OPEN SPACE TECHNOLOGY by Martin Leith

PURPOSE
Open Space Technology enables an unlimited number of people to meet, discuss issues of heartfelt concern, pool their knowledge and, where appropriate, develop action plans.

DEVELOPER
Harrison Owen.

WHAT IS IT?
Open Space Technology (OST) is a method for organising a self- managed meeting or conference where participants create their own programme of work sessions. In these simultaneous sessions people discuss their concerns, explore issues and opportunities and find new ways forward. An Open Space event brings people together, often in large numbers and representing great diversity, to contribute their views, share their ideas and develop plans for creative and collaborative action.

The Open Space approach is particularly effective when used to resolve complex or conflict-ridden issues in a short period of time, and when innovation and ownership are the desired outcomes. A prerequisite is that the focal issue or theme must be of genuine concern to all involved. The group can be of any size, from twelve people to a thousand or more. Participation in an Open Space event is voluntary whenever possible. The event can be of any length - usually one, two or three days. There is one facilitator for the entire Open Space event, sometimes assisted by a co-facilitator.

Although OST is generally classified as a meeting management method, it has the potential to form the basis of a new approach to organisation. The principles and practices of OST can be used to facilitate self-organisation in the workplace or the community.

OUTPUT
A set of written reports, one for each session, usually with action points. An additional process can be run after the Open Space event to establish ongoing action teams.

LENGTH OF EVENT
One, two or three days.

GROUP SIZE
Limited only by capacity of venue. Lower limit is around 12 people.

WHEN TO USE IT

• To surface people's heartfelt concerns
• To explore issues and opportunities
• To promote discussion and decision making
• To develop plans for creative and collaborative action that people really own
• To create strong community spirit particularly when there are high levels of complexity, diversity and conflict, and there is a decision time of yesterday.

WHEN NOT TO USE IT

• When the topic is too broad or too specific.
• When the plans have already been formulated.
• When there is desire to control the process.
• When the achievement of a specific outcome is essential.
• When the sponsor has a hidden agenda.
• When there is no commitment from management to support the projects that emerge

WHAT AN OPEN SPACE EVENT IS NOT

• It's not a brainstorming session (people discuss their heartfelt concerns).
• It's not a complaints session (the emphasis is on taking personal responsibility).
• It's not a "jolly" (Open Space involves high play, but also high learning).
• It's not total anarchy (there is appropriate structure and appropriate control).

PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING OPEN SPACE TECHNOLOGY

• Open Space runs on passion, responsibility and appropriate structure and control.
• Participants self-manage the agenda, discussion and outputs.
• Whoever comes are the right people. (Participation is voluntary.)
• Whenever it starts is the right time. (Inspiration doesn't recognise timetables.)
• Whatever happens is the only thing that could happen. (Let go of your expectations.)
• When it's over, it's over. (If there's no more to say, move on.)
• If you find yourself in a situation where you are neither learning nor contributing, it is your responsibility to use The Law of Two Feet to go elsewhere.

WHAT HAPPENS

Before the event

• Define the purpose of the event and answer the question: How will we know that it was a successful event?
• Set appropriate theme: neither too general nor too specific.
• Decide who to invite and issue invitations.

The event itself

• Participants gather for the opening plenary. They sit in a circle, to indicate that everyone is equally a leader.
• The facilitator states the theme of the event, describes the principles that underpin Open Space Technology and explains what is going to happen.
• Anyone who feels so inspired can offer one or more sessions (such as a presentation, workshop, discussion group or task force) by creating a simple poster showing the title of the session and his or her name, choosing a room and timeslot and making a brief announcement to the whole group.
• The posters are fixed to the wall and participants sign up for the sessions that they wish to attend. Much negotiating usually occurs at this point: conveyors offering sessions on similar topics may decide to join forces, and people may ask certain conveyors to retime their sessions to make participation possible.
• Participants then self-organise and pursue what interests them, attending sessions or being a bumblebee (flitting from session to session) or a butterfly (acting as a "strange attractor"). Someone at each session volunteers to make notes and prepare a computer-generated report which is displayed under a sign saying "Session Reports".
• The large group reconvenes at certain points and at the end of the event to share what has transpired.
• At the end of the event everyone receives a set of reports from all the sessions, which often include action points. There is sometimes an additional session for prioritising issues and creating detailed action plans in self-selecting action teams.

After the event

• Projects and actions emerging from the event must be monitored and coordinated, and their current status communicated to all interested parties.

RESULTS DELIVERED

• Concrete action plans are specified and committed to.
• People's genuine concerns are identified.
• Creative and relevant ideas are developed.
• New behaviours are practised and new norms established.
• Productive working relationships are created.
• Cross-functional communication links are initiated.
• On-going self-managed groups come into being.
• A strong sense of community emerges.
• People's hearts and minds are fully engaged.

WHO HAS USED OPEN SPACE TECHNOLOGY?

The method has been used by organisations and communities throughout the world, in many different countries including France, the Netherlands, South Africa, UK, USA and Venezuela. Users in Europe and the Middle East include:

• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• The Engineering Council
• Guinness Ireland Group
• ICI Polyester
• Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways)
• Petroleum Development Oman
• Prudential UK
• The Rockport Company (see case study below)
• Shell International Exploration & Production