What Is It ?

   Open Space Technology is one way to enable all kinds of people, in any kind of organization, to create inspired meetings and events. Over the last 15 years, it has also become clear that opening space, as an intentional leadership practice, can create inspired organizations, where ordinary people work together to create extraordinary results with regularity.
   In Open Space meetings, events and organizations, participants create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around a central theme of strategic importance, such as : What is the strategy, group, organization or community  that all stakeholders can support and work together to create ?
   With groups of 5 to 1000 - working in one day workshops, three day conferences, or the regular weekly staff meeting - the common result is a powerful, effective connecting and strengthening of what's already happening in the organization : planning and action, learning and doing, passion and responsibility, participation and performance.

When and Why ?

   Open Space works best when the work to be done is complex, the people and ideas involved are diverse, the passion for resolution (and potential for conflict) are high, and the time to get it done was yesterday. It's been called passion bounded by responsibility, the energy of a good coffee break, intentional self-organization, spirit at work, chaos and creativity, evolution in organization, and a simple, powerful way to get people and organizations moving - when it's needed most.
   And, while Open Space is known for it's apparent lack of structure and welcoming of surprises, it turns out that the Open Space meeting or organization is actually very structured - but that structure is so perfectly fit to the people and the work at hand, that it goes unnoticed in it's proper role of supporting (not blocking) best work. In fact, the stories and workplans woven in Open Space are generally more complex, more robust, more durable - and can move a great deal faster than expert or management-driven designs.

What will happen ?

We never know exactly what will happen when we open the space for people to do their most important work, but we can guarantee these results when any group gets into Open Space :

1. All of the issues that are most important to the participants will be raised.

2. All of the issues raised will be addressed by those participants most qualified and capable of getting something done on each of them.

3. In a time as short as one or two days, all of the most important ideas, discussion, data, recommendations, conclusions, questions for further study, and plans for immediate action will be documented in one comprehensive report - finished, printed and in the hands of participants when they leave.

For more information on Open Space Technology and programs contact :

The Institute of Cultural Affairs
Woodside, Mt. Parker Road, Quarry Bay, HK 
Tel : 852-2561-9209
Fax : 852-2562-6181
Email : icahk@hkstar.com 

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28/9/00