I do not see any need for the chairs per se, I only see need to follow the standard of the culture you are working in. Some people need to sit down because of there physical capabilities, it is important to have the space accessible and supportive to the people you are inviting, the question of chairs belongs there. My personal chose is to have some way for people to sit down while eating and snacking and from this sitting many discussion often begin.
In my Open space technology out in the wild jeep tours, I love the element where people gather for a topic by one of the jeeps and then stroll away into the landscape and continue in smaller groups inside the jeeps on the way to the next stop. Because of the individualistic nature of the setting I think Ill ask each participant to keep track of his own contributions and his own understandings to be shared immediacy on the on-tour wifi web forum. If there are some people on the invite list that would prefer to have chairs to sit on while gathered in the big circle, then I heard someone talk about a ratio of 10% or 15% - 20% chairs could be provided. But be sure to keep the standing people gathered and still for as little time as needed, for begin still for to long while standing is not ideal for many and I would probably wander off in search for the coffee or restrooms if it drags on to long. But why would you like to use more time in the big circle then is absolutely needed for the open space mechanics anyway. Greetings from Iceland with the North Atlantic breeze Kári On 31 July 2013 00:49, Pablo Villoch <[email protected]> wrote: > Dearest OS community, > > I have been asked to co-host an Open Space next week where Chilean civil > society and NGOs will propose ideas to enrich the political programs for the > upcoming elections. > > An unknown number of people could come. Organizers estimate around > 300-500. > The venue is big enough. > The umbrella question is being destiled and refined. > > In the organizing committee there is an argument about the convenience of > using chairs. > Some people feel attached to the almost untouchable sacred geometry of the > circle of chairs. > I personally believe that chairs are not an essential element of OST, while > people can self-organize and decide if they prefer to talk standing up, sit > on the ground...or even talk while talking. > > That is why I take the courage to ask for help to the collective wisdom > present in this OS community. > > What successful stories can you share of opening space without chairs? > > What are the pros and cons of not using chairs in an Open Space? > > In what ways can (un)availability of chairs be a barrier or opportunity to > unleash collective wisdom through self organization? > > mountains of Love from the cold foggy Chilean winter. > > Pablo > > El 29/07/2013 16:07, <[email protected]> escribió: >> >> Send OSList mailing list submissions to >> [email protected] >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> [email protected] >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> [email protected] >> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >> than "Re: Contents of OSList digest..." >> >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. OS hotline Invite! Tomorrow, Tues, July 30th 12pm EDT >> (Tricia Chirumbole) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 12:16:31 -0400 >> From: Tricia Chirumbole <[email protected]> >> To: World wide Open Space Technology email list >> <[email protected]> >> Subject: [OSList] OS hotline Invite! Tomorrow, Tues, July 30th 12pm >> EDT >> Message-ID: >> >> <CAGT+W5P9KtveX9=pcpbykwqsvbcdoneqfconxy3bf55pyjf...@mail.gmail.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> Hello again OSers, >> >> You are cordially invited to join in on an OS hotline skype, scheduled for >> tomorrow, Tuesday, July 30th at 12pm EDT. >> >> Please sign up here!: OS hotline >> >> marketplace<https://docs.google.com/a/investorswithoutborders.net/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsXdTUUjiQHOdEJYUXF1ejY0TnAtd2I5RE05YWZJUUE&usp=sharing> >> >> Feel free to invite anyone in your life to the skype and share the above >> link. >> >> ALSO, the sheet is an open marketplace for you to add in a conversation >> that suits your schedule and invite the group :) >> >> Notes from previous skypes coming soon! >> >> -- >> Tricia Chirumbole >> US: +1-571-232-0942 >> Skype: tricia.chirumbole >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: >> <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20130729/5789a87e/attachment.html> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> >> End of OSList Digest, Vol 29, Issue 25 >> ************************************** > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > -- Kári Gunnarsson [email protected] gsm: +354 8645189 _______________________________________________ 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
