<html><div>At 12:58 PM 6/21/99 +0930, you wrote:</div>
<div>>Ever experienced a 'nested' Open Space? A full blown OST forum
set</div>
<div>>within a conference.</div>
<div>*********************************************</div>
<div>I rather suspect that Open Space done in combination with a more
traditional conference format is the most usual way -- at the very least
it is done very often. It would not be my preference, but it is certainly
possible. There are, however, certain considerations I find useful
to keep in mind (see pg 27 in the User's Guide -- 2nd edition). The first
one is -- when you are doing Open Space -- do Open Space. Breaking it up
with formal presentations tends to be (always is) a real slow down. Just
about the time people are ready to fly -- they are told to shut up, sit
down, and take notes. I advise folks to do the formal stuff first, and
then go into Open Space. It is possible to put the formal stuff last --
but the problem is that people get the Spirit of Open Space and tend to
carry on in that fashion. This can be very hard on the egos of featured
speakers when people start using the law of two feet!</div>
<br>
<div>A second thing is to do a whole day in Open Space. I recognize that
wonderful things can and do happen in less time -- usually a great
experieince -- but nowhere near what I know to be possible given a little
more time. </div>
<br>
If formal sessions have already been scheduled, it is always possible to
fold them into the Open Space, but the "presenters" need to
know in advance that bumble bees and butterflys will be present in
abundance. In short The Law of Two Feet is operational. Next Fall The
Organization Development Network will hold one day of its annual meeting
in Open Space. There are a number of sessions that people have proposed
in advance -- but we will all start at the same place (probably 1000 of
us) in a large circle. Previouslly offered sessions will be posted along
with all the new ones. Based on prior experieince with this, I would
expect new offerings to outweight old ones by 2:1. Once everything
is posted, we are off to the races for a whole day. Should be a good one.
<br>
<div align="center">
Harrison Owen <br>
7808 River Falls Drive <br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA <br>
301-469-9269 (phone) <br>
301-983-9314 (fax) <br>
email owen@tmn.com<br>
Website
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Open Space Institute website<br>
<a href="http://www.tmn.com/openspace" eudora="autourl">http://www.tmn.com/openspace</a></html>