I think we need to make a distinction between warm up activities (a.k.a. icebreakers) and other stuff that may precede the Open Space Forum (as we now call it over here in Brighton, UK) proper.
Facilitators do warm-ups because they think that people are cold. Ive found that when I assume that people are already warm, then people are prepared (note the ambiguity) to go straight into the work. Although we dont do warm-ups, we do sometimes have people do some work before the OS Forum. The umbrella term for this might be context setting or subject soak. One of the things we sometimes have people work in small groups (like Real Time Strategic Change or Future Search) and use Post-its to get all the issues and opportunities out, then use sticky hearts to indicate where their energy is. Then, when it comes to offering sessions, people have a broader sense of the subject matter. We have also embedded an Open Space Forum into a Future Search conference, using Open Space to go deeper into some of the issues on the mind map of issues and trends going on in the present. We are currently collaborating with Mike Bell of The Wisdom Meme www.thewisdommeme.com <http://www.thewisdommeme.com/> ) to create a hybrid of the Wisdom Council and Open Space. Mike trained with the Ehama Institute ( www.ehama.org <http://www.ehama.org/> ) in California and is now back in the UK. So the Wisdom Council work is yet another process that can be used as groundwork for Open Space. Mike has worked with OST and suggests that the opening circle begins by stringing the beads, which means that everyone says their name. I havent tried this but will do so when a suitable opportunity shows up. Im not sure how this would be done with a large number of participants though. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Having said all that, there are many occasions when nothing is needed before the opening circle just get on with it. Id like to thank everyone who has contributed to this discussion. Martin www.theinnovationagency.com/openspace <http://www.theinnovationagency.com/openspace> www.martinleith.com <http://www.martinleith.com/>
