AboutOpenSpaceTechnology

From RCC 2007

1 Where Passion Meets Responsibility
2 Opening Space
3 The Four Principles
4 Creating a Session
5 Adding Sessions
6 See Also

Where Passion Meets Responsibility

(Proper attribution goes to AgileOpenNorthwest.org from which the content of this web page was derived.)

Back in 1983, Harrison Owen made a discovery. He had spent a year organizing an international conference and, when it was over, everyone agreed that the best learning, information sharing and networking had occurred in the coffee breaks!

Owen went on to originate Open Space Technology, an approach to organizing meetings that allows groups of all sizes to self-organize, create an agenda and solve complex problems. RecentChangesCamp.org uses Open Space Technology to provide just enough structure to allow particpants to self-organize the agenda.

Over the last 20 or more years, the Open Space movement has grown to the point where entire conferences based on its principles are not uncommon. Working without an agenda, but with specific strategies to encourage and direct participation, groups of up to 1000 people have successfully self-organized around a complex problem, held meetings and published results.

OST is particularly appropriate for an RecentChangesCamp conference, because it delays all decisions about what sessions will be held, when they will be scheduled and who will attend them until the last responsible moment. If you have ever signed up for particular sessions in a traditional conference months in advance, only to discover that your needs and interests had changed by the time you got to the event, you'll appreciate the value of this!

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Opening Space

The opening session of RecentChangesCamp takes place on the first morning with everyone attending. At that time, the principles of Open Space will be explained, people will announce the sessions they are convening, and we'll get right to work!

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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.
Whenever its over, its over.

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Creating a Session

After this introduction, we will invite those who want to host a session to come forward and present it. This is a simple process. No papers, slides, flip-charts are needed - or even desired. You will simply write the name of your topic on a piece of paper with your name and step forward to read your paper.

You will then select a time and place from those available on our wall-display and post your notice there.

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Adding Sessions

You may add a session to the schedule at any time during the event by posting information about it in an available slot. We'll have periodic announcements of any new or rescheduled sessions as well, but it's a good idea for all participants to keep an eye out for schedule changes.

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