege
>
> 31. mai 2013 kl. 18:16 skrev Michael M Pannwitz
> <mmpannwitz at gmail.com>:
>
>> Dear Patricio, the "Day after" contributions are collected by the
>> participants themselves on a poster-sized (A1) mind map... everyone
>> who wants to add something to the mindmap gets up, walks to the
>> poster and puts it there in his/her own writing or expands on a
>> strand of the mind map... pretty independent of the size of the
>> group this takes 12 to 18 minutes. This happens very close after
>> the beginning of the Planning Meeting and is the first
>> "self-organized" step (I just stand next to the mind map holding a
>> felt tipped marker... if no body steps up the Planning Meeting
>> shuts down, well, to tell the truth, this has never happened).
>>
>> The neat thing about this mind map is that the sponsor or whoever
>> is in charge for documentation rolls up the mind map (and the other
>> documents that are created) and posts it again at the review
>> meeting of the Planning Group shortly after the event. On the
>> average, somewhat rough, 85% of the stuff that went onto the mind
>> map (aspirations, descriptions of the future, perspectives...) are
>> considered by the Planning Group to have actually been actualized.
>> Not any other approach I know of that has such a record.
>>
>> Aside from it being used for "evaluation", the mind map is also
>> posted again at the "Next Meetings" of which there is at least one
>> about 10 weeks after the event (this Next Meeting is already
>> announced with date and time and place in the initial invitation to
>> the event that the Planning Group created). Its a very quick way to
>> find ones way back to the event... all that is required is that it
>> is posted at the Next Meeting(s), no need to comment or speak on
>> it.
>>
>> On another level, the mind map action leaves a deep imprint (not
>> that I had envisioned this but it showed up in working with it):
>> members of the group wanting to contribute to the mind map STAND
>> UP... WALK FROM THEIR CHAIR TO THE MIND MAP... TOUCH IT AND WRITE
>> ON IT PERSONALLY... AND WALK BACK TO THEIR CHAIR (sometimes taking
>> a little detour via the buffet to get coffee or an apple, after
>> all, this was exhausting). In other words, its the first step in
>> taking physical ownership of whats happening... a foretaste of open
>> space (mind you, the Planning Meeting is not an os event, its a
>> step by step structured and guided event with the "little"
>> difference that nothing happens at the Planning Meeting that the
>> participants dont do themselves... this has its dark side: They
>> actually are planning their own event and if the sponsor is not
>> properly briefed that they WILL do this and assume leadership and
>> that he needs to understand this, big problems might appear).
>>
>> Have a great day mmp
>>
>>
>>
>> On 31.05.2013 14:27, Patricio Bastian wrote:
>>> Dear Elder,
>>>
>>> to helpanswer yourconcern.............“I specially like your
>>> starting looking to the Day After....What is happening the day
>>> after the event? Which perspectives do I see now? What has
>>> changed? This, I´ll try next time, yes! “
>>>
>>> I mentionthat I'm developing my dissertation with that question.
>>>
>>> I enclose the approach:
>>>
>>> *Problem Formulation*
>>>
>>> The general question asks whether the Open Space is an effective
>>> technique to produce sustainable organizational change and if it
>>> is superior to other organizational intervention techniques,
>>> which are based on smaller groups and a highly structured setting
>>> with a view of the objectives. This question can generally be
>>> divided into the following questions:
>>>
>>> • Are individuals able to self-organize when subjected to an
>>> unstructured context? • Open Space Is capable of producing
>>> organizational responses that the Organization needs? • Do
>>> organizational change (to have occurred) sustainable over time? •
>>> Do on these indicators than traditional techniques in terms of
>>> efficiency and effectiveness?
>>>
>>>
>>> *Research Objectives
>>>
>>> General Purpose*
>>>
>>> Evaluate the effectiveness of the technique of Open Space,
>>> representing intervention techniques in large groups, to produce
>>> an organizational change that accounts for internal and external
>>> demands of the Organization.
>>>
>>> *Specific Objectives*
>>>
>>> • Analyze the operation of the Open Space and organizational
>>> skill. • Measure and analyze the impact that technology has on
>>> the organization. • Compare the Open Space with other
>>> organizational intervention technique. • Contribute empirical and
>>> theoretical analysis of intervention techniques in large groups.
>>>
>>>
>>> Of course, I appreciate your comments to the discussion in my
>>> thesis. Your input is a valuable aid.
>>>
>>> Thank you, thank you very much.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> *Patricio Bastian Duarte*
>>>
>>> **
>>>
>>> *Note: *Mynative language isSpanish. Pleaseexcusetypos
>>>
>>> *De:*oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>>> [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *En nombre de
>>> *Eleder_BuM *Enviado el:* viernes, 31 de mayo de 2013 5:50
>>> *Para:* Michael M Pannwitz; World wide Open Space Technology
>>> email list *Asunto:* Re: [OSList] What to do when a conflicted
>>> and important part is missing?
>>>
>>> Hi Michael!
>>>
>>> I´ll say that till now, I used to hold much less detailed
>>> preparation meetings.
>>>
>>> I would just come, say hello, and, more or less,...
>>>
>>> 1. explain briefly OST for the ones that don´t know it: best
>>> conditions, how the event will go on, what the resulsts are,...
>>>
>>> 2. open a wide conversation to get to the core of their
>>> invitation. Then I would write a draft and fix it with the core
>>> group during the days after.
>>>
>>> 3. Spend dome time thinking on the invitation process:
>>> who&hows,...
>>>
>>> 4. speak about all the logistics, place, food, materials, helped
>>> by a mind-map in which I have organized all this info
>>>
>>> And it has worked ok so far.
>>>
>>> Knowing that your more detailed and paused focus worked hundred
>>> of times makes me open to try (some part of) it next time.
>>>
>>> I specially like your starting looking to the Day After....What
>>> is happening the day after the event? Which perspectives do I see
>>> now? What has changed? This, I´ll try next time, yes!
>>>
>>>
>>> It´s weird for me, anyway, to spend a 10:00-16:00 time slot in
>>> the preparation,... and it really makes sense, the sponsors and
>>> the facilitator start opening space in a calm and passionate way
>>> from the preparation meeting!
>>>
>>> Thanks so much for your wise advice and rich information pieces,
>>>
>>> best,
>>>
>>> Eleder
>>>
>>> 2013/5/30 Michael M Pannwitz <mmpannwitz at gmail.com
>>> <mailto:mmpannwitz at gmail.com>>
>>>
>>> Dear Eleder, the core idea of the planning meeting is that its
>>> not me as facilitator to do stuff that the sponsor of the event
>>> (and his planning group) can do themselves. So the first step is
>>> to find out who the sponsor is. This might sound silly, but in
>>> real life it is often surprising that it is not clear at all. If
>>> you find, that you yourself are the sponsor you can stop worrying
>>> and find a facilitator for your event. If you know you are not
>>> the sponsor and know who the sponsor is, tell him/her that, after
>>> it is clear it is going to be an event using OST (which means the
>>> prerequisites are in place, this must not be clear to you but the
>>> sponsor needs to find out), that a planning group needs to
>>> gather. This group should in some way mirror the
>>> organisation/community/group that is expected to gather in the
>>> open space event. Usually, the planning group consists of 5 to 20
>>> people. They need to be invited by the sponsor to the planning
>>> meeting.
>>>
>>> Ok, here is the design of the planning meeting which takes 3,5
>>> hours either before lunch or later in the morning with lunch as a
>>> break or in the afternoon or early evening... preferrably in the
>>> space in which the os also is planned
>>>
>>> 10:00   Break, Arriving, Coffee …..
>>>
>>>
>>> 10:30   Welcome by the sponsor who introduces the facilitator for
>>> the following steps
>>>
>>> Introducing ourselves   All Introducing the agenda  Facilitator
>>>
>>> 10:45   The Day After What is happening on "Monday, June 17,
>>> 2013, the day after the event? Which perspectives do I see now?
>>> What has changed?
>>>
>>> The group itself creates a Mindmap with their thoughts/inputs
>>>
>>> 11:15   My Theme for the Open Space event Individually
>>> 3 minutes, All announce their themes               2 minutes,
>>> Work in subgroups                       15 minutes Reporting to
>>> the whole group            5 minutes Weighing the Themes
>>> 10 minutes
>>>
>>>
>>> Break beginning at noon Time for a look at the large meeting room
>>> and lunch
>>>
>>>
>>> 2:00    Our Theme / provisional Characteristics of an
>>> action-orienting theme…. A small group (3 to 5) of volunteers sit
>>> in front of the entire group and designs the theme for the
>>> meeting,  provide an extra chair for inputs from the large group,
>>> fish-bowl style.
>>>
>>> 2:45    Who all needs to be at the conference? So that the
>>> expectations expressed for the day after under the chosen theme
>>> will actually be met Brainstorm, identify participants essential
>>> for the process Check the Theme, still ok?
>>>
>>> 3:15 Nuts and Bolts Collect things to do Who will take care of
>>> what?
>>>
>>> 3:45 How was it today
>>>
>>>
>>> 4:00 End
>>>
>>> This design has been used hundreds of times and works with any
>>> group, even teachers, lawyers, scientists and mixtures of them
>>> and especially well with children and in neighborhood groups in
>>> all cultures around the globe.
>>>
>>> I will seperately send you a pdf documentation with pictures of
>>> a planning meeting.
>>>
>>> Greetings from Berlin mmp
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 30.05.2013 16:56, Eleder_BuM wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Michael, you say,... /"if they in fact meet and follow the simple
>>> design I have described on this list."/ / /could you tell us more
>>> about  this design?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks so much for your attention,
>>>
>>> Eleder
>>>
>>> ____
>>>
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>>
>>
>>>
--
>> Michael M Pannwitz Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany ++49 - 30-772
>> 8000
>>
>>
>>
>> Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 410 resident
>> Open Space Workers in 72 countries working in a total of 143
>> countries worldwide: www.openspaceworldmap.org
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--
>>
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000



Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 411 resident Open
Space Workers in 72 countries working in a total of 143 countries
worldwide: www.openspaceworldmap.org

-- 
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000



Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 411 resident Open 
Space Workers in 72 countries working in a total of 143 countries 
worldwide: www.openspaceworldmap.org