I am organizing two meetings in the next month that will use Open Space Technology. For one it was purposeful and for the other it simply emerged as the best method to ensure the meeting meets the needs of participants.
Why?
We want to foster creativity, networking and action!
Open Space methods let participants create an agenda that is meaningful for them. So if you have a theme you are working on, know that bringing a group of people together will help move the issue/challenge ahead, trust open space to help people mobilize themselves.
The principles and law of open space are:
- Whoever comes are the right people
- Whenever it starts is the right time
- Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened
- Whenever it’s over, it’s over
- Law of two feet: If at any time during our time together you find yourself in any situation where you are neither learning nor contributing, use your two feet, go someplace else
I am looking forward to facilitating a process driven by the participants and seeing what emerges. I will be sure to report back!
A few good online videos that describe open space technology are:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UoG24LdU5Q&feature=player_embedded]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux_LFjFeCvg&feature=player_embedded]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=I_WmctEWkRI]
