<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META content="MSHTML 5.00.2314.1000" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Michelle, Diane and others.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I had 5 regional Open Space Conferences in a row in
the same organization last fall. And I did a convergence process like the ones
you have described, but a little more simple and also more selforganized (thanks
to several ideas on this list).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am sorry but this has to be detailed (by the way
it is often from the most detailed ideas I get the most help). So here it
goes:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We had almost two days (until 3 pm the second day).
All reports were handwritten on A3-sheets and put on the wall and read
successivly during the conference (we had no printing service). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The second day before lunch we did the voting
process with 5 dots (the smallest size). We voted on the issues on the
bulletin board ( I think that is the best and easiest to overlook). I had put
them in a row and taped a piece of crossruled paper below each one of them.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The participants were instructed to put the dots in
the squares (one on each of the most important issues or several at one or more
of them, just as you do). The squared paper with the dots in rows makes it
really easy for everyone to count the dots quickly. The voting was made
during a coffebreak and it really creates a lot of fun and talking.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>After the voting I did instruct the conveners (the
ones that own their issues) to group the issues so that issues (perhaps with
fewer dots) could go together with other of their kind. Once I let them do it in
silence, but I found it be more dynamic when they could discuss their choices
under way. This can be a very quick process, at the most ten
minutes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Then I called out the issues that were clustered
together and asked for an initiator for each cluster (there were 5-6 in each
conference with 40-50 participants). This was my only interaction during the
whole process. Diane, I also use the term initiator (there is a very good
Swedish word for this that means someone who moves things forward). I told them
that the initiatior didn't have to pursue the actions decided on but were
responsible to convene the group work during the last
session. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Then the participants could sign up for the issues
and actions they wanted to be a part of. They had to write their name on
the issue (or cluster) they wanted to plan for during the last session. And
if they wanted to participate in one or two other groups later on </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>they could sign up with a (2) after their
name.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Then I gave them a paper where they could fill in
the issue (perhaps a new wording), participants, prioritized actions, when to
meet next time etc. After a one hour session the initiators were asked to give a
three minute report on actions decided on. This gave the participants a very
good feeling. Several said: "After so much talking it handn't been good to leave
without any decisions being made".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In a one day Open Space it is harder to come to a
convergence, but I have done the voting and the grouping in the end of the day
(has to be a long one though) before closing circle. It only takes 45 minutes
the coffebreak included - 60 minutes if you want to get initiators for next
actions. And yes Harrison, it can be made with 100 participants or more without
making a mess!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ingrid Olausson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Högbergsgatan 15</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>S-116 20 Stockholm</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>