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The Organisation Development Company

Open Space Technology

Open Space Technology is an innovative group facilitation methodology suitable for large groups. Designed and pioneered by American consultant Harrison Owen, founder of HH Owen and Company. Harrison Owens early academic and training centred on the nature and function of myth, ritual and culture. This together with extensive organisational work throughout Africa, the Peace Corps, and the US National Institutes of Health, inspired him to design a group method enabling participants to create the agenda and facilitate the sessions. He has called this method Open Space Technology.

There are five criteria to ensure success with Open Space Technology:

1. There is a real business issue to be solved, especially one marked by high levels of complexity: so the retreat theme/title is complelling
2. There are high levels of diversity, particularly in terms of the people needed to resolve it
3. There is not attachment to a predetermined specific outcome
4. People who come are passionate about the overall topic and are willing to lead and participate in the topic sessions they care about and have passion for
5. There is a decision time of yesterday

Open Space Technology

Supports action planning at the retreat itself and beyond the retreat

Enables group members to design their own agenda. The process ensures anything that is important to anyone about the theme has the opportunity to be discussed

Ensures participants will work with others who share their interests at the retreat with an opportunity to continue networking with these people beyond the retreat

Enables participants to move from one discussion to another, either learning or contributing

Provides a written summary of every session, posted on a wall during the retreat as soon as the summary is recorded. This is compiled into a book of proceedings for each participant to use beyond the retreat, together with an action plan and who is responsible for what.

We are experienced in working with this method in a range of groups.

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