Thought people might be interested in the 800 person Open Space conducted by Chris Schoch.
-----Original Message----- From: SCHOCHCHRI <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Sunday, March 22, 1998 1:44 PM Subject: Re : Re: tech support for open space (800 participants) Dear Peg, Sorry for not answering sooner. I'll send along an attachment with notes following our 900 + assembly last week in Caen with all workers and managers from the Bosch plant that is there. It worked wonderfully well however the most important things happened well before the " two day event" which was the emotional and psychological high point in a process that began six months ago and will continue for the next 7 years. Very simply the group was ready = the purpose was clear, and they had already been in an interactive mode for some time ( a future search conference was held 3 weeks earlier , but even before that people were encouraged to speak out freely and ask questions on the process "Vision 2005". I really Harrison is right and theres not much very different about the way we set up the 900meeting compared to smaller ones- there was just more of everything: more space needed ( count at least 2 sq. meters per participant for the main meeting room, and at least 65 breakout rooms of varying size with more large rooms than in smaller meetings.) a much longer market space ( the wall sould be at least 80 meters long) ; mobile sound equipment available for simultaneous "mini-open spaces" when they occur. Of course logistical support must be impeccable and my parteners "Feeling Fox" are real pros (I've done several whole systems meetings with them). We hired about 30 hostesses who helped people get throught the first day. Our place of venu was a underlit music hall with no natural light- I felt the energy was very negative and we did many things wrong.... and it still worked because the participants did not let anything get in the way of what they wanted.....open dialogue, which is what it's all about.AS HO says if it's gonna happen ...it will. Some things we did do: - A2 sized Convener sheets helped. Also we had 2 giant screens and a podium that I hated but accepted so that they could film the proceedings onto the screens.It probably discouraged some folk from coming for'ward with themes, but 150 did get posted on the big board. Having the themes posted also on a Computer screen would have helped some people do their shopping without having to confront the chaos around the wall, but then they might not have been quite so passionate about the subjects they discussed. There were 18 rows of chairs gathered around the circle in some places..... Open space doesn't make things happen, it reveals what and where a group is and provides an opportunity for movement. Also there was one paraplegic man in a wheel chair- so no mention was made of the law of 2 feet_ instead I reffered to it as the law of mobility with no noticeable effect. Beleive in the people if they are ready and in the space if it is safe. Good luck. Chris
