[OSList] Smallest group OS

[Lisa Heft]

Hello, dear colleagues -

I know of some of you who have done Open Space with... yourself.
That is a very small group indeed.

Erich and Arturo, I smile. (your message is copied below).
And I give you a hug from across the world.

My smallest group was...
I was asked to give a post-conference workshop for an international  
facilitation conference. A day-long workshop - which I was simply  
going to do as an Open Space session for whatever the facilitators  
might like to talk about.
The mistake in conference design (which I have remembered since, to  
inform future such experiences) - was to have that post-conference day  
(instead of pre-conference) and to have it on a holiday weekend (when  
participants would rather either go home early to be with family or  
spend the day in the lovely location enjoying and touristing around).  
Oh. And also to have zero pre-registration. Which is something I now  
require - in the interest of planning, materials and resourcing as  
well as the relationship formed when someone says 'I choose to come'.

I set the room up - agenda wall with (the way I do it) brightly  
colored session times posted across the wall, big Open Space  
guidelines posters (principles, law, insects) posted around the room,  
markers and paper like a lovely little mandala in the center of the  
big circle of chairs. And because the room was large enough - 5 pre- 
set little circles of chairs around the sides of the room.

I had a great conference volunteer - who had chosen to be the  
volunteer helper for my session because he wanted to learn more about  
Open Space.

Okay so eventually we decided to begin because... he was the only  
person who came.

I asked him if he wanted to join me in an experiment - how small can  
an Open Space be. Can it be with one participant.
He was excited, and off we went!

At that time, my part of the experiment was - I was wondering in my  
head - one reason Open Space can work so well is because of the  
diversity of participants and the diversity of ideas. So in this  
experiment, I decided to do the unusual. I never post topics when I am  
facilitating. Because it is the participants' work, not mine. But for  
the sake of experimentation, I decided to post some topics - to throw  
in some diversity. I decided he was the expert on all things Texas -  
because it was in Texas and I was a visitor to that region.

So we both sat on the floor and make topic signs and topic signs and  
topic signs. And then posted them on the Agenda Wall.

(I decided after this experiment that it was not necessary for me to  
'help' in this way - in future if I had a group of 1 I would let them  
simply make their own topic signs, without adding any of my own.  
However in this experiment, I did indeed join the discussions with him  
- which is also something I do not do when I facilitate.)

This Open Space event went from 8:30 in the morning until 3:30 in the  
afternoon, and it included 16 discussion topics.

We started in one discussion area, and because I knew that Open Space  
engages the body as well as the mind and heart, I recommended that we  
have conversations in different locations rather than stay in one  
location.
Remember we had 5 little breakout areas - circles of chairs, around  
the room.

My one participant decided to take clusters of discussion topics to  
each small discussion circle - so we would see them and discuss them.  
Whenever he felt our discussion about a topic was over, it was over.  
And we went on to the next.

And guess what? We also had international visitors.

Why?
Because our session room was near the bathrooms. ;o)

We kept the meeting room doors open. So people coming by would look  
into the room, see us engaged in conversation and the whole set-up  
with circles of chairs and posters and signs, and ask what was  
happening.
So of course, we would say, 'We're currently talking about this, and  
you see on the wall all the things we have and will be talking about.  
You are welcome to join us."

And as you may guess... That person would reply (to whatever topic we  
were at that moment discussing) - "That is exactly what my  
dissertation is about!" / "I have been thinking so much about that!" /  
"That is exactly what my research / my organization / my interest is  
about!"

And they would stay with us for that session, adding their diversity,  
insights and energies.
Then they would go to the bathroom, and be on their way.

I am sorry I did not document the conversations - I have since that  
time gained more understanding of the importance - for both post- 
meeting reflection and for integration of the experience - of the  
power of documentation. So we could have done some cool mapping or  
notes-taking of any kind that worked for us.

Anyway - it was a wonderful day-long session. And a wonderful  
experiment.

I have had other experiences with (for example) 4 participants - who  
were the only ones who came.
Yes, I recommend other processes sometimes when there are less people  
- as always, I am looking at fitting process with objective, desired  
outcomes, and so many other things.
But when Open Space fits, I have done tiny Open Spaces.
I simply  remind people (as I do anyway in larger participants groups)  
- 'Whoever comes is the right person' also means that if nobody comes  
to your session, you could be a visionary. We need your diverse  
thought and exploration. It deepens our understanding of the issue or  
task. And (I add) 'when do you ever get an hour to write - and write  
and write - about a topic for which you have such passion?'

If it is a small group also do as was mentioned earlier in this  
conversation - 'try it first without all joining together or  
compressing the agenda' and as was mentioned, people never go back to  
the other once they experience the power of reflection, law of two  
feet, opportunity and possibility.

In my workshops, I share this story.
And as those of you who have recently been in my Open Space Learning  
Workshop know, when I share this story, I also share the story of when  
Brother Chris Corrigan did Open Space in ... I think it was an Inuit  
community... and nobody came. And at the end of the day, as I recall,  
the head of the community said they got a lot of work done that day  
and could they hire Chris back again please.

So did I Chris do the smallest Open Space ever... or the largest -  
where an entire community was held in his spacious open arms?

Cheers, from a gray California afternoon,
Lisa

Lisa Heft
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
President Emerita, Open Space Institute US
Fellow, Columbia University Center for International Conflict Resolution
Opening Space


The lovely Arturo wrote...
> Recently I facilitate an OST with 2 people including me. We had 12  
> topics, which became 5 conversations. Its was a very learning  
> experience and we where positively surprised as always in every OST.  
> Lisa Heft has also a beautiful experience of a OST with two people.


The wonderful Erich wrote...
> At this occation I would remind you of the report of fabulous Lisa  
> Heft who I guess 10 years ago gave a report to the list on the  
> smallest open space ever been held in the world: Only one participant!

> It must be able to find the story somewhere in the archives -  
> perhaps Lisa would like to tell again ;-) ?






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