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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Right on Chris – In a paper I shared
a bit back I compared Open Space to Ant Colonies. Although it is a little long,
the pertinent passage follows – just the Ant part. For the direct
comparison to Open Space, check out the paper at <a
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/Opening%20Space%20for%20The%20Question.htm">http://www.openspaceworld.com/Opening%20Space%20for%20The%20Question.htm</a>
</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Harrison</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>The adaptive process is also visible
in higher level systems, for example ant colonies.<a name="_ftnref1"></a><a
href="#_ftn1" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><sup>[1]</sup></span></a>
These tiny creatures, without benefit of anything that we might call a brain,
construct architectural wonders, engage in hugely complex social behaviors, and
manage to sustain themselves in a constantly changing world. And they learn
with great rapidity and quickly apply the fruits of their learning.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Each day as the dawn breaks
(metaphorically, for it seems the ants discovered 24X7 long before their human
neighbors) the ants emerge from their home. Although they march forth in a
single column (ant hills usually have but a single entrance), the column
quickly breaks ranks and the individual ants disperse across the landscape in a
seemingly random and chaotic fashion – but there is a purpose, a quest, a
question – and it is called FOOD! And there is an abundance of <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Nichtwissen</span></i>. If the goal is food, the
location and nature of that food is unknown, lost we might say in a great cloud
of unknowing.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>And how do you get there from here?
Judging from the ants’ behavior a straight line approach is not part of
the strategy. Each individual ant picks its own way. No tightly controlled
“matrix search” for these creatures. Each ant is on its own, does
its own thing – back and forth across the landscape.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>What seems random for the individual
is in fact a concerted effort for the collective. However, to achieve the hoped
for results (food) certain basics are required: Lots of space. Lots of ants.
Lots of redundancy. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>The space is what I have called
Possibility Space. To the casual (or uninformed) observer it would appear that
there was nothing there. This is a profound error, for the space is literally
full – of possibility. While nothing may be visible at the moment lots of
things <i><span style='font-style:italic'>could</span></i> be there. And the more
space, the more possibility. Of course, there are no guarantees, save one. If
you limit the space, you will limit the possibilities. Under ideal
circumstances, the Possibility Space would be absolutely unlimited. This of
course, would mean that the possibilities (of finding food) are unlimited.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Unlimited possibility is a wonderful
ideal, but realizing that ideal can be a problem, unless you have available an
infinite number of “space explorers.” Mother Nature doesn’t
quite do “infinite,” but the numbers are definitely impressive, as
every picnicker realizes to their discomfort when the ants invade their
picnic. From nowhere and everywhere the thousands invade, and just as you
manage to choke off one point of entry, the persistent hordes find another. At
that point it will dawn upon you that what appears as random (pointless?)
behavior is extraordinarily effective. For the ants, the infinite Possibility
Space in now full of substance. The end of their quest is in view: FOOD.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Beneath all of the activity, there is
a secret weapon in operation. And like many good secrets, it is hidden in plain
sight. The secret is redundancy. Individual ants repeat, and repeat, and repeat
the basic actions of their fellows. There are minor variations for sure, caused
by the peculiar characteristics of each ant (yes, ants are different) and the
terrain being negotiated, but the fundamental action is the same in every case.
But differences, even very small differences, do make a difference.<a
name="_ftnref2"></a><a href="#_ftn2" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><sup>[2]</sup></span></a>
The small variations in apparently identical behavior effectively expand the
area of search, and so by seemingly doing the same thing over and over again,
new territory is explored, new Possibility Space is encountered. Redundancy is
powerful.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>To many people in the modern world,
particularly managers and executives, redundancy seems to be the ultimate waste
of time, the epitome of inefficiency. For apparently good reasons major efforts
are devoted to the elimination of redundancy. And indeed, when you actually
know what you are doing, redundant behavior is wasteful. However, when the
objective is the pursuit of knowledge, the exploration of Possibility Space
– redundancy is not only useful, it is a marvel of efficiency, as we are
rediscovering with the advent of massively redundant computer systems. Parallel
processing beats serial processing every time. And massively parallel
(redundant) processing is unquestionably the king of the heap.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>When redundancy and numbers triumph
Possibility Space reveals its treasure. For the ants this means FOOD, and for
you it means keeping a special watch on that sticky tart you were saving for
desert. It could be gone. In an instant, the apparently random behavior of the
ants transforms into a single column of industrious ants demolishing the tart
piece by piece and carrying the prize home. The secret is simple, accurate, and
quick communication. According to the people who study such things, the ants
use a potent combination of little dances and trace chemicals to inform
their fellows not only that the search is successful, but also the most direct
route to the food and back to the hill. Random behavior becomes concerted
action. Your tart is history.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>What we learn about learning from the
ants may be summarized as follows. Given large numbers and redundant action,
all combined with simple, accurate and quick communication, Possibility Space
will yield its treasure. For the ants the fruits of knowledge are quite
concrete: dinner. It is also worth while noting that this marvelously complex,
albeit elegantly simple, exercise in learning and knowledge generation happens
all by itself. There is not a professor in sight, nor a curriculum management
committee. A Complex Adaptive System is a Learning Organization, which might
suggest that special efforts to <i><span style='font-style:italic'>create</span></i>
Learning Organizations are rather a wasted effort. If the science is correct,
Learning Organizations have been in existence from the beginning – all 14
billion years. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Chris Corrigan<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Monday, May 02,
2005</span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>2:06 PM</span></font><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Why OST helps us solve
wicked problems</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In my
post on Friday, I mused about the depth we access in Open Space. Today, I
read a paper which most of you will find useful, at the very least because it
makes a stunning case for OST. I've posted this at my weblog too:<br>
<br>
In the Open Space world, we talk about the four pre-conditions that make for
great open space events: diversity, complexity, passion and urgency. The
more you have of these, the juicier the event becomes. That is counter
intuitive to most ways of thinking, because in most cases it seems that problem
solving processes aim to homogenize, simplify, rationalize and slow down.
If we can just get a handle on the problem, the thinking goes, we can apply the
best possible solution.<br>
<br>
This mechanistic view does not work with so-called "wicked
problems." It can generate solutions or options or ways forward
which are reductionist. For me, it is the kind of thinking that arrives
at one vision statement for an organization of 100 people instead of a
multi-faceted vision that is inclusive and brings everyone along. <br>
<br>
So via <a href="http://www.elearningpost.com/archives/007124.asp">elearning
post</a>, today I came across this paper (<a
href="http://www.touchstone.com/tr/wp/wicked.html">http://www.touchstone.com/tr/wp/wicked.html</a>)
that looks at how wicked problems are solved by non-linear processes:</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>"The
natural pattern of human problem solving appears chaotic on the surface, but it
is the chaos of an earthquake or the breaking of an ocean wave. It reveals
deeper forces and flows that have their own order and pattern. The non-linear
pattern of activity that expert designers follow gives us fresh insight into
what happens when we work on a complex problem. It reveals that in normal
problem-solving behaviour, we may seem to wander about, making only halting
progress toward the solution. This non-linear process is not a defect, not a
sign of stupidity or lack of training, but rather the mark of a natural
learning process. It suggests that humans are oriented more toward learning (a
process that leaves us changed) than toward problem solving (a process focused
on changing our surroundings)."</span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
Designers who work this way, in the experiment discussed in this paper exhibit
the following strategies:</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>They
would start by trying to understand the problem, but would immediately jump to
formulating potential solutions. Then they would go back to refining their
understanding of the problem. Rather than being orderly and linear, the line
plotting the course of their thinking looked more like a seismograph for a
major earthquake... We call this pattern both chaotic, for obvious reasons, and
opportunity-driven, because in each moment the designers are seeking the best
opportunity to progress toward a solution.</span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
I note two things about this quote. First, the fact that designers
working on a wicked problem are engaged in an iterative relationship with the
definition of the problem itself. Second, the pattern is
"opportunity-driven" meaning that exposure to new ideas at any point
in the process can contribute to breakthroughs. <br>
<br>
This chaotic strategy is exactly the argument for Open Space Technology. We
need people working in these ways to solve these problems, OST provides
the space in a very short period of time to exercise the strategies that
contribute to solving wicked problems. In fact, the time constraints in
Open Space (1.5 hour conversations over a day or two) mean that there ISN'T
time to engage in linear thinking, and this may be why OST creates the
conditions for people to access the depth and resourcefulness that is needed to
move forward on this tough issues.<br>
<br>
Chris<br>
-- <br>
<br>
CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>
Consultation - Facilitation<br>
Open Space Technology<br>
<br>
Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a><br>
Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a> *
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br clear=all>
</span></font></p>
<div class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=1 width="33%" align=left>
</span></font></div>
<div id=ftn1>
<p class=MsoFootnoteText><a name="_ftn1"></a><a href="#_ftnref1" title=""><span
class=MsoFootnoteReference><sup>[1]</sup></span></a> See Johnson, Steven,
<i><span style='font-style:italic'>Emergence</span></i>, Scribner, 2001</p>
</div>
<div id=ftn2>
<p class=MsoFootnoteText><a name="_ftn2"></a><a href="#_ftnref2" title=""><span
class=MsoFootnoteReference><sup>[2]</sup></span></a> With thanks to Gregory
Bateson for this profound insight. See Bateson, Gregory, <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Mind and Nature</span></i>, E.P. Dutton, 1979</p>
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