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

Mon May 6 21:50:39 PDT 2013

Dear Eiwor,

You say:  "When we try to measure the change in attitudes, work approach,
teamwork and sense of joy at work with numerics, we really won't get the
whole story."

In the throws of last minute preparations for the World Open Space, I was
so happy to read your response. It made me think of a possible connection
between Invitation and Effectiveness.

In recent months connected to our World event, we have *invited *so many
people, from many sectors across the hierarchy of all ages on events
connected to WOSonOS with the goal of creating awareness for this wonderful
self-organizing process.

Invitations went out for Diane Gibeault's training at the end of February;
for a sustainability event hosted by the University of South Florida St.
Petersburg, our WOSonOS co-hosts, and now for Lisa Heft's pre-conference
training and then WOSonOS2013 itself. Four events in 4 months; hundreds of
people that we've invited.

As we invite, inevitable questions arise on measurable results from an Open
Space and around effectiveness and actions taken afterwards. Before we even
start the journey, people often want the assurance if not to say the
guarantee of results and actions. I would even venture to say that their
bar is much higher than what they would normally expect from a typical
meeting or conference with presenters.

And yet, by conceding to enter into this conversation to justify
effectiveness which quickly becomes so limiting, it seems we are missing
the opportunity to imagine what's possible when people who hardly ever come
together are invited -- diverse individuals with so much to contribute on
the most important issues. How can we predict outcomes, why should we
predict outcomes before or after the Open Space. It often seems that the
parameters for effectiveness are identified before we even meet.

These past few months, I and others have lived in the world of invitation.
We have engaged in conversations around issues and possibilities, and in
the invitation, we have learned a little bit more every day --  to let go
outcome (of who and how many will attend) honoring the law of two feet and
honor of choice in others . Guided by "whoever comes are the right people"
and "whatever happen is the only thing that could have', it has led to so
many joyous invitational and welcoming conversations.  The enthusiasm of
those who are coming and even those who could not was infectious -- even
more so as people experienced Open Space, most especially the Millennials
from the University of South Florida.

Somehow I feel that there is much in the expansiveness of invitation and
that, in the spirit of those invitation conversations, space is already
opening.  Perhaps in the pre-work of "open" invitation there is something
to be learned that can guide the multi-layered and rich outcomes of an Open
Space that informs the conversation of "effectiveness"  -- outcomes that
are as much about our new ways of "being together" as they are about
actions, measurements and results.

In his book, *Community the Structure of Belonging*, Peter Block speaks
profoundly to the conversation around Invitation. I wonder if the unease we
experience as we invite is similarly connected to the need to assess
effectiveness, as if taking responsibility for something that we cannot be
responsible for: whether people choose to come or if they achieve results
later.

In the section The Risks of Invitation, Peter Block says:
"The anxiety of invitation is that if we give them a choice, they might not
show up. I do not want to face the reality of their absence, caution,
reservations, passivity or indifference. I do not want to face the prospect
that I or a few of us may be alone in the future we want to pursue.

And I do not want to face the same truth about myself, for my fear that
they will not come is the caution I feel myself about showing up, even for
the possibility I am committed to. My fear is that what I long for is not
possible, that what I invite them to is not realistic, that the world I
seek cannot exist."

I want to thank Ben Roberts who quoted this passage to me on Sunday and
Eiwor who got me thinking about this. Sorry for being so long. Hopefully
others may also see a possible connection between invitation and
effectiveness in the context of these discussions.

Suzanne

On Mon, May 6, 2013 at 4:07 AM, eiwor at gatewayc.com <eiwor at gatewayc.com>wrote:

> Harrison, I agree very much with what you say. OST is a holistic approach
> for the work ahead. It is also built on other values than those that are
> common in most of todays business paradigm. So when we try to fit it into
> the standards of traditional evaluation tools we really diminish the
> effects of it. It is as if we compare apples and carrots.  they are not the
> same. When we try to measure the change in attitudes, work approach,
> teamwork and sense of joy at work with numerics, we really wont get the
> whole story. I at least am very nterested in applying the values of OST and
> by that change the ruling business paradigm built by men over a 100 years
> ago, so I try to be very careful not to use evaluation from the same system
> that I want to change.
> Blessings
> Eiwor
>
> Skickat från min HTC
>
>
> ----- Reply message -----
> Från: "Harrison Owen" <hhowen at verizon.net>
> Till: "'World wide Open Space Technology email list'" <
> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
> Rubrik: [OSList] How to assess the effectiveness of an OS Meeting.
> Datum: lör, maj 4, 2013 15:49
>
>
> This is a very interesting discussion. The desire to assess the
> effectiveness of OS is surely justified and rational. That said, I’ve never
> really understood what would be gained. In my experience (the only point of
> reference I haveJ) – the “ OS results” are typically so far off the
> charts as to be “unbelievable.” To give an example, when my friends from
> AT&T designed their Olympic Pavilion in 1996 we had a very nice comparative
> measure. The same people had to design the building twice. The first time,
> using “standard procedures” took 10 months. The second time around, using
> OS – it was all done in 2 days. And all the designers, and everybody else I
> talked to agreed that the second effort was a major improvement
> aesthetically and structurally. Using the common criteria of “Increased
> Productivity,” we are looking at something like a 15,000% increase. The
> AT&T exec in “charge” called it magic – a fulsome client assessment. Now
> armed with this “data”, what do you think would happen were you to walk
> into the office of a potential new client and say, “How would you like some
> magic? An increase of productivity by 15,000%?” ****
>
> ** **
>
> There are other problems with the utility of “assessment.” We aren’t going
> to change the “process” if for no other reason, we did not create it.
> Further, every situation is unique – while the “process” is unchanging,
> everything else will be different. Different people, different environment,
> different issue. Apples and oranges for sure. Should we venture into the
> realm of cost/benefit analysis regarding OS vs some other “process” – we
> are once again “off the charts.” It is true that while you CAN agonize,
> plan, and organize endless for an OS event, you really don’t have to. Given
> the space, issue, and people – you are good to go in several hours, and you
> only need one facilitator, who is prone to take naps. ****
>
> ** **
>
> I am not suggesting for a minute that there is no learning nor value in a
> careful consideration of what we do and how we do it – but the standard
> comparative metrics don’t get us very far, I think.****
>
> ** **
>
> Harrison ****
>
> ** **
>
> Harrison Owen****
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> *From:* oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:
> oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *
> alan at alanhalford.com.au
> *Sent:* Saturday, May 04, 2013 1:34 AM
> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
> *Subject:* Re: [OSList] How to assess the effectiveness of an OS Meeting.*
> ***
>
> ** **
>
> Yup!****
>
> Does it for me!
>
> Alan Halford ****
>
> Facilitator****
>
> Mediator****
>
>  www.alanhalford.com.au/****
>
> 0421 475 252****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
>
> On 04/05/2013, at 1:17 PM, Chris Corrigan <chris at chriscorrigan.com> wrote:
> ****
>
> And this is a fine example of a developmental evaluation approach!****
>
> ** **
>
> Chris****
>
> ** **
>
> On Fri, May 3, 2013 at 3:16 PM, Thomas Herrmann <
> thomas at openspaceconsulting.com> wrote:****
>
> ups, it seems I sent the email before finishing it (-:****
>
> So the basic framework I use is from Kirkpatricks four levels for
> evaluating trainings/development activities****
>
> 1. Experience****
>
> 2. Learning****
>
> 3. Transfer (behavior/actions)****
>
> 4. Results****
>
> ** **
>
> So in pre-work we turn it around starting with exploring expected results
> (L4) then move backwards to L3 (behaviors and action needed to create those
> results), then we look at what do we need to learn and what experience is
> needed to support the learning.****
>
> ** **
>
> Then post intervention - I use it in my trainings as well as development
> work in organizations. For example at the end of an OS-meeting and/or in
> the follow up meeting within 2 weeks, participants are invited to dialogue
> and capture what they experienced and what they learnt. (so it's
> qualitative, not quantitative).****
>
> ** **
>
> Then 6 months later we meet again to evaluate level 3-4.****
>
> ** **
>
> As a side note both these follow up meetings (as well as the pre-meetings)
> are conducted in a WPPF-container (Whole Person Process Facilitation) and
> normally includes about 2 hours of open space work to decide on how to move
> on. In total the meetings are between 4-6 hours each. ****
>
> So the follow up meetings are about what happened and how do we go on… I
> view it as opening space for the organization to become conscious about
> what they accomplished and learnt and move on from there.****
>
> ** **
>
> I think this simple way works great and there is of course more to it than
> I shared briefly****
>
> All the best****
>
> ** **
>
> Thomas Herrmann****
>
> Open Space Consulting - naturlig företagsutveckling****
>
> Tel +46 (0)709 98 97 81****
>
> Email thomas at openspaceconsulting.com****
>
> www.openspaceconsulting.com****
>
> ** **
>
> …bistår er, att släppa loss de naturliga krafterna i er organisation. Ta
> tillvara hela potentialen och skapa en långsiktigt hållbar och framgångsrik
> verksamhet! Vi erbjuder stöd till ledarskapet, facilitering av kreativa
> processer och överföring av kompetens när ni vill skaffa er intern
> kapacitet att navigera i förändring. ****
>
> ** **
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> ** **
>
> 3 maj 2013 kl. 15:16 skrev Thomas Herrmann <thomas at openspaceconsulting.com
> >:****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> Dear friends in Open Space****
>
> Since many years back I use a way to evaluate development work with Open
> Space Technology as the main event. I have shared here previously but will
> give a brief summary of how I do it.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> 2 maj 2013 kl. 18:21 skrev Chris Corrigan <chris at chriscorrigan.com>:****
>
>
>
> ****
>
> Paul...that is a weird tool,  Tells me nothing except that if 85% of my
> potential value outcomes are achieved, then I will always break even on my
> ROI for any meeting.  It's all just so arbitrary.  ****
>
> ** **
>
> And that is the problem.  When we use quantitative and summative methods
> for evaluation of qualitative and developmental processes, we get
> meaningless results.  In other words, how much relationship did I generate
> in my last meeting?  12.  Whatever that means.  It makes as much sense as
> giving the answer "lots of green ones that made me contemplative" to the
> question "how much money did we make selling those ladders?"****
>
> ** **
>
> What we need are tools that evaluate complexity properly.  What you are
> looking for are tools from the realm of Developmental Evaluation (grab the
> book by that title by Michael Quinn Patton).  These tools, which can
> complement summative, merit-and-worth evaluation tools, help organizations
> and ncommunities to track the learning, development and effectiveness of
> things like Open Space Technology meetings.  ****
>
> ** **
>
> Here is a place to start with DE:
> http://tamarackcommunity.ca/g3s61_VC_2010g.html****
>
> ** **
>
> Chris****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 6:49 AM, Paul Nunesdea <nunesdea at me.com> wrote:****
>
> Keith ****
>
> Although not disagreeing the least with Doug, guess that your company
> would be looking for some meeting ROI type of calculations.****
>
> I have googled a couple of entries and this must be useful for you.****
>
> http://www.fastmeetings.com.au/meeting-roi-calculator.htm****
>
> ** **
>
> Best****
>
> Paul
>
> From my iPhone****
>
>
> El 19/04/2013, a las 00:26, doug <ost at footprintsinthewind.com> escribió:**
> **
>
> Keith--
>
> How does one assess the value of a top-down "You shall all do this"
> meeting? When do you measure it? How many walking out the door thought it
> the best meeting ever? How many are still doing the required or
> "volunteered" activity 6 months or 6 years later? What is the purpose of
> the meeting in the first place?
>
> If six great projects come out of the OST meeting, 4 actually get started,
> and one is still accomplishing good in the organization a year later, was
> the meeting a failure?
>
> Those who want numbers as proof of something will always be disappointed.
> Because they seek disappointment.
>
>            :- Doug.
>
>
>
>
>
> On 04/18/2013 06:17 AM, Blundell, Keith wrote:
>
> ****
>
> 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.****
>
> ** **
>
> --****
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> CHRIS CORRIGAN
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Suzanne Daigle
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