Hi Joe, I've not used an on-line meeting prior to an Open Space face to face meeting---only after to do follow ups and build from what has happened---and that works exceedingly well.
It seems to me that if you do your on-line pre-conference meeting in Open Space, it would not take away from the great stuff that happens once you are there. That would be like saying that when we do more than one Open Space meeting in a row (separated out by a few weeks maybe) that the creativity/synergy/chemistry of the second would be less because of the first. In fact, the second is heightened and goes deeper, in my experience. Please let us know what you do and how it goes. Birgitt Birgitt Bolton Dalar Associates/Change Team Canada 55 Ravina Cres., Ancaster, Ontario, Canada L9G 2E8 phone: 905-648-5775 fax: 905-648-2262 ---------- > From: familyf...@aol.com > To: osl...@listserv.idbsu.edu > Subject: Re: Open Space in Cyber Space > Date: June 22, 1998 8:03 PM > > I would greatly appreciate any words of wisdom any of you may have in > combining Open Space and CyberSpace. I am co-chair of an international > conference for an organization. It is our annual conference and the > association's members are advisors and consultants from many disciplines who > serve family owned businesses. The theme is "Continuity and Change: Expanding > the Possibilities." We have engaged Harrison Owen to facilitate the last > three days of the four day event. > > We have also engaged an academic host to create an online conference that will > continue the face to face conference in an asynchronous environment. The > first stage of online information about the conference is posted at > <A HREF="http://ffi.org/2_New/fall98conf.htm">Conferences</A> (or, if you > can't use that link try: http://ffi.org/2_New/fall98conf.htm.) But my > question to you has to do with utilizing online resources prior to the > conference itself. I have been asked to moderate an online discussion area > at the association's web site to answer questions about OS. I am also > thinking of creating a bulliten board where people could begin to share ideas > they have for breakout sessions. > > I am hesitant, though, about anything that would take away from the chemistry > of OS am wondering if any of you have experimented with this application of > online technology with "the marketplace" prior to the face-to-face gathering. > I have been in a couple of online OS events and things worked out well, and > have lead a few OS events of various lenghts. I am wondering though about > mixing the two. > > Thank you for your thoughts. > > Joe Paul