<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body >Now that I think of it, my hope is that prospective sponsors are not hesitating to reach out because they think they do not meet enough conditions.<div><br></div><div>And I hope that budding OST facilitators are not hesitating for the same reason. </div><div><br></div><div>It works great, folks! Of course there is good pre-work to do. But even if the 'scores are low' it's a fun and productive way to be together. </div><div><br></div><div>Jeff</div><div>Lagunitas California</div><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: Jeff Aitken <r.jeff.aitken@gmail.com> <br>Date:04/26/2015 8:30 AM (GMT-08:00) <br>To: Daniel Mezick <dan@newtechusa.net>,World wide Open Space Technology email list <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> <br>Subject: RE: [OSList] OST: Public vs Private events: apples and oranges? <br><br>Hi Daniel. When Harrison's four conditions came out way back when, I imagined them as a way to tell a client that even in the most challenging situation it's quite possible that Open Space will work very well. In other words, don't hesitate to consider it, even if you're afraid things are just too messy to try this strange new process.<div><br></div><div>Having hosted and seen many great open spaces in which the scores were low, so to speak, I never took seriously that these are absolute preconditions. To me they are a kind of inoculation against a prospective sponsor being afraid to make that phone call or send that email. </div><div><br></div><div>With lots of appreciation for your good work</div><div><br></div><div>Jeff</div><div>Lagunitas, California</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: Daniel Mezick via OSList <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> <br>Date:04/26/2015 6:20 AM (GMT-08:00) <br>To: World wide Open Space Technology email list <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> <br>Subject: [OSList] OST: Public vs Private events: apples and oranges? <br><br>
Greetings All,<br>
<br>
...I notice these well-worn, well-understood set of starting
conditions for great Open Space, on Wikipedia...hmm...<br>
<br>
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<p><WIKIPEDIA><br>
Hundreds of Open Space meetings have been documented.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup>
Harrison Owen explains that this approach works best when these
conditions are present,<sup id="cite_ref-OST_3-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology#cite_note-OST-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup>
namely high levels of</p>
<ol>
<li><i>Complexity</i>, in terms of the tasks to be done or
outcomes achieved;</li>
<li><i>Diversity</i>, in terms of the people involved and/or
needed to make any solution work;</li>
<li><i>Conflict, real or potential</i>, meaning people really care
about the central issue or purpose; and</li>
<li><i>Urgency</i>, meaning that the time to act was "yesterday".</li>
</ol>
</WIKIPEDIA><br>
<br>
<br>
In an organization, we could work with formally authorized leaders
to gauge the magnitude of each dimension. So for example we could
gauge or rank the magnitude, with 1 being lowest and 10 being the
highest magnitude for gauging each dimension. For a really nice
opportunity to use Open Space, we might be looking for a combined
score of, say, 32 or higher (out of a possible 40)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Public Conference Event<br>
<br>
Now let's consider the PUBLIC conference event. What is the typical
combined score in a public conference... for these 4 elements? I am
guessing the combined score is something like 20 or lower for the
typical conference event. Maybe 25 out of a perfect 40? The cohesion
is just (generally speaking!) <i>so much lower</i> in a public vs
org-based (private) event...<br>
<br>
<br>
<HERESY><br>
And that is why I think OST is for "development and transformation
in organizations" (that actual subtitle of the SPIRIT book) and that
it is not at all as effective, in terms of impact, when implemented
in a public conference. <br>
</HERESY><br>
<br>
I am guessing the scores for the 4 dimensions are almost always be
lower in a public vs. private event. <br>
<br>
Certainly that is my general subjective observation, based on a
small sample of direct experience (less than 20 experiences doing
OST inside corporations...)<br>
<br>
...Yes: some exceptions do exist. As is almost always the case.
Right? That said, I feel these exceptions prove the general rule...
that private events have a much higher combined score, all else
being equal.<br>
<br>
Ironically, the OST format was originally formulated to ease the
effort required to arrange and execute public conference events. <br>
<br>
And then....<br>
<br>
<br>
Daniel <br>
<br>
<br>
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