I remember that story Michael! Some year afterward, John Abbe came south from Eugene and we cofacilitated a two day 'recent changes camp' outside and inside of the Social Text offices in Palo Alto. Folks from Europe were there too.
Jeff On 11/11/14, Michael Herman via OSList <[email protected]> wrote: > first, to paul, yes i've definitely done as you say. was a very small > group of us, not a conference but a "team meeting" held too late in the day > and made everyone ripe for some harmless mutiny. i led the charge or made > the suggestion, and the next day we did the team meeting in open space. we > put up 8 issues, discussed only 3, and the next weekly meeting looked like > all the previous ones, except that the team leader's agenda was really just > an ongoing updating of our original 8 issues, which were the answer to "how > do we get this project finished successfully?" mission accomplished. > > next, to the main question... > > some years ago, ted ernst (who some here will remember) and some other > friends got excited about wiki websites. they met up in portland, drove to > seattle to pick up others, then drove all the way to san diego, using > *part* of the minivan windshield as an open space bulletin board, > discussing all the way, to a symposium called wikisym. > > when they got there, this merry band made themselves stickers that said > "ask me about open space." as they met folks, they told the story and made > more stickers. pretty soon everyone knew about open space, a bulletin > board was created on a wall in a hallway, sessions went up and started > happening. the conference organizers came to the merry band and asked them > nicely not to wreck the conference. since wrecking was not the intention, > it was all worked out. > > part of that is that the organizers asked ted to facilitate open space at > the next symposium and make it official, so to speak. another part was > that some of the merry band, having been teased by these first attempts, > wanted to see what happened in a full-blown 2.5 days. so they organized > "recent changes camp" which itself sparked a bunch of other gatherings. > > gerard muller can maybe say more about the follow-on from the wikisym in > open space, as it was in denmark or nearby and i think he ended up working > with ted on that one. > > m > > > -- > > Michael Herman > Michael Herman Associates > 312-280-7838 (mobile) > > http://MichaelHerman.com > http://OpenSpaceWorld.org > > > On Tue, Nov 11, 2014 at 9:32 PM, John Baxter via OSList < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> I hosted an 'Elephants' Gathering' at a conference once upon a time. >> >> I knew there were people there I wanted to talk to, but the program was >> of >> little interest. >> >> I didn't try to compete with the mainstream agenda, I put it in the >> evening. >> >> Nobody had any intent on the formalities of Open Space, but it was indeed >> an open space, and the right people came (far less than I thought would >> come, but all the ones I wanted to talk to!). >> >> Someone (Eisenstein?) wrote a post recently, I think posted here, about >> trying to subvert the structure of a conference and being beaten down. >> My >> interpretation of events obviously... >> >> The right people can always be found in the cracks (at the bar, the >> coffee >> station etc). Some of them might need an invitation. >> >> I don't think it's appropriate to force Open Space on the others in a >> gathering who have little interest. >> Good on anyone that makes the call that Open Space is right for everyone >> and goes with it. But I fear that may likely more driven by ego than >> care >> (e.g the above dramatisation). >> >> Good discussion! >> >> >> *John Baxter* >> *Cocreation Consultant & CoCreate Adelaide Facilitator* >> CoCreateADL.com <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov%E2%80%8B> | >> jsbaxter.com.au <http://www.jsbaxter.com.au/> >> 0405 447 829 >> | >> @jsbaxter_ <http://twitter.com/jsbaxter_> >> >> *Thank you to everyone who came, helped or spread the good word about >> City >> Grill!* >> *Summary and links: cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary >> <http://cocreateadl.com/localgov/grill-summary>* >> >> >> On Wed, Nov 12, 2014 at 1:55 PM, Skye Hirst via OSList < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> yeah, indeed flash mob Open Space always a great possibility. Thanks, >>> Skye >>> >>> On Tue, Nov 11, 2014 at 4:09 PM, Royle, Karl via OSList < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Great! >>>> >>>> Sent by iPhone >>>> Karl Royle >>>> Head of Enterprise and Commercial Development >>>> >>>> Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing >>>> University of Wolverhampton >>>> 01902323006 >>>> 07815416698 >>>> @karlroyle. On Twitter >>>> Karlr61 Skype >>>> Www.academia.edu/karlroyle >>>> >>>> On 11 Nov 2014, at 20:51, "paul levy via OSList" < >>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> <http://rationalmadness.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/w3.jpg> >>>> >>>> I wonder if anyone reading this has experiences to share of what I am >>>> about to describe. Most published stories of open space tend to go by >>>> the >>>> book. The book is often referred to as the *user * >>>> <http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm>*guide* >>>> <http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm>“, and it tends towards >>>> a process that is largely based on an* instruction manual* >>>> <http://elementaleducation.com/wp-content/uploads/temp/OpenSpaceTechnology--UsersGuide.pdf>. >>>> Dogmatic application manual can then lead, in my humble opinion, not to >>>> one >>>> less thing to do, but often one more thing to do. These are “guides” >>>> not >>>> rules, and that is the spirit in which they were written. In many >>>> cases, >>>> the user guide proves remarkably resilient and applicable. Yet there is >>>> always the next moment, the new story, the moment that needs something >>>> playful. >>>> >>>> There’s a lot in the manual (and the many trainings that have come into >>>> being from it) about sponsors and invitations, and the things that need >>>> to >>>> be done before an Open Space to ensure the open spacer er… opens space. >>>> I >>>> have no difficulty with the manual. It’s full of good advice and is the >>>> foundation you might just need to open some space. But, hey, what about >>>> this… I’m at a company away day that is looking at product innovation. >>>> It >>>> is business critical, and it is floundering. Powerpoint after >>>> Powerpoint >>>> has resulted in a stifled audience, and when they get to breakout >>>> sessions, >>>> the flipcharts look empty, the energy is low, and it all looks a bit >>>> too >>>> quiet. There’s a feeling in the room that the event is dying on its >>>> feet. >>>> Several sessions are lost in badly facilitated action planning. I am on >>>> the >>>> team and the lead facilitator looks to me for any ideas. It must be >>>> because >>>> I am silent and looking knowing and wise. >>>> >>>> Actually I’m seething inside at this over-facilitated, over-designed, >>>> overplanned conference crash. Do you mind if I… I ask, a bit pompously >>>> and >>>> the lead facilitator is up for whatever help he can get. I leap up, and >>>> step into the mess. I have a loud voice and it can’t get any worse than >>>> this. An idea has just occurred to me and I decide to hurl it into the >>>> cluttered room. “Er, hey.” I roar. “Why don’t we open some space?” I’m >>>> loud. It goes silent. >>>> >>>> This is what I say: “This is crap isn’t it?” Silence. “Can everyone >>>> bring their chairs and let’s get into a big circle. Tuts, irritation, >>>> doubt >>>> and mostly relief. Two minutes later there’s a big circle. >>>> >>>> I introduce open space in about four minutes and quickly crab some flip >>>> chart paper and tack it to the wall, creating four corners at new >>>> breakout >>>> spaces. >>>> >>>> I ask people to take their chairs with them and, within about ten >>>> minutes we have a whole bunch of different sessions, many based around >>>> action. >>>> >>>> The bosses in the room are gobsmacked. >>>> >>>> We have a two hour open space until wrap up and there’s a huge buzz in >>>> the room from this pop-up open space. >>>> >>>> The invite was improvised and spontaneous. >>>> >>>> The space opened because it wanted and needed to. It popped up and out >>>> as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It transformed the >>>> day >>>> and sent the clutter fleeing for cover. It was done without fuss and >>>> chairs >>>> from the main circle quickly went into breakout and back again. The >>>> facilitator team were edgy because they felt they were supposed to be >>>> doing >>>> something and I dragged them away for coffee. We chatted a bit about >>>> “emergence” and I was looked on as if I’d done some kind of magic. I >>>> was >>>> young and enjoyed the attention. I was also looked as as if I was a bit >>>> weird. Well, I am a bit weird. I do wonder if pop-up open space could >>>> and >>>> should happen a lot more. >>>> >>>> A lot of open spacers I know loved improvisation and spontaneity, yet >>>> when it comes to open space are a bit locked in the process in the book >>>> of >>>> instructions – the manual that tends to overplay the “prep” for the >>>> event. >>>> So, I’m waving a flag for pop-up, guerilla open space. Why not open >>>> some >>>> space even for the process of open space? Let’s shimmy it a little and >>>> see >>>> what falls out. >>>> >>>> “Flash mob” open space has, I think, a big future. My intuition tells >>>> me >>>> a fair number of facilitators have done it, and a fair few of them >>>> haven’t >>>> reported it, telling instead there more “responsible” by-the-book open >>>> space stories. But why not? Why not open some space on the spur of the >>>> moment? The invite is still there -it just takes a hell of a lot >>>> shorter. >>>> The opportunity is always there where an over-organised event is >>>> disappearing up its own proverbial… >>>> >>>> It is also there in an event that has some inbuilt flexibility. Why not >>>> throw some open space into the flexible mix? But best of all, why not >>>> open >>>> space when space is there to be open? Self-organisation is often crying >>>> out >>>> for a chance in the midst of failing over-organisation. >>>> >>>> So, here’s to some more pop-up open space… >>>> On 11 Nov 2014 19:59, "Peggy Holman via OSList" < >>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi all, >>>>> >>>>> I got the query below from my friend Tom Atlee. It seemed like a >>>>> great question for the list. Since Tom isn’t on it, I told him that >>>>> I’d >>>>> forward any responses. >>>>> >>>>> appreciatively, >>>>> Peggy >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Begin forwarded message: >>>>> >>>>> *From: *Tom Atlee <[email protected]> >>>>> *Date: *November 10, 2014 at 12:51:54 PM PST >>>>> *Subject: **Guerilla Open Space?* >>>>> *To: *Peggy Holman <[email protected]> >>>>> >>>>> Hi Peggy, >>>>> >>>>> Thinking about the NCDD conference, I got the idea for "guerilla Open >>>>> Space" to be used in conferences where you want to open the space in >>>>> the >>>>> middle of a too-organized gathering. It would involve a central >>>>> website >>>>> with instructions on what to do and why. It would involve passing out >>>>> cards with messages like "Is there something that you'd really like to >>>>> talk >>>>> about or do here that the agenda here is preventing you from talking >>>>> about >>>>> or doing?" "Would you like to be learning, contributing, and having >>>>> more >>>>> fun here?" with the web address on it. Tweets might also be used. >>>>> Then, >>>>> on the main website it would tell people about how to do a guerilla >>>>> open >>>>> space, referring them perhaps to meetup.com to arrange places to talk. >>>>> >>>>> Or something like that. Have you heard of such thing before? Do you >>>>> have any thoughts/responses? >>>>> >>>>> Hugs, >>>>> Tom >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _________________________________ >>>>> Peggy Holman >>>>> Executive Director >>>>> Journalism that Matters >>>>> 15347 SE 49th Place >>>>> Bellevue, WA 98006 >>>>> 425-746-6274 >>>>> www.journalismthatmatters.net >>>>> www.peggyholman.com >>>>> Twitter: @peggyholman >>>>> JTM Twitter: @JTMStream >>>>> >>>>> Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into >>>>> Opportunity <http://www.engagingemergence.com> >>>>> Check out my series on what's emerging in the news & information >>>>> ecosystem >>>>> <http://www.journalismthatmatters.net/the_emerging_news_and_information_eco_system> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> OSList mailing list >>>>> To post send emails to [email protected] >>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> OSList mailing list >>>> To post send emails to [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Scanned by iCritical. >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> OSList mailing list >>>> To post send emails to [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> *Skye Hirst, PhD* >>> President - The Autognomics Institute >>> *Conversations in Radical Self-Knowing* >>> www.autognomics.org >>> @autognomics >>> >>> New Phone Number: >>> 207-593-8074 >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> OSList mailing list >>> To post send emails to [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> >> > _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
