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About a month ago, the OPENSPACE AGILITY ("OSA") HANDBOOK quietly
published on Amazon in print and Kindle formats. It's a book about
using Open Space to actually "scale Agile." In case you do not know,
everyone wants to "scale Agile." It's a kind of worldwide quest
right now. Like the Holy Grail? <br>
<br>
As it turns out, self-organization is what <i>actually </i>scales.
Who'd a thunk it?<br>
<br>
If you want, you can take a look at this little book here. It
contains a really, really nice Foreword from Mr. Harrison!<br>
<br>
Special thanks to Harrison Owen, and co-authors Mark Sheffield,
Deborah Pontes, Louise Kold-Taylor and Harold Shinsato!<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336">http://www.amazon.com/OpenSpace-Agility-Handbook-Daniel-Mezick/dp/0984875336</a><br>
<br>
<img alt="" src="cid:part1.07080106.02030803@newtechusa.net"
width="148" height="227"><br>
<br>
<br>
The OSA approach is being used at places like INTUIT, Capital One,
ASCAP.com, and many smaller organizations. <br>
<br>
<br>
<b>The basic idea of OSA is to use Open Space during the earliest
stages of a contemplated Agile adoption.</b> And to invite some
experiments. And to inspect that. Again in Open Space. And to keep
doing that, periodically, on a regular, enterprise-wide, iterative
cadence. <br>
<br>
For two big reasons: <br>
<br>
<ul>
<li><b>First</b>, to engage as many people as possible in
"problem-solving", as soon as possible. Via something called
"invitation." <br>
</li>
<li><b>Second</b>, to help solve the extremely complicated
coordination-problems that are the biggest impediment to
"scaling Agile." </li>
</ul>
<br>
As it turns out, <b>l</b><b>arge-scale </b><b>ritual events like
Open Space create something called "common knowledge."</b> Common
knowledge is a very big deal. Common knowledge can actually solve
the very complicated coordination problems involved in scaling Agile
across teams, departments and entire enterprises. OpenSpace Agility
uses enterprise-wide Open Space events-- <i>rituals</i>-- to
generate common knowledge. (The "common knowledge" concept and it's
relation to "en-masse-ritual" is described in an obscure yet
fascinating little book, entitled RATIONAL RITUAL, if you might be
led to investigate this further.) <br>
<br>
<img alt="" src="cid:part2.01060108.04010106@newtechusa.net"
width="218" height="174"><br>
<br>
<b>You might be surprised to learn that using Open Space to
structure "enterprise-wide Agile adoptions" is NOT a common
practice whatsoever in the Agile community right now. </b>Not at
all. Far from it. Truth be told, many dismiss this idea of "starting
in Open Space" without even trying it...not even one time. Perhaps
the perceived loss of control is a major source of anxiety? Or
something. Not sure. <br>
<br>
<b>What we know for sure is that the common practice in Agile
practice today is an authoritative top-down prescription.</b> For
formally authorized leaders to tell everyone in the organization
exactly what they "should" do, to achieve very high levels of
collaboration and "self-organization" across the enterprise. This
"mandated collaboration" usually involves some kind of pre-fab,
prescriptive, "framework" that is mandated for use by executives.
Willing consultants and coaches who sell services in the prescribed
approach complete the picture.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
OSA offers a fresh, effective and inviting alternative to the
commonly-used, authoritative, top-down, prescriptive approach. <br>
<br>
There is one problem (a "bug") with the OpenSpace Agility approach,
however: it depends on Open Space. <br>
<br>
As it turns out, totally depending on Open Space is not really bug.
It's actually a feature!<br>
<br>
Because self-organization is what actually scales. <br>
<br>
<b>Web site:</b><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.OpenSpaceAgility.com">http://www.OpenSpaceAgility.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>NOTE:</b> Those who might have questions about OSA are invited to
participate in a live video Q&A session on OSA. It happens
Thursday, 11/30/2015 at 4PM EST. <br>
<br>
Attendance is limited to 16 total participants. You can learn more
about the Q&A-on-OSA event, and register, here: <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/openagileadoption/permalink/506939459466477/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/openagileadoption/permalink/506939459466477/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
You are also invited to ask your questions right here on OSLIST. If
you ask a few, I am sure Mark & Louise & Harold and the
other co-authors here are interested in fielding all your questions
right here, right now.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Daniel <br>
<br>
Contact info:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.DanielMezick.com">http://www.DanielMezick.com</a><br>
<br>
Note: The public OpenSpace Agility group on Facebook is located
here:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/openagileadoption/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/openagileadoption/</a><br>
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