Open space creates circumstances for emergent self-organized conversation.
It has successfully been used for groups from handful to two thousands. For example at the Nokia Siemens Network's Agile Days we had very similar conditions as now at Scan-Agile.
There are may interests and ideas, by many community members, that wait for surfacing. Many speakers and experienced community members will participate the Open Space. Take active use of this opportunity!
The founder Harrison Owen used to arrange big and exclusive conferences. However hard he tried, the coffee breaks were always regarded the best. So he devised a conference consisting only of coffee breaks and it became the open space.
The agenda:
- Brief opening going through the structure and the principles.
- The marketplace of ideas. Anyone may, but no-one must propose session titles.
- N parallel and M consequential sessions happen around flipboard stands.
- The open space is closed with a fishbowl discussion.
The sessions are characterized by the Four Principles:
- Whoever comes is the right people
- Whatever happens is the only thing that could have
- Whenever it starts is the right time
- When it's over, it's over
The the Law of Two Feet describes the emergence and empowered freedom and responsibility:
- 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 to some other place where you may learn and contribute.
These roles are common:
- The Host: facilitates the discussion at your session. Great, if you can provide some kind of electronic report - photo or bullet list.
- A Participant: Contributes, gains and manages oneself in an empowered way.
- A Bumblebee: Fly from session to another cross-pollinating ideas.
- A Butterfly: Lies on the lawn and looks beautiful. Butterflies may suddenly find themselves in a productive spontaneous coffee break session.
Web resources:
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