id: open-space-technology
title: Open Space Technology
description: >-
  A self-organising conference method where participants create their own
  agenda in real time. Developed by Harrison Owen, inspired partly by Owen's
  experience of African village gatherings.
source: Harrison Owen, "Open Space Technology"
source_url: https://openspaceworld.org/
tags: [open-space, unconference, self-organising, large-group]
forked_from: null
image: null
steps:
  - headline: Open the circle
    description: >-
      The convenor opens with a theme, then invites anyone who cares about a
      specific aspect to come to the centre, write a topic, and announce it.
  - headline: Post the marketplace
    description: >-
      Topics are posted on a wall grid of times and rooms, forming the
      agenda. Participants sign up for sessions they will attend.
  - headline: Hold sessions
    description: >-
      Sessions run in parallel, self-facilitated by their proposers. Notes
      are captured and shared, often in a book of proceedings.
  - headline: Convene closing circle
    description: >-
      All participants gather in a closing circle; anyone may share one
      reflection, insight, or commitment from the day.
outcome: >-
  A full agenda emerges from the participants' actual interests; energy
  flows to the topics people care most about.
practice: >-
  Honour the four principles — whoever comes is the right people, whenever
  it starts is the right time, whatever happens is the only thing that
  could, and when it's over it's over. And the law of two feet.