[OSList] Research OST

Thu Feb 23 13:34:17 PST 2017

I think, if you want to research it at all, you should be looking at effects on people and organisations.

And, I think there is something about pattern recognition in the modus operandi of OS and there is certainly something about personal and collective agency and self efficacy. Bandura

That is where I would look.. I also might apply a standard evaluation of formal training to it as a framework for analysis… maybe Kirkpatrick

Did you like it
Did you learn anything
Has it changed your behavior
Has it impacted wider/ reach and ownership

But as each instance of OS is unique you might want to do this as case studies… collect them together and then do a cross case analysis.

This is all doable and easy to do ☺

Best Karl
From: OSList <oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org> on behalf of Harrison Owen via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
Reply-To: Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>, World wide Open Space Technology email list <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
Date: Thursday, 23 February 2017 at 21:16
To: 'Birgitt Williams' <birgitt at dalarinternational.com>, 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
Subject: Re: [OSList] Research OST

Birgitt – I guess we differ. Proving that self organization works is about as useful as proving that oxygen works for breathing. Seems to. And are there other things going on in Open Space apart from self organization? Absolutely. Or perhaps not at all. Just life.

ho

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301-365-2093

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From: OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Birgitt Williams via OSList
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2017 3:28 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] Research OST

Great summary Harrison of what is OST and what is not OST. it is a significant challenge to find what is actually an OST meeting. One of the reasons I created our workshop Working With OST is to make that distinction very clear to all who participate with us. OST facilitated well requires understanding the essence of what is created...and never as the facilitator violating that essence. People have referred to me as a 'purist' and that is fine by me. I believe in OST just as you created it. I do not believe in the variations having the same outcomes. When something is added before OST or after OST, they are not OST...and helping a group of people be absolutely clear when the actual OST begins and when it ends is part of what we are very careful about.

We have developed a complimentary method, Whole Person Process Facilitation, to use when OST is not the right method...and yet is based on as little intervention as possible, and creating 'maximum choice, maximum freedom' to the degree possible. Unfortunately, after the meetings, people will say 'we want another one of those open space meetings. They feel that the space is open and like to refer to it that way. I cannot do anything about this conclusion that people make, and it is not OST.

I also think that a disservice was done when OST was being looked at from the lens of 'self organizing', one lens that applies certainly, and not the only one...and in my perspective a rather limited one. The reason I say this is a disservice is that too much effort was spent proving that self organizing works, instead of proving through research and other means, that OST works.

Having a clean hypothesis about OST as a useful, productive method that achieves incredible results is more valuable that proving it works for some particular reason.

My two cents on the subject,
Birgitt

On Thu, Feb 23, 2017 at 12:05 PM Harrison Owen via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org<mailto:oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
One of the questions I find myself asking of various "researchers," -- What,
exactly, are you looking at?

Open Space has wandered and permutated globally, and taken 30+ years doing
that. So lots of times the "Open Space" people say they are looking at
(researching) has nothing to do with anything that I might call OST.
Needless to say I don't own, but I did coin the phrase -- and arguably, I've
spent more time fussing with OST than anybody else. Alternatives,
Variations, Permutations are not wrong, bad, or immoral -- but are not OST.
And in research "facts" do matter. Despite our current (US) administration.
So for me, if you a going to do research on Open Space Technology (OST) --
it  really needs to be done "by the book." The Book being, "Open Space
Technology: A User's Guide 3rd Edition (Berrett- Koehler, 2008)" I might
consider that the "Lab Book."

The experimental procedure is clearly laid out.

The "event" will be convened around an issue people seriously care about
(Real issue - not pretend, made up, chosen at random).

All participants will come in response to a Real Invitation. One they can
refuse. No coercion. All are present because they choose to be there.

Once present, participants will be invited to sit in a circle, create a
bulletin board of the issues they care about, and the open a market place to
make/confirm the times and places of meeting.

The Facilitator will be present only at the beginning (1st 15 min.) and
appear again only at the end (of the day or program). In other words, The
facilitator will NEVER intervene. NEVER. Picking up coffee cups is
appropriate. Otherwise, being "present and invisible" -- is the rule.

Anything else... "Variants, Twists, Tweaks -- whatever ... is not OST. Could
be great. May be fantastic. But it ain't OST.

And when it comes to "results" the "researcher" might check "Wave Rider:
Leadership for High Performance in a Self Organizing World." That would be
my best effort at a Final Report for the 30 year experiment. Which doesn't
make it perfect, right or anything special. But it might be a place to
start.

Harrison

Winter Address
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
301-365-2093<tel:(301)%20365-2093>

Summer Address
189 Beaucauire Ave
Camden, ME 04843
207 763-3261<tel:(207)%20763-3261>

Websites
www.openspaceworld.com<http://www.openspaceworld.com>
www.ho-image.com<http://www.ho-image.com>

-----Original Message-----
From: OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org<mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>] On Behalf Of
Hege Steinsland via OSList
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2017 10:54 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: [OSList] Research OST

Hello.
I`m working on an article about the experience with OST in Norwegian work-
places, in particular municipalities.
I wonder if there are som kind of overview of earlier research on the field,
published and unpublished

Would be great :-)

All the best
Hege Steinsland
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