[OSList] Papers and writing about opening space

R Chaffe rchaffe at gmail.com
Sun Jul 8 05:34:45 PDT 2018


Thank you Michael, as always spot on!  One feature of science or should I say scientific writing is the quest for repeatability. That is if we do something then there will be a predictable response.  With complex systems that self organise there is a serious element of adaptability based on systemic learning both tacit and implicit.  The result is that despite our efforts we cannot predict the exact response because the “system” has already applied the leaning from the previous experience and adapted.   At best we can say when provoke the system the response if unrestricted will be self organisation and adaption.

I agree we see the changes and we move on ourselves as it is almost self evident that the results we expected happened.  Yes we should find ways of capturing the learning and compose papers that withstand the rigour of “peer review”.

I do know that the COST of the Open Space Meeting is rarely questioned as the VALUE of the meeting so often exceeds expectations.   In short we usually do not have to prove anything, it works!   Again it would be nice to have academic support with refereed papers as it would allow that part of the system that needs this to rest easier.

I feel we have a long way to go yet to escape reductionist thinking as it is well embedded in our being.  Having faith in the system that it will adapt, that it will find a strong sustainable future.  Faith that self organisation is real.  Oh, there is that word “faith”.   I think in “America’s Greatest Hero” the words used were “and trust your cape”.

When you have been exposed to the extent of science in life and death matters that have confronted me in the past two years you would understand how hard it is for science to deal with complex systems like the body and its response to attack by cancer.  The truth is that there is no deep certainties other than death is part of life and when a human system calls it a day varies with the person etc.

The fun thing is knowing the real situation and getting on with living regardless of the diagnosis and prognosis.   I take the tablets in good faith as they may help live a reasonable life I follow instruction as the Doctors and other professionals know much more than I do and that way we together “live” (very complex systems, constantly adapting just like the universe).  So as in “South Pacific” when asked to explain life and love the answer was “fools give you reasons, wise men never try”.

Please let’s hope someone will find a way of meeting the academic requirements of a scientific paper, but let’s just get on with the job so that the value of our work is the main criteria not the cost.

Regards
Rob

> On 8 Jul 2018, at 6:33 pm, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
> 
> Dear Harrison,
> 
> I suspect that "academic" approaches of the established kind are very weak for really complex stuff such as for instance "selforganisation" which was discovered early in our experimental journey to be the essential ingredient in the Open Space Technology approach.
> 
> In other words, commonly used scientific exploration which is then visible in the "academic literature" has a hard time to get to the core. That might also result in the incoherent phenomenon of having many millions of people all over the world exposed to "OST" and thousands of facilitators working with this approach for decades with unusual results AND talking about their EXPERIENCES but not "analysing" or "researching" it with tools they know but are ineffective.
> 
> Of course, this will not discourage our quest for getting an understanding... working with it, though, and seeing productive outcomes appears to be sufficient for our praxis. I say that in the face of what I also believe "there is no better thing for good praxis than a good theory" (this is a short form of what Kurt Lewin had to say on this subject). So I love folks like Karl who are on the quest!
> 
> Looking at the German wikipedia for "self-organisation" I saw this note:
> 
> ---"They arise predominantly through processes of spontaneous self-organization and are usually inaccessible to a theory based on known mathematical functions."---
> 
> which is embedded in this longer piece that also refers to the work of the Santa Fe folks
> 
> ---"Theory of complex systems
> 
> The latest flow is the theory of complex systems. A complex system is a system whose properties can not be completely explained by the properties of the components of the system. Complex systems consist of a multitude of interconnected and interacting parts, entities, or agents.
> 
> Complex systems are widespread, indeed almost dominant, from the world of elementary particles right up to human society. [2] They arise predominantly through processes of spontaneous self-organization and are usually inaccessible to a theory based on known mathematical functions. Examples are the formation of atomic nuclei, the atoms, the transformation of substances from one state of aggregation into another, crystallization, chemical reactions, evolution, mental processes in the brain, the development of social systems, etc. In open nature, open systems are dominant In the inanimate nature, complex systems usually form spontaneously with the release of energy or in thermal equilibrium.
> 
> The theory of complex adaptive systems is based primarily on the work of the Santa Fe Institute. This new complexity theory, which describes emergence, adaptation and self-organization, is based on agents and computer simulations that include multi-agent systems (MAS), which have become an important tool in the exploration of social and complex systems."---
> 
> Wishing us all a grand weekend
> Greetings from Berlin where I will pick the first blackberries of this season in our garden, a marvel of selforganisation, those berries
> mmp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> Am 07.07.2018 um 13:37 schrieb Harrison Owen via OSList:
>> Karl – there is very little in the academic literature for reasons I’ve always found interesting and odd… but predictable. However, the International Press has covered it extensively and if you will accept a rather biased source, I have a number of books on the subject. 5 remain in print and are published by Berrett-Koehler. There are also a number of others, now out of print, but available online at www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com> along with s number of occasional papers.  You might find my first book, “Spirit: Transformation and Development in Organizations” interesting. It is not about Open Space per se but represents the basic framework out of which it grew. It is also the first time I used the words “open space.” Good luck – and I’d love to see where you go.
>> Harrison
>> Winter Address
>> 7808 River Falls Dr.
>> Potomac, MD 20854
>> 301-365-2093
>> Summer Address
>> 189 Beaucauire Ave
>> Camden, ME 04843
>> 207 763-3261
>> Websites
>> www.openspaceworld.com
>> www.ho-image.com
>> *From:*OSList [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Royle, Karl via OSList
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 4, 2018 8:57 AM
>> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list
>> *Cc:* Royle, Karl
>> *Subject:* [OSList] Papers and writing about opening space
>> Dear Colleagues,
>> I am in the process of writing a PHD by publication and have become interested in the conceptual basis of opening space/holding space and closing space. I am also interested in the concept of self structuring   of open space (contentious I know) and pattern recognition as people participate in open space.
>> Does anyone know of any literature around these themes.. or equally, any thoughts?
>> Just a thought.
>> Many thanks in advance
>> Karl
>> Karl Royle
>> Head of Enterprise and Commercial Development
>> Certified Scrum Product Owner and Scrum Master
>> Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing
>> University of Wolverhampton
>> 01902323006
>> 07815416698
>> @karlroyle. On Twitter
>> Karlr61 Skype
>> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karl_Royle/contributions
>> *From: *OSList <oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org> on behalf of Anna Caroline Türk via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
>> *Reply-To: *World wide Open Space Technology email list <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
>> *Date: *Wednesday, 4 July 2018 at 09:58
>> *To: *OS international List <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
>> *Cc: *Anna Caroline Türk <annacaroline at truthcircles.com>
>> *Subject: *Re: [OSList] Learning to work with OST
>> Dear Thomas,
>> thank you for your dedication and creativity to explore open space. :) I am sure you have sooo many new stories to share about the essence and nature of open space!
>> I am really looking forward to experiencing your new level of thinking, being present and sharing new perspectives at our training Working with Open Space Technology <https://www.dorisgottlieb.com/ost-2018> in the Netherlands in September this year.
>> It’s always so much fun to “work” with Doris, you and our participants.
>> Doris and myself are also planning to come to Iceland to the WOSonOS and hope to meet many of our dear & crazy colleagues from around the world there! ;)
>> I recently facilitated an Open Space Technology meeting at a school with 300 young people who discussed how to get involved and support migrants coming to Germany.
>> Here <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXMuiGMm9Kc&t=17s> you can see a little Video about the Open Space - in German (no subtitles).
>> much Love all around!
>> Anna Caroline
>>    On Jul 3, 2018, at 2:13 PM, Thomas Herrmann via OSList
>>    <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>>    <mailto:oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>> wrote:
>>    Dear friends in Open Space
>>    I just returned home after almost 6 months “in open space”. My wife
>>    and myself have been on a journey in 6 countries including NZ, Aus,
>>    Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia. No musts just going with the
>>    flow – being in open space. What a privilege and joy. And now I am
>>    back in our house, renovating my office and enjoying summer
>>    holiday😊. I have also booked my tickets to joinWOSonOS in Iceland
>>    <https://events.artegis.com/event/WOSonOS_2018>in October. Otherwise
>>    there is a lot of open space ahead which gives me the opportunity to
>>    be and see what emerges. Exciting!
>>    I also want to take the opportunity to ask you to spread the word,
>>    if you know anyone interested to learn how to work with OST in a
>>    sustainable way. I am happy to offer our three day training
>>    September 12-14 in our favorite place in The Netherlands, 50 min
>>    from Amsterdam airport. This learning journey is facilitated by a
>>    great team where I am happy to “work” together with Doris Gottlieb
>>    and Anna Caroline Türk.
>>    More info! <https://www.dorisgottlieb.com/ost-2018>
>>    Adding a picture from an open spacey Sweden
>>    <image001.jpg>
>>    So, see you in Amsterdam and/or Iceland…
>>    Hugs
>>    Thomas Herrmann
>>    Open Space Consulting AB
>>    Pensévägen 4, 434 46 Kungsbacka, Sweden
>>    Telefon: +46 (0)709 98 97 81
>>    Email:thomas at openspaceconsulting.com
>>    <mailto:thomas at openspaceconsulting.com>
>>    Homepage:www.openspaceconsulting.com
>>    <http://www.openspaceconsulting.com/>
>>    Profile on
>>    LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/in/thomasherrmannopenspaceconsult
>>    <http://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasherrmannopenspaceconsult>
>>    Company page on Facebook:www.facebook.com/OpenSpaceConsulting
>>    <http://www.facebook.com/OpenSpaceConsulting>
>>    *Join our upcoming workshops in 2017 & 2018!*
>>    /Co-creation is here to stay – time to sharpen your skills?/
>>    /Medskapande är hör för att stanna – dags att vässa er förmåga?/
>>    *2018*
>>    Sept 12-14: Working with Open Space Technology – Netherlands (dito)
>>    *2019*
>>    Febr 12-15: Genuine Contact Organization - Netherlands
>>    Apr 2-6: Genuine Contact Train the Trainer - Netherlands
>>    More info:www.openspaceconsulting.com
>>    <http://www.openspaceconsulting.com/>(Aktiviteter)
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>>    
>> *Anna Caroline Türk*
>> Mentor to Visionary Leaders
>> +49 (0)176 248 722 54 <tel:+49%20%280%29176%20248%20722%2054> //TruthCircles.com <http://truthcircles.com/>
>> Image removed by sender. <http://www.facebook.com/truthcircles/> Image removed by sender. <http://de.linkedin.com/in/annacarolinetuerk>
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> 
> -- 
> Michael M Pannwitz
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
> ++49 - 30-772 8000
> mmpannwitz at gmail.com
> 
> 
> Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 470 resident Open Space Workers in 76 countries working in a total of 145 countries worldwide
> www.openspaceworldmap.org
> 
> At my publisher you find books and task cards on open space, most in German, some in English, some as ebooks, some multilingual
> https://www.westkreuz-verlag.de/de/Kommunikation
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