This practical training will help you understand Open Space Technology and the principles and dynamics that underpin it. You’ll also learn how to prepare for and facilitate Open Space events. To make sure you have the best possible experience, this training is limited to 24 people.
The training will be delivered by two experienced Open Space facilitators and trainers - Viv McWaters and Andrew Rixon. Both use Open Space Technology extensively in their consulting businesses.
It’s helpful (but not essential) if you have experienced an Open Space event and have read the book Open Space Technology: A User’s Guide by Harrison Owen. It is a practical ‘how to’ book that is easy to read in just a couple of sittings. Our training will tell you what the book doesn’t! Our training also provides pre and post-work options with choices of Early-bird or Premium Tickets. See http://www.ostcoaching.com for more details. Other information about Open Space Technology can be found at www.openspaceworld.org
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this training you should:
- Have a good understanding of the process of Open Space and the philosophy that underpins it
- Know when it’s appropriate to use Open Space Technology
- Understand the similarities and differences between OST and other 'unconference' approaches
- Be prepared to organise and facilitate an event using Open Space Technology
What's this all about then?
Have you ever been to an 'unconference'? Or maybe just heard about them? You might have been to a Trampoline day, or a BarCamp or some other event where you, as a participant, are invited to create the agenda. Open Space Technology has been around for a bit longer than these, and Harrison Owen, creator (?), discoverer (?), user and prolific author about all things Open Space says the approach has been around as long as there have been humans making decisions together, and all he did was rediscover this self-organising approach to meeting, and working together.
Open Space is easy to learn and easy to use - and it has layers and layers of really interesting stuff that underpins how and why it works. Understanding the origins of Open Space and the nuances of how and why it works, enables you to more effectively apply its principles to any meeting or gathering.
We like to the of Open Space as an operating system that underpins our facilitation and consulting practices.
Who should come to this training?
If you are responsible for bringing people together to share information, make decisions, work together, co-create the future, or if you're just curious about self-organising systems, complexity and peacebuilding (yes, really!) - then this training will have something for you.
We'll explore the logistics of Open Space, the experience of Open Space, and the philosophy of Open Space. When, where and why to use Open Space, when not to use it, and why it works in even the mosr complex and conflicted situations.
We'll explain, and demonstate, Open Space facilitation (hint: you'll have to let go of just about everything you've ever learnt about facilitation) and we'll look at how you can design to use Open Space for half a day or a whole week. over multiple sessions and embedded within more conventional processes.
The Small Print
Your registration fee includes GST of 10%
We understand that sometimes you need to cancell at the last minute. If you find you need to cancell, we'll be sorry and will reimburse your registretion fee less a 10% handling charge. Substitutions are okay.
