Briefly, OST is a way of bringing people together when issues are complex, pressing, charged and confusing. Rather than facilitators and leaders trying to map out an agenda, a calling question is crafted. An invitation is sent out as widely as possible and those who want to get involved are invited to show up. A (usually large) room is prepared, ideally in a circle. The OST host opens the event by reiterating the calling question and asking people to think of topics connected with this that they are passionate about – they will be able to convene a conversation shortly. Then the host sets out the four rules and one law of Open Space. These are:Rule 1: Whenever it starts is the right timeRule 2: Whoever shows up are the right peopleRule 3: Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happenedRule 4: When it’s over, it’s overThese rules about about the forthcoming conversations. There are clear connections with improvisational theatre and performance here; choose the moment, work with what you have, be brave and not worry about what-ifs, and when the exchange has run its course, close it and move on. However, these four rules are under the one law of open space:The Law of Two Feet: Each individual has personal responsibility to give and get best value for their presence. If you find yourself somewhere where you think you are not giving or getting best value, then it’s your responsibility to use your two feet to move to another place where you are giving or getting better value.This means that the structure around the conversations is fluid. Some people may go to a conversation and stay with it. Other may go to a session, give and get value and then move on to another session. Still others (called ‘bumblebees’ in the trade) may go from one conversation to another, taking news about what’s being discussed elsewhere and cross-pollinating the sessions. Another option is to be a ‘butterfly’ and choose not to go to a conversation but rather hang out looking beautiful (just like a butterfly), talking to passing bumblebees and other butterflies. Whatever is your best value way of contributing, you can do it.At this point, the host invites those who want to convene a conversation to step forward and write the topic on a piece of paper. They then choose a place and time from the range available (usually post-it notes have been pre-made), step up to the microphone and announce their session: “I’d like to talk about [X}, and I’ll be in the Dornoch Room at 2pm.” Once the whole range of offers has been made, a menu is created on a wall with all the offers and we’re off. That’s it. From now on, the event is self-organising and requires very little intervention from the host. People gather round, decide where to start, make their way in the direction of the sessions and self-organise.
- No location available
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In the ‘full’ version of an Open Space, the convenor of each session is responsible for getting a report created to share with those who weren’t at the session. (A flip chart poster used to be the default way to do this, these days there are other options like iPads.) Everyone may gather for a closing session and have the chance to say what’s emerged for them. If the Open Space extends over several days (not at all impossible) then there are News sessions and the chance for more conversation topics to emerge.
- No location available
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The rules, and in particular the Law of Two Feet, produce a ‘paradoxical bind’. They actively permit (and encourage) every possible individual behaviour in the session. What to go to a session? Yes! Visit several sessions? Yes! Hang out somewhere drinking coffee? Yes! Talk to random people for hours? Yes! Sit looking grumpy and reading a book? Yes (if that’s really your best way to give and vet value right now). Want to go to your room and have a nap? Yes!
- No location available
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There is one type of event to which the host has to be alert – the ‘space invader’. Harrison Own knew all about this. If someone stops simply making choices for themselves (which is entirely permitted) and starts wanting to make choices for others. The person who stands on a table and shouts “This is a waste of time! We should all do X now” Or “I have the answer! Everyone listen to me!” In this case the host has a job to do, to suggest that the person convene a session about it, or to encourage everyone else to move along to another space, thus restoring the functioning open space. I should say at this point that I have never had this happen or seen it happen. However, I can still recall Harrison telling us about it all those years ago.
- No location available
-

Briefly, OST is a way of bringing people together when issues are complex, pressing, charged and confusing. Rather than facilitators and leaders trying to map out an agenda, a calling question is crafted. An invitation is sent out as widely as possible and those who want to get involved are invited to show up. A (usually large) room is prepared, ideally in a circle. The OST host opens the event by reiterating the calling question and asking people to think of topics connected with this that they are passionate about – they will be able to convene a conversation shortly. Then the host sets out the four rules and one law of Open Space. These are:Rule 1: Whenever it starts is the right timeRule 2: Whoever shows up are the right peopleRule 3: Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happenedRule 4: When it’s over, it’s overThese rules about about the forthcoming conversations. There are clear connections with improvisational theatre and performance here; choose the moment, work with what you have, be brave and not worry about what-ifs, and when the exchange has run its course, close it and move on. However, these four rules are under the one law of open space:The Law of Two Feet: Each individual has personal responsibility to give and get best value for their presence. If you find yourself somewhere where you think you are not giving or getting best value, then it’s your responsibility to use your two feet to move to another place where you are giving or getting better value.This means that the structure around the conversations is fluid. Some people may go to a conversation and stay with it. Other may go to a session, give and get value and then move on to another session. Still others (called ‘bumblebees’ in the trade) may go from one conversation to another, taking news about what’s being discussed elsewhere and cross-pollinating the sessions. Another option is to be a ‘butterfly’ and choose not to go to a conversation but rather hang out looking beautiful (just like a butterfly), talking to passing bumblebees and other butterflies. Whatever is your best value way of contributing, you can do it.At this point, the host invites those who want to convene a conversation to step forward and write the topic on a piece of paper. They then choose a place and time from the range available (usually post-it notes have been pre-made), step up to the microphone and announce their session: “I’d like to talk about [X}, and I’ll be in the Dornoch Room at 2pm.” Once the whole range of offers has been made, a menu is created on a wall with all the offers and we’re off. That’s it. From now on, the event is self-organising and requires very little intervention from the host. People gather round, decide where to start, make their way in the direction of the sessions and self-organise.
- No location available
-

In the ‘full’ version of an Open Space, the convenor of each session is responsible for getting a report created to share with those who weren’t at the session. (A flip chart poster used to be the default way to do this, these days there are other options like iPads.) Everyone may gather for a closing session and have the chance to say what’s emerged for them. If the Open Space extends over several days (not at all impossible) then there are News sessions and the chance for more conversation topics to emerge.
- No location available
-

The rules, and in particular the Law of Two Feet, produce a ‘paradoxical bind’. They actively permit (and encourage) every possible individual behaviour in the session. What to go to a session? Yes! Visit several sessions? Yes! Hang out somewhere drinking coffee? Yes! Talk to random people for hours? Yes! Sit looking grumpy and reading a book? Yes (if that’s really your best way to give and vet value right now). Want to go to your room and have a nap? Yes!
- No location available
-

There is one type of event to which the host has to be alert – the ‘space invader’. Harrison Own knew all about this. If someone stops simply making choices for themselves (which is entirely permitted) and starts wanting to make choices for others. The person who stands on a table and shouts “This is a waste of time! We should all do X now” Or “I have the answer! Everyone listen to me!” In this case the host has a job to do, to suggest that the person convene a session about it, or to encourage everyone else to move along to another space, thus restoring the functioning open space. I should say at this point that I have never had this happen or seen it happen. However, I can still recall Harrison telling us about it all those years ago.
- No location available
-