An Open Space meeting/conference includes preparation, the actual meeting and follow-ups. The meeting focuses on a clear theme based on the purpose of the day(s). Initially, participants gather in a circle in a large room. The facilitator introduces the form of the meeting and the practical conditions.
Within an hour, the participants have created their own agenda and started working in self managed groups. A self-organizing system has been created. Everyone participates based on their own engagement and responsibility.
Participants are invited to bring up the ideas and issues they feel a passion for. Everyone is given responsibility to ensure that what is important is put on the agenda.
Anyone can put up one or more issues that they want to have conversations about. The convener is responsible that a summary from the conversation is captured in a simple report form.
A wall is used as a ‘bulletin board’. There, participants create the agenda by taping up their topics. After that, everyone is invited to choose which conversations they want to participate in.
It gets a little crowded at the wall when participants gather to make their choices. Already here inspired conversations begin.
The groups that form can be small or large. Those who come to your group ‘is the right people’.
When possible it works great when the groups are in the same room as the large circle(s) – then the energy is felt in the air. It also works with breakout rooms – or other places. The groups are furnished with chairs in a small circle without a table.
If the group decides to move out in the sun, that’s OK!
The person who came up with the topic is responsible for starting up the conversation in the group and that the conclusions are documented.
The notes can be made on flipchart sheets, written on smaller paper or, as in this case, at a computer station.
All reports are published on the news wall. When everyone has had the opportunity to read through what the different groups have come up with, some form of prioritization is usually made.
During conferences that last more than a day, we normally go ahead and make action plans for the issues that the participants feel most passionate about.
Some issues may already have been resolved and can be implemented immediately. Others may require more information. There may also be issues that are more complex. Then a new open process can be a way forward.
The action plans are also documented and made available during or as soon as possible after the conference.
The Open Space meeting ends together in the large circle, all participants are given the opportunity to comment on how they experienced the meeting.
The work can continue via meetings in the different action teams both in-person and/or on distance. A clear structure for how and when report backs will be done is important.
For more examples of how the environment for an Open Space conference might look , visit our image gallery!