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What is an Open Space Event?
An Open Space event is an ideal way to tap the passion, enthusiasm and creativity of participants. It provides an open and informal atmosphere for issues to be discussed, recommendations to be made, priorities to be set and a plan of action to be developed, including identifying who will do what and when.
And all this in 1 or 2 days!
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When to use it
Open Space can be used successfully when:
· There are complex issues to be addressed
· There is a possibility of conflict
· There is a diverse group of people
· An urgent issue needs to be resolved quickly
· Collaboration between different organisations and communities is needed
· You want to become more customer focused
It can work with small groups of individuals (12 is a recommended minimum) and large groups with up to 1,000 participants.
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How does it work?
An Open Space event will look at a central theme or question. The event is participant driven - those who attend on the day will be asked to raise the issues around the theme or questions that are important to them, and this will become the Agenda.
Participants will then join discussion groups based on the issues raised with participants free to move around these discussions. The whole event is self-organising with a facilitator just outlining the process for the day and closing the event.
Each discussion group will provide a record of their discussions and recommendations. These recommendations will be prioritised by participants at the end of the event, or at a follow-up event, and an action plan created.
Simple!
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The benefits of using Open space
· Open Space events require very little planning up-front so that costs and staff resources
are kept to a minimum.
· Participants can go away from the event on the day with a completed report - this helps
with ownership and buy-in to recommendations and actions plans.
· Open Space enables participants to address important issues and achieve meaningful
results quickly.
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Who uses Open Space?
Open Space was a technique developed in the 1980's by Harrison Owen. Over this time the technique has been routinely used by central and local governments, RSLs and private business.
Open Space was used to develop Croydon's Older People's Strategy 2005-2008 and is being used again as the basis for recommendations for the new Strategy.
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