Nothing to add to Lisa and Larry's excellent advice...only to emphasize the 1.5 hour part. 600 is a lot of people. Don't rush them.<br><br>Oh...one thing I did in my 600 person OS that really helped was to have someone writing up the agenda for the first session as it was being produced and once the agenda setting session was over we projected it on large screens. THat just saved traffic piling up at the wall and 600 people all trying to read one person's handwriting. Subsequent sessions were projected as the day went on.<br>
<br>Chris<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 1:48 PM, Larry Peterson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:larry@spiritedorg.com">larry@spiritedorg.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-CA">
<div>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Martin:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Lisa has some great ideas. Here are a couple more: </span></p><div class="Ih2E3d">
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US">a.
Do you have any 'top tips' on special needs for a group of this
size?</span></p>
</div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">As Lisa says, the wall is really important and I leave it
chaotic with post-its on one side and room for the folks at the wall on the other.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="Ih2E3d">
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US">b.
Any special suggestions for how to create the circle/s? (I am considering
three concentric circles: one of cushions, one of benches, and then one
of chairs. But we could also possibly build risers. How much space
will we need for this circle/these circles? Do you suggest three
concentric circles or more? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
</div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">With 600 I go with more concentric circles. I find that
when the centre circle is at or over 150 people, then the connection with the
sponsor and the opening is less. I prefer a centre circle of between 100
and 150. A small platform, one step up at the most, in the centre
of the circle might help but it must be easily gotten on and off of. I would
not build fixed seating in risers. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="Ih2E3d">
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US">c.
How much extra time will be needed for the agenda setting, given the size of
the group?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
</div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">I have not experienced that a lot of extra time is needed –
say .5hr. </span></p><div class="Ih2E3d">
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US">d.
How many sessions should I expect from 600 people? (In a highly motivated
group of 100 people, I would usually provide breakout spaces for about 50
sessions. But my guess is that this ratio should go down as the numbers
increase. Also, we expect a lot of people who are too shy, reserved, or
not sufficiently motivated -- this time -- to post a session. So I am
guessing that I'll need about 150 breakout slots.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
</div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">I plan for .7 times the number, say about 42 per round and then
have extras available, so that is similar to your number for 100. I've
never had need for 150 breakout slots in a given round of OST discussions with 600.
You know your people better than I and the theme for this event. The amount
of passion evoked by the theme question shapes the number at any given
round. You are talking between 3-4 rounds of discussion.</span></p><div class="Ih2E3d">
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US">d.
Any advice on the schedule? The day is limited to 8.30 –
16.30. Some people might be able to stay later, but we can't plan
on this. I normally don't schedule tea breaks, but in this case, it
might be necessary to give people time to find their way around the
venue. Here are three versions:</span></p>
</div><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">I would go with the simplest agenda and 1.5 hour session.
With this number, there will be more time for folks to move between sessions so
allowing 1.5 hours for each will give them the freedom to self-manage that time
– which for me is the genius of OST. Building in breaks makes it
seem like any other conference and reduces the "whenever its over, its
over" injunction.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";" lang="EN-US"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US">Larry</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Larry Peterson & Associates in Transformation</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Toronto, Ontario, Canada</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><a href="mailto:larry@spiritedorg.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">larry@spiritedorg.com</span></a>
416.653.4829 <a href="http://www.spiritedorg.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.spiritedorg.com</span></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
</div>
</div><div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c">
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>Facilitation - Training - Process Design<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><br><br>Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.<br><a href="http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com">http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com</a><br>
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