I find that most of this becomes evident during the pre-work conversations, when we talk about power dynamics. Which also informs our conversation about which process to use, how long an event should be (given the objectives, desired outcomes, reasons, context, culture and more), and other elements. After which if Open Space is still the right-fit process / tool for the job, knowing much of this, it’s a reason (in my experience, anyway, which could differ from yours) to - not make sessions shorter than 1 hour - have enough sessions so that people can ‘find their feet’ to go where they need to go - describe principles and law as self-care contributing to productivity … things like that.
I find that giving people extra instructions does not go into most people. Even placing an instruction sheet at each discussion area does not go into most people / many people opt for whatever (instead) is comfortable for them. And giving people ways to be - more than the principles - seems to go into the people who are already like that, but does not change other peoples’ behaviors. So a not-too-fast-or-squished Open Space plus some other attention paid to power dynamics seems to help everyone go where they need to go. In any good conversation, is it that the sub-topics are all identified at the start? That some get brought up and that some do not? I don’t observe this - in conversations (any kind, Open Space or in a really good house party) conversations go where the energy is. And I have also observed that brainstorming topics (in any process) at the start tends to ‘reward’ the quick-responders, not the reflective thinkers. And also the topics on someone’s mind at the start are not always the deeper level of where things can go if explored. My observation is the formats of each small group discussion are diverse, across the room, depending on the energies and the styles of diverse individuals. And that seems to work. I don’t find that adding tools, aides or games improves in Open Space. I do find that discussing and understanding things as much as possible with the client before the event is useful and informs such things as how you make the name tags (such as just names / zero titles), the fact that you don’t do introductions, the fact that you try not to have the client do speeches, awards, formal lunches that (to my observation) interrupt the flow of dialogue and engagements - and other elements universal to process design (especially Open Space). As a participant, I have found all the energy sucked out of a room when someone had the group do games, team-building, warm-ups or anything else that was not (to me) a fully engaging way to actually do the work, collaboratively and interactively. As I say - your experience, your observations could differ. I have also found that in online environments people just disappear and you don’t see them step away, say thank you, stand on the edge and look in, make a face that gets you asking how they too see things, and all that good stuff. So I am wondering if the improvement to virtual process for Open Space (or similar face-to-face-based processes) might build on some of these things. Also the timing thing, the facilitator’s role and presence (non-interventionst, in the case of Open Space), the ability to see things happening in the same big room (feel energy, sense options, notice hunger and thirst or others butterflying at the food or looking out the window) - these things and many more - in the in-person environment - to me, would inform the evolution of the creation of online tools and environments. And a disclaimer about me personally, as a participant in such things: I have a personal resistance to the gamefication of things that are important to me. Thanks, Lucas - you always invite such interesting exploration. And thanks, others, for your often-so-different-than-mine observations, experiences and ways of doing things… Lisa Lisa Heft Consultant, Facilitator, Educator Opening Space > On 22/3/2015, at 15:10, Lucas Cioffi via OSList > <oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > >> Hi All, >> >> I checked the OST User's Guide and the OS List archives, but I didn't find >> any mention of what format the breakout sessions can/should take. >> >> During some but not all OS events I've attended, facilitators have mentioned >> that breakout sessions should be conversations rather than presentations. >> >> The OS philosophy would say "there's no need to suggest how to run a >> breakout session" and "empower the participants to choose their own formats >> for each session" and "do less" and "it just happens". However, we all know >> from firsthand experience that some breakout sessions are more personally >> satisfying/rewarding than others, just as some 3-person coffee break >> conversations during normal conferences are better than others. >> >> Here are some potential problems with breakout sessions if they are >> implemented poorly by participants: >> There can be too many sub-topics for the breakout session so some ideas do >> not get brought up at all. Most of the time people do not brainstorm all >> the topics at the beginning of a session and they dive right into the >> discussion of the first issue that comes to mind. So they don't ever know >> all the topics that are on everyone's minds. >> Some people do no feel comfortable for various reasons related to >> introversion, discrimination, or office politics, so they never speak up. >> As facilitators, we know ways to avoid this but the participants may not >> know how to avoid these meeting pitfalls. >> One person dominates the discussion. The built-in remedy for this is that >> everyone else votes with their feet and leaves to form their own breakout >> session later, but sometimes this doesn't happen and it's simply a lost >> opportunity for everyone. >> Here are my questions for the group: >> 1. What formats to the breakout sessions usually take at events that you >> facilitate, and are some of these formats better than others in your opinion? >> 2. What formats could breakout sessions take? Someone usually starts with >> why they convened the session, but then what usually happens? What could >> happen? >> 3. What meeting tools/aides/games can help improve the quality of breakout >> sessions?
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