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<div class="moz-text-html" lang="x-western"> Hello Friends, <br>
<br>
In previous posts, I mentioned some stuff we learn here in Boston
as we execute on producing the Agile Day event held 9/29. <br>
<br>
The text below explains some of our OST Proceedings story, what we
actually produced as Proceedings, and what we learned. <br>
<br>
Experience Report: Proceedings<br>
<br>
This is our fifth OST production in Boston. Earlier, we experiment
with and produce 4 other varying-quality Open Space events from
late 2008 to late 2010. After the first one, we begin to seriously
study the OST User's Guide book, and other OST books. We learn
more about OST, cultivate experienced local facilitators, and
develop new facilitators. We notice that what we are doing is a
really subset of canonical Open Space. Ralph Fink, personal friend
and Agile Boston member, digs into Open Space. He brings back
important knowledge after attending workshops where some of the
OST pioneers are participants. Ralph starts strongly emphasizing
Proceedings as essential to genuine and authentic OST.<br>
<br>
We pay attention. Still, we decide to pass on creating
proceedings for the next few OST events, due to several factors.
One is the perceived logistics and effort overhead. The other is
the question of whether the convener/initiators might actually shy
away from creating sessions ... if there is an explicit commitment
to collect data, and file forms. Our primary goal is to acclimate
our community to OST.<br>
<br>
Time passes and we gain experience. I facilitate a few private
Open Space events for clients, experimenting in my role as Agile
Coach. I learn and become fascinated with the OST Facilitator role
dynamics. I encourage proceedings for 2 of these private OST
meetings. I notice how Proceedings are essential-- and
non-trivial. There is a lot to it. Clip boards with pens, for
example, are required to make things simple for conveners.
Pre-printed forms must be at the ready to fill in. Two-sided forms
are non-obvious to conveners, etc. How much self-org to encourage
from participants becomes an essential question around the topic
as we study it. Ralph and I start getting hard-core about OST
Proceedings as a result of gaining knowledge and experience.<br>
<br>
<br>
Agile Day in Boston- 9/29/2011<br>
<br>
This year, we decide to take a shot at real proceedings, and also
try to innovate. We notice that:<br>
<br>
* Few Open Space events in the Agile community actually produce
the Proceedings artifact;<br>
* Typical proceedings are photo-copies of handwritten forms that
are often less than complete and less than legible;<br>
* Digital versions of OST proceedings are often primitive, ie,
scanned images of proceedings which are handwritten by initiating
conveners and copied into a PDF. <br>
<br>
We discuss these issues, and during planning we commit to taking a
real shot at producing a searchable PDF. We organize around this
goal, create a plan, engage Volunteers, and aim to deliver the
searchable PDF document to event participants within 2 business
days. <br>
<br>
We learn a lot as we plan, execute and make delivery on the
promise of these text-searchable PDF Proceedings. <br>
<br>
<br>
Searchable Text<br>
<br>
The PDF listed below (link) contains OST proceedings of all the
sessions reporting, plus the images of supporting flip-chart
artifacts. The proceedings are searchable since the content is in
plain text. <br>
<br>
The Agile Day in Boston proceedings artifact also includes:<br>
<br>
* The vision, mission and values of the Agile Boston community<br>
* Sponsor, Speaker and Volunteer information;<br>
* Some event pix<br>
<br>
We are just now drafting a series of blog posts on our experience
conceiving, planning, constructing and delivering this proceedings
artifact. <br>
We are learning and we welcome and strongly encourage any help and
guidance you may be able to provide to us, as we strive to produce
higher-impact OST events in the Greater Boston region which are
aligned with the canonical OST form as described in the OST User's
Guide. <br>
<br>
Lastly, please feel welcome to contact us at any time with any
questions you may have about the production of this OST
proceedings artifact. <br>
<br>
<br>
Agile Day in Boston- event and proceeding links. (Download is 90MB
of text and images, 320++ pages). <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/">http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Daniel Mezick, President<br>
New Technology Solutions Inc.<br>
(203) 915 7248 (cell)<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/">AgileDay2011
Sept 29!</a> <br>
<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/">Bio</a>, <a
href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/">Blog</a>, <a
href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/">Twitter</a>,<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/">Team
Training</a>, <a
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/">Team
Coaching</a><br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/">Agile Boston!</a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Daniel Mezick, President<br>
New Technology Solutions Inc.<br>
(203) 915 7248 (cell)<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/">AgileDay2011
Sept 29!</a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/">Bio</a>,
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/">Blog</a>, <a
href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/">Twitter</a>,<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/">Team
Training</a>, <a
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/">Team
Coaching</a><br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/">Agile Boston!</a>
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