Open Space Technology

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You know what it’s like to be at a conference or in a meeting and wondering to yourself, “Why am I here?” Or maybe you picked a certain breakout session and ten minutes into it you’re bored out of your mind and you’re ready to fake an emergency call from your mommy to try to get you out of it.

In 1983 Harrison Owen discovered that the best conversations tend to take place on the coffee breaks rather than in the meeting itself. Since then, 80,000 Open Space meetings around the globe have unleashed the power of self-organization.

15 years, on 5 continents, with no marketing budget or advertising department - viral technology
African villages, corporate boardrooms, all kinds of churches, the Peace Corps and the Pentagon, Banks and Techs, government and community organizations, school leaders and youth groups... with anywhere from 5 to 1000 people at a time
Outstanding results -- it will work for us, too

What do we know about who's here? ...nobody knows exactly why they’re here, everybody cares, nobody’s in charge, everybody’s skilled

How can we harness the power, passion and smarts in the room?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2t3EXflXZk&feature=related

(to 4 minute mark)

Open Space begins with an open question. This is decided upon by the commissioning group. i.e., “How can we ensure that all members of the community are involved in decisions that effect them?”

don't need 100 people and the ceo to do good work...need the people who care if nobody comes, might be a bad idea, or just bad timing you might be the only one who knows enough to deal with it or see its importance take it as just another piece of information, spend time on it yourself or move on
be prepared to be surprised, be very dull if everything always went as expected forget coulda, woulda and shoulda and go with the flow of what is here and now
spirit and creativity don't run on the clock
if you finish in ten minutes, don't rehash for another 50...move on when it's not over, it's not over...so you might have to move locations (darn, we’re taking it to the pub), but don't have to end

You have the right and the responsibility to use your two feet to go wherever you need to in order to maximize your own learning and contributing today.
When mind wanders, take your body with it... stay whole!
If you're not learning or contributing...go someplace else -- don't waste time.
Means if you aren't enjoying where you are, it's totally your choice to stay or move on
Law is death to egotists and speechmakers

Facilitator opens the space by walking around the circle and inviting people to post topics.

People writing agenda topics. It never takes very long before the creative juices start flowing.

Participant posting his topic on the agenda wall.

Group checking out the topics on offer. Each topic has a post-it note with the time and place on it showing when and where the conversation will convene.

Small group hard at work. Participants can reach very deep levels of engagement and dialogue in Open Space.

The news wall. The proceedings of the day are added as they are produced, making for a living record of the day's events.

How could this be useful in your organization/group?

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Tyler Hayes at The Simple Service, favorited this 1 month ago
Tags open space unsummit

Open Space Technology - Presentation Transcript

open space technology
look around
video
begin with a question
the 4 principles • Whoever comes are the right people • Whatever happens is the only thing that could have • Whenever it starts is the right time • When it's over it's over
http://nodos.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/23/63428542_09e230efb1_o_2.jpg
look pretty http://www.howdididoit.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/monarch-butterﬂies.jpg
cross-pollinate http://www.simpsonstrivia.com.ar/simpsons-photos/wallpapers/bumble-bee-man.gif
open space outcomes • All issues and opportunities of most importance to the participants were laid upon the table. • All topics were discussed to the extent that anybody cared to. • A full written record of all discussions is online &/or in the hands of all participants. • Critical opportunities have been isolated and next step actions identiﬁed. • Commitments for action have been made. http://www.christinewhitneysanchez.com/open_space_technology
a true un-conference http://farm4.static.ﬂickr.com/3188/2919308604_4163bfdb3f.jpg
self organization
opening
agenda setting
post topic
check wall
small groups
news wall Photos on slides 11-16 courtesy of Judi Richardson, Pono Consultants http://www.chriscorrigan.com/openspace/whatisos.html
world peace http://www.imaginepeace.com/images/BedIn350.jpg