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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Harrison,<br>
<br>
About your statement "Open Space is a terrible way to introduce
some new process, and especially to assure 'buy in'".<br>
<br>
You're clearing going directly against the heart of what Dan is
trying to promote. Maybe I invite disaster for myself by speaking
an alternative view from what you are saying given your founding
status of this community - but perhaps given my 12+ years working
in the Agile space - I have something worthwhile to say.<br>
<br>
Harrison, you've been opposed to calling "Open Space" a tool. And
I hear Lisa Heft (the best Open Space trainer) talking about it
being a tool all the time.<br>
<br>
I agree with both of you. Open Space is most emphatically *not* a
tool at it's heart. It's a set of values and principles. But it is
also definitely a tool. Or as Dan says, a 'game'. A beautifully
designed game.<br>
<br>
Agile is most DEFINITELY not a process. It's a set of values and
principles. You can see this in the <a
href="http://agilemanifesto.org/">Agile Manifesto</a> -
especially the first item, we value Individuals and Interactions
*over* Processes and Tools. Yes, the Agile community applies many
very specific tools and processes. And very heated debates happen
around the application (or misapplication) of those tools and
processes, such as Scrum.<br>
<br>
But oddly - even Scrum isn't *Really* a tool or a process. At the
heart of Scrum is also a set of principles and values. If you want
to get a sense of this - go to the end of the first book on Scrum,
by Schwaber & Beedle "Agile Software Development with Scrum" -
where it lists the 5 values of Scrum - Commitment, Focus,
Openness, Respect & Courage. Or read Tobias Meyer's "The
People's Scrum". Very powerful assertion and meditation on the
core values and how to apply the processes to get <br>
<br>
Open Space has already been used with great success to introduce,
promote and sustain Agile in the world through many uses of Open
Space in conferences such as the AgileOpen, Coaching Camps, and
Open Agile Adoption such as what Dan Mezick is explaining. From my
vantage point, Open Space is critical for helping the values and
principles to be successfully absorbed.<br>
<br>
From my vantage point - Open Space Technology's values and
principles are eternal and aren't going away. The Universe won't
suddenly stop self-organizing. If anything, we'll only get better
at understanding and dancing with Order and Chaos. This dance,
with the help of Open Space Technology the Game (or Tool) has
changed my life and infused it with spirit. I'm eternally grateful
to you, Harrison, to Lisa Heft, and to and this community. And
maybe Open Space Technology the game or tool will pass away. The
same goes for Agile values and principles. They're eternal.
They're not going away. The Process will never be more important
than the Individuals. The People are always more important than
the Game.<br>
<br>
BUT - there are powerful forces behind trying to adopt agile as
merely a tool or a process, because it's easier to understand. And
that invites failure - and it's the exact kind of failure you're
writing about, Harrison, about how our creations are "inevitably
clunky." To succeed, any implementation of Agile or Scrum needs to
be able to self-organize - "Inspect and Adapt" is one of the
anthems of the agile and scrum communities. I hope that the Open
Space community will step up and help the Agile community to do
that.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
Harold<br>
<br>
<br>
On 9/22/13 10:45 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Dan
wrote: “I've learned that there are actually more ways to
fail with Open Space in Agile adoptions than there are ways
to succeed. There are many ways to stumble when trying
this.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Actually,
Dan – I am not at all surprised. I learned a long time ago
that Open Space is a terrible way to introduce some new
process, and especially to assure “buy in.” Typically,
problems arise because folks take Open Space seriously.
Instead of buying into the proposed process, they begin to
invent their own! Somewhere I wrote that OS was a great way
to design a new accounting system, but a horrible way to
“implement” it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">And
just to be contrarian... I wonder whether the failure is a
function of Open Space or Agile (and/or the SCRUM flavor of
Agile)? As I think we have come to understand, Open Space is
a total scam if people mistake it for some process we
invented or “do.” It is simply an invitation to be what we
always have been – self organizing. The process itself (SO)
has been around for some time, and apparently has done quite
well, witness the fact that we, along with all the rest of
the Cosmos are here and seemingly functional. In a “face
off” between a well functioning self-organizing system and
any process we might have designed to create the system,
install the system, or enhance the system – the designed
process doesn’t have a chance. The reason is simple. No
matter how wise, careful, diligent or skillful we may be –
our creation is inevitably clunky. We may get the big blocks
right, even some of the finer points, but at the end of the
day we always miss the nuances – and as always, the devil is
in the details. Put somewhat differently, our designed
processes are always “averages” of what we think the process
should look like. And “averages” do not exist anywhere in
nature. To push an “average” on a natural system is always
to make it function at some sub-optimal level, and usually
to kill it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">So
maybe the order of precedence should go the other way? Use
Agile to introduce Open Space, and then abolish Agile. Or,
if you like ... Self-Organization is the natural agility. It
doesn’t get any better than that. Or something<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Harrison<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Harrison
Owen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">7808
River Falls Dr.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Potomac,
MD 20854<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">USA<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">189
Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Camden,
Maine 04843<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Phone
301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">(summer)
207-763-3261<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="www.openspaceworld.com%20"><span
style="color:blue">www.openspaceworld.com</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="www.ho-image.com%20"><span
style="color:blue">www.ho-image.com</span></a>
(Personal Website)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas;color:#1F497D">To
subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Daniel Mezick<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 19, 2013 11:26 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [OSList] Open Space with Agile: Failure
patterns<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Greetings to
you,<br>
<br>
In Paris this week at the Global Scrum Gathering I plan to
issue certain warning about specific failure patterns I have
experienced when working with Open Space inside Agile
adoptions. I can tell you right now that Open Space by itself
is not a panacea for the complex problems associated with
Agile adoption. <br>
<br>
Agile is actually a cover story about the wider act of
bringing culture change (a new and unfamiliar game) to an
enterprise situation (the old story we all want to cling to).
The SPIRIT book pretty much spells out the problem. <br>
<br>
I've learned that there are actually more ways to fail with
Open Space in Agile adoptions than there are ways to succeed.
There are many ways to stumble when trying this. I'll be
enumerating some of these subtle Agile-related pitfalls and
traps in the Paris keynote on Tuesday, and in upcoming blog
posts. Simply holding one or more canonical Open Space
meetings (with full pre-planning and post processing) is not
enough to neutralize the forces that oppose healthy and well
Agile adoptions. The game mechanics, storytelling and
passage-rite-structure elements must be present and robust for
Open Space to be an effective tool in Agile adoptions. Open
Space and these elements are composed in harmony with each
other in the Open Agile Adoption technique.<br>
<br>
If you offer training in Open Space for Facilitators and/or
Sponsors, I invite you to send me your links and I will make
sure they are added to the list of resources I am beginning to
compile at OpenAgileAdoption.com. I plan to list in the Paris
slides some specific French-language OST course offerings from
French-speaking instructors located in Europe, and Quebec.<br>
<br>
Kind Regards,<br>
Dan<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">-- <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="p1">Daniel Mezick, President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="p1">New Technology Solutions Inc.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="p1">(203) 915 7248 (cell)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/">Bio</a></span><span
class="s2">. <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/"><span class="s1">Blog</span></a>.
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/"><span
class="s1">Twitter</span></a>.</span><span
class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2">Examine my new book:</span><span
class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black">
</span></span><span class="s2"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/"><span
class="s1">The Culture Game </span></a></span><span
class="s1">: Tools for the Agile Manager</span><span
class="s2">.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="p1">Explore Agile Team <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/"><span
class="s3">Training</span></a> and <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/"><span
class="s3">Coaching.</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="p1">Explore the <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/"><span
class="s3">Agile Boston </span></a>Community.<span
class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Harold Shinsato<br>
<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com">harold@shinsato.com</a><br>
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