[OSList] [OSLIST}; The OST Theme...frame as a question?

Daniel Mezick dan at newtechusa.net
Mon Mar 24 04:05:56 PDT 2014


Is the OST theme always defined as a question? Is it ever offered as a 
statement? I'm not sure.

I'm not sure because in the USERS GUIDE TO OPEN SPACE book from 
Harrison, the story about the theme "Fixing Arizona" is not a question. 
So, I'm guessing a non-question is OK. For the record, I prefer a 
question. And I tell clients to frame it as a question, on the 
hypothesis that questions tend open space and statements tend to close 
space...

THE BRIEF USERS GUIDE (http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm) is 
silent on the issue:

/<BEGIN>
THE THEME/ -- Creation of a powerful theme statement is critical, for it 
will be the central mechanism for focusing discussion and inspiring 
participation. The theme statement, however, cannot be a lengthy, dry, 
recitation of goals and objectives. It must have the capacity to inspire 
participation by being specific enough to indicate the direction, while 
possessing sufficient openness to allow for the imagination of the group 
to take over.

There is no pat formulation for doing this, for what inspires one group 
will totally turn off another. One way of thinking about the theme 
statement is as the opening paragraph of a truly exciting story. The 
reader should have enough detail to know where the tale is headed and 
what some of the possible adventures are likely to be. But "telling all" 
in the beginning will make it quite unlikely that the reader will 
proceed. After all, who would read a story they already know?

<END>

-- 

Daniel Mezick, President

New Technology Solutions Inc.

(203) 915 7248 (cell)

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