Using Open Space Technology to enhance creativity at meetings and events
Abstract
Open Space Technology substantiates the premise that the most engaging portions of seminars and conferences are the "down times" such as coffee breaks and meals. Freed from the constraints of the clock and a set agenda, participants take responsibility for owning ideas for which they are passionate, and the results are oftentimes amazing. This effective practice is based on the work of Harrison Owen, originator of Open Space Technology, and author of Open Space Technology, A User's Guide.Issue
How do managers and supervisors make the most of gatherings and events to harness creativity, passion. and change among participants?Action
According to Harrison Owen's Open Space Technology, A User's Guide, take the following steps when instituting Open Space meetings:- Participation in Open Space should be completely voluntary.
- The size of the group can range from 5 to 1000 participants.
- Time required can be from 8 to 72 hours (one to three days).
- Although Open Space has no predetermined agenda, it does have an overall structure, intended to create a supportive environment. For events lasting one day, minimal elements of the framework include Opening, Agenda Setting, Open Space, and Conclusion.
- Longer events require the addition of Morning Announcements, Evening News, and possibly a celebration.
- Every Open Space gathering has a theme. The theme is what occasioned the gathering in the first place and is the subject of the invitation. You should make a sign that briefly states the theme of the event.
Leadership
The job of the facilitator is to create the time and space in which the group can realize its potential, whether that potential be a new product, a strategic plan, or a redesigned organization.
According to the tenets of Open Space, the group will generate its own leadership, given that the initial leader allows this to happen, i.e., sets time, place and theme (creates a written statement describing where the group is starting, and where it hopes to go in general terms). The function of leadership in this setting is to provide a focal point for direction, and not to mandate and control a minute-by-minute plan of action. Leadership in Open Space requires that one set the direction, define and honor the space, and let go — to sustain the atmosphere of Open Space.
The leader should write the following on a large piece of paper, which is hung on the wall for reference:
- Four Principles of Open Space
- Whoever comes is the right people.
- Whatever happens is the only thing that could have.
- Whenever it starts is the right time.
- When it is over, it is over.
The Law of Two Feet
Every individual has two feet, and must be prepared to use them. Responsibility for a successful outcome in any Open Space Event resides with exactly one person — each participant. Individuals can and do make a difference, and if that is not true in a given situation, they must take the responsibility to use their two feet, and move to a new place where they can make a difference. The departure can be made by honoring the people involved and the space they occupy. By word or gesture indicate that you have nothing further to contribute, wish them well, and move on.
Other Considerations
- One additional sign that can be hung should read, "Be Prepared to Be Surprised."
- Never interrupt Open Space with something else. When you are doing Open Space, do it. When it is over, it is over.
- Have coffee and refreshments available in the main meeting room, so people can snack when they choose. For lunchtime, buffets that are open and available for several hours, are preferable.
- Welcome
- Focus the Group
- State the Theme
- Describe the Process
- Create the Community Bulletin Board
- Open the Village Marketplace
The opening should be informal. If the group has no prior association, have all the participants introduce themselves by giving their names and telling a short story from their lives to illustrate who they are. Detailed and involved "icebreaking" exercises do not seem to work very well, and can even set the wrong tone.
Agenda Setting
This is the time for the group to figure out what it wants to do. By using the mechanisms of the Community Bulletin Board and the Village Market Place, participants are asked to identify any issue or opportunity they see around the theme of the event, give it a short title and write that down on a piece of paper. They then stand up in front of the group, say what the issue is, and post the paper on the wall. This participant will then be expected to take personal responsibility for the discussion. That means saying where and when the group will meet, convening the group, and recording results. Once all the issues are posted, the Village Market Place is opened and everyone is invited to come to the wall and sign up for as few or as many of the groups as they desire. If a participant wants to go to two groups' meeting at the same time, they should find the group leaders and see if they can get them to merge their sessions or change times.
Open Space
Space and time for the group to do business.
Announcements
A short period every morning for the group to catch up on what it is doing, where, when, and how.
Evening News
Not to be confused with a formal report-out session, this is a time for reflection.
Celebration
In the spirit and manner of the rest of the event, don't plan this beforehand. Rely on the talent already available from people in the group. Use skits, songs, and humor to fill the evening.
Closing
Announce commitments, next steps, and observations about what the event has meant. Form a circle and allow each participant the opportunity to say what was of significance and what they propose to do.
Formal reports
Using computers, reports can be handed out at the end of the conference.
Preparation
- You will need a room large enough to hold the entire group, with enough space so that participants can easily move about. Tables and chairs aren't necessary. Movable chairs are preferred.
- The initial setup is to have the chairs in a circle with a large blank wall somewhere in the room. The wall should be free from windows, doors, drapes, and with a surface that permits taping paper with masking tape. (Alternatively, you can buy a "sticky wall," which looks like a tarp that you can hang on a preexisting wall. Paper will stick after spraying the tarp with a special formula.)
- Masking tape
- Ink Markers — dark primary colors, preferably washable, about fifty per one hundred participants
- Flip Charts — one chart with stand per breakout room, extra pads
- Post-Its — 3" x 5" size
Context
Varied participants have used Open Space Technology with successful outcomes — groups such as the National Education Association, the senior management team of the United States Forest Service, and the Together Foundation (working to promote global unity) have all successfully used Open Space Technology.Citation
Owen, Harrison. Open Space Technology: A User's Guide, second edition. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 1997.Outcome
By using Open Space Technology at a gathering, the following will occur:- Every issue of concern to anybody will have been raised, if they took responsibility for doing that.
- All issues will have received due discussion, to the extent desired.
- A full report of issues and discussions will be in the hands of all participants.
- Priorities will be set and action plans will be made. Open Space appreciably raises the probability that action will be taken because all participants have been put on notice from the very beginning that they and they alone have responsibility for ideas and action, and because the perception for need and the desire for action has emerged from the group itself.
Evidence
Groups have been using Open Space Technology since the early nineties, but no careful study has yet to be done and no standards were established prior to the interventions. The data that has been collected is purely anecdotal and gathered by the practitioners themselves.
As the number of practitioners grows, it will be possible to compare and contrast their results, permitting some broader level of generalization concerning the applicability and effectiveness of the technique.
Posted On
July 18, 2005Resources
More resources by Harrison Owen:
Spirit: Transformation and Development in Organizations. Abbott Publishing, 1987.
Leadership Is. Abbott Publishing, 1990.
Riding the Tiger: Doing Business in a Transforming World. Abbott Publishing, 1991.
Tales from Open Space. Abbott Publishing, 1995.
Expanding Our Now: The Story of Open Space Technology. Berrett-Koehler, 1997.
Learning in Open Space. (thirty minute video) Produced by Anne Stadler. 1990.