It IS amazing. We must have all been barely out of diapers when we were doing that work!
BTW, I love the evolution to electronic harvesting tools. In fact, I’m about to investigate www.smsharvest.com for an upcoming session. Peggy On Aug 28, 2014, at 1:59 PM, Chris Corrigan <[email protected]> wrote: > It’s amazing that we have all been around this long… :-) > > On Aug 28, 2014, at 1:48 PM, Peggy Holman <[email protected]> wrote: > >> For the historical record…. >> >> As Michael mentioned, the original concept was mine. I convened a session at >> OSonOS in Toronto in 1997 called “Day 3” — as in what happens on day 3? >> >> The phrase “opening space for action” is mentioned in the notes. I know I >> brought the idea to the session because I remember going into the session >> feeling like I might be bringing a breakthrough. I think that phrase emerged >> out of the session. >> >> I’ve posted the notes from the session here: >> http://peggyholman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/OSonOS-V.Toronto.1997.Day-3.pdf >> >> (I don’t know whether to be pleased or appalled that I could find OSonOS >> proceedings from 17 years ago!) The notes provide a nice perspective on how >> thinking evolved from voting to synthesizing to opening space for action. >> >> I seem to recall that Michael was the first to try it and tell its story on >> the OS list, though looking through the archives, Diane Gibeault, who was >> also at the session, is the first reference I located. (Was she the first?) >> An exchange between Diane and Michael on the OSlist is copied below. >> >> >> Peggy >> >> >> >> >> >> Begin forwarded message: >> >>> From: "Parkinson & Gibeault" <[email protected]> >>> Subject: Re: Concluding Open Space >>> Date: August 23, 1998 at 2:33:25 PM PDT >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Reply-To: <[email protected]> >>> >>> Hello Michael and everyone, >>> >>> In June you responded to my report on a different way of converging in OS. >>> You were then "catching up with e-things after being gone". Well, I am doing >>> the same thing now that the post holiday folly is winding down. >>> >>> First, thank you for your comments. I like your suggested question and >>> intend to use it in my next OS in September. It will be the first time I use >>> the tree metaphore for convergence with a large group (250 people). I will >>> be co-facilitating with Jacqueline Pelletier a long time facilitator who >>> also trained with Harrison Owen. We will report on how it went. If other >>> people have used this approach particularly with large groups, I would >>> welcome their comments and suggestions from their experience. >>> >>> 2.Dot vote: Because the time investment question gets dealt with in action >>> plan discussion groups to which people participate, I use the dot voting to >>> give the organization another piece of information: independantly of where >>> people chose to invest time, what do they think the overall priorities for >>> the organizations are. The reason being is that people may feel more >>> comfortable and competent to contribute to an issue but may want to >>> communicate what they think (priorities) about the big picture. >>> Participants have in fact asked to make that distinction. >>> >>> Look forward to more discussion on all this, >>> >>> Diane Gibeault >>> >>> Diane Gibeault & Associé.e.s/Associates >>> 191 Juliette Ave. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1K 2T5 >>> (613) 744-2638 Fax (613) 744- 3347 >>> >>> Michael Herman wrote: >>> >>>> hello everyone, >>>> >>>> just catching up with e-things after being gone... >>>> >>>> special thanks to diane for taking action on our conversations re: >>>> converging and for reporting it...i'd add a couple of little details by >>>> way of question, suggestion, concern.... >>>> >>>> 1. the notion of priority setting and the question you used to open the >>>> last day seems to have the potential to allow an escape into planning >>>> mode and out of passion+responsibility mode...what do think of the more >>>> blunt question..."what are you going to do now?" or "what can you do >>>> now?"...still intending that these individual actions would be lead to >>>> the emergence of priorities? >>>> >>>> 2. recently was present for a dots-voting session...i questioned the >>>> strength of the passion+responsibility link in this particular session i >>>> was in and thought the link could be tightened by asking folks to take >>>> dots in proportion to the amount of time they expected to invest in >>>> doing the actions being voted on....for example, at my meeting (about 30 >>>> volunteer leaders at my church) i would have suggested taking one voting >>>> dot for every hour per week a person expected to work on these projects >>>> over the next six months. >>>> >>>> as you can see, my concern is to get the most honest view on day three >>>> of what can really happen going forward, what people are really ready to >>>> do and not just what would be nice...that said, i also really like the >>>> idea of going through the opening process again, to demonstrate that the >>>> opening/questioning process is an everyday working thing, not just an >>>> annual planning thing. >>>> >>>> thanks again, >>>> >>>> michael herman >> >>> >> >> >> _________________________________ >> 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 >> Check out my series on what's emerging in the news & information ecosystem >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Aug 28, 2014, at 1:02 PM, Chris Corrigan <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Two points…first…yes Michael and I hammered on that opening space for >>> action process back in 2002 or something…there are several methods and >>> practices now published by different folks on how to move on from a day or >>> two of open space. Let your context be your guide. I for one am glad we >>> moved on from voting being the only way. >>> >>> Michael, as for the tool, basically it works like this. You project a >>> phone number up on a screen and invite people to text things to that number >>> (the number is acquired through a service called Twillio which can assign a >>> number for this purpose). At the backend, the software spits out different >>> kinds of outputs. In the past we have used word clouds and spreadsheets >>> for tabulating data. You could have two rounds of texting…one round could >>> be an invitation for people to text three words that sum up their >>> experience…you can instantly generate a word cloud of that information, >>> which gives instant feedback. You could then ask people to choose from a >>> number of options just by texting a number representing their preferred >>> option. The software can generate a CSV file which is then easy to put >>> into a spread sheet and generate a graph from. The whole process can >>> happen pretty much instantly and the real time feedback can be used to >>> guide subsequent discussions. >>> >>> And I can’t emphasize enough how easy it was to work with Luke on this. If >>> you need a tweak, give him a call. If you want to work it yourself, th >>> ebasic code is open source. >>> >>> Chris >>> >>> On Aug 28, 2014, at 11:08 AM, Michael Herman <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> wow. and this might be the answer to my technical question, chris. i'll >>>> check out this new tool and include it in the site updating. specific >>>> words, specific tools. this is exactly what i was looking for. >>>> >>>> as i go off to try to understand the new tool. can you say more here >>>> about how it works. you've got 200 or 300 or 50 or whatever folks in the >>>> circle, day three, or two weeks after a one-day event, or sometime. >>>> you've got a set of proceedings from the first time. maybe you've >>>> re-opened the space. or are going to. there is some interest in polling >>>> the crowd. now what? >>>> >>>> in the old days, we numbered the issues and everyone ranked their top ten. >>>> how does this new tool make work? what do you ask them to text into the >>>> center? what do they send? how is that processed and turned back to the >>>> group? does the form of this make it necessary to ask about individual >>>> issues? what possibilities are opened by the new form? how does it not >>>> devolve into a simple yes/no polling or how does it support ongoing or >>>> in-the-moment conversation? >>>> >>>> i guess i'm really wondering if this is a tool for converging or >>>> diverging, or both. and how that works. can you put it in that old >>>> familiar context? or is that the wrong way to think about it? >>>> >>>> thanks, m >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> Michael Herman >>>> Michael Herman Associates >>>> 312-280-7838 (mobile) >>>> >>>> http://MichaelHerman.com >>>> http://OpenSpaceWorld.org >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 12:52 PM, Chris Corrigan >>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> Yup…Opening space for action is still the best way to get things moving. >>>> It has several advantages, the best of which is that it allows people to >>>> digest themes and ideas that cross through many many sessions. Often you >>>> can have a project come out on the action day that takes care of issues >>>> raised in several different sessions. >>>> >>>> It allows for convergence to happen within the heart, and for those with >>>> the passion who are willing to make time to initiate something to call it >>>> in. It has always resulted in much better sustained result, in my >>>> experience. >>>> >>>> Sometimes though, there is a need to vote on things, and what I have done >>>> recently is to hire a developer called Luke Closs to build a little a >>>> tool called SMSHarvest and you can find that at www.smsharvest.com. >>>> Basically it allows people to use their phones to send a text to a number. >>>> That text can contain any kind of information including preferences, and >>>> text….we deliberately designed the tool to be useable without any sign up >>>> and to be totally familiar, as almost everyone knows how to text and if >>>> you don’t someone can show you or do it for you. Easy. >>>> >>>> You can use the tool for free, or throw some money Luke’s way as a mark of >>>> appreciation. And if you want him to build a tweak for you, he does that >>>> well, quickly and directly to what you need. >>>> >>>> Chris >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Aug 28, 2014, at 8:40 AM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Actually I still have the old software, but I agree with Michael. There >>>>> are much better ways. The problem for me with that software, as with all >>>>> efforts (including Sticky-dots) to prioritize the issues that were raised >>>>> on the first day or so of the OS is that it is measurement of >>>>> “yesterday’s passions.” Very much like the most recent Quarterly >>>>> Financial Report... all it tells you about is old news. On a standard 2 ½ >>>>> day OS, when the 3rd day dawns, everybody had had a night to sleep on >>>>> everything. Almost inevitably a lot will have changed. Hot issues will >>>>> merge with other hot issues, hot issues will cool, new issues will have >>>>> been thrown up thanks to the interaction of the preceding two days. There >>>>> is also the question of Actionable Issues (which is the focal point of >>>>> the 3rd day) which don’t necessarily include all the issues previously >>>>> discussed. I believe Chris Corrigan started it all when he talked about >>>>> “opening the space for action.” Anyhow that is what he did, and I do as >>>>> well. Very simple procedure which I think I covered in the 3rd Edition of >>>>> The User’s Guide. Nowhere near as elegant as Michael’s “Praxis” – but it >>>>> will do in a pinch, and is not in German. J >>>>> >>>>> Harrison >>>>> >>>>> Winter Address >>>>> 7808 River Falls Drive >>>>> Potomac, MD 20854 >>>>> 301-365-2093 >>>>> >>>>> Summer Address >>>>> 189 Beaucaire Ave. >>>>> Camden, ME 04843 >>>>> 207-763-3261 >>>>> >>>>> Websites >>>>> www.openspaceworld.com >>>>> www.ho-image.com >>>>> OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives >>>>> of OSLIST Go >>>>> to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>>>> >>>>> From: OSList [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of >>>>> Michael Herman >>>>> Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2014 5:41 AM >>>>> To: OSLIST >>>>> Subject: [OSList] is our voting software dead? >>>>> >>>>> hi all, especially those of you who've used the old multi-voting software. >>>>> >>>>> i'm wondering when was the last time you used the multi-voting software >>>>> to do prioritization at the end of an OS meeting? i'm trying to figure >>>>> out if it's still useful on the latest PCs. i'm a mac guy, so can't test >>>>> it locally here. >>>>> >>>>> and if not using the old software, what are you using on day 3 of os >>>>> events that are too big for dots? is there a new state-of-the-art when >>>>> it comes to converging into action with larger groups? >>>>> >>>>> many thanks, m >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>>> Michael Herman >>>>> Michael Herman Associates >>>>> 312-280-7838 (mobile) >>>>> >>>>> http://MichaelHerman.com >>>>> http://OpenSpaceWorld.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 >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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
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