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Is the OST theme always defined as a question? Is it ever offered as
a statement? I'm not sure.<br>
<br>
I'm not sure because in the USERS GUIDE TO OPEN SPACE book from
Harrison, the story about the theme "Fixing Arizona" is not a
question. So, I'm guessing a non-question is OK. For the record, I
prefer a question. And I tell clients to frame it as a question, on
the hypothesis that questions tend open space and statements tend to
close space...<br>
<br>
THE BRIEF USERS GUIDE
(<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm">http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm</a>) is silent on the
issue:<br>
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<p><em><BEGIN><br>
THE THEME</em> -- Creation of a powerful theme statement is
critical, for
it will be the central mechanism for focusing discussion and
inspiring
participation. The theme statement, however, cannot be a
lengthy, dry,
recitation of goals and objectives. It must have the capacity to
inspire
participation by being specific enough to indicate the
direction, while
possessing sufficient openness to allow for the imagination of
the group to take
over.</p>
<p>There is no pat formulation for doing this, for what inspires
one group will
totally turn off another. One way of thinking about the theme
statement is as
the opening paragraph of a truly exciting story. The reader
should have enough
detail to know where the tale is headed and what some of the
possible adventures
are likely to be. But "telling all" in the beginning will make
it
quite unlikely that the reader will proceed. After all, who
would read a story
they already know?</p>
</font><END><br>
<br>
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<p class="p1">Daniel Mezick, President</p>
<p class="p1">New Technology Solutions Inc.</p>
<p class="p1">(203) 915 7248 (cell)</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a
href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/">Bio</a></span><span
class="s2">. <a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/"><span
class="s1">Blog</span></a>. <a
href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/"><span class="s1">Twitter</span></a>.<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2">Examine my new book:<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a
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></p>
<p class="p1">Explore Agile Team <a
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/"><span
class="s3">Training</span></a> and <a
href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/"><span
class="s3">Coaching.</span></a></p>
<p class="p1">Explore the <a
href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/"><span class="s3">Agile
Boston </span></a>Community.<span
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