ChrisCorrigan? writes:
This is my first time facilitating an online Open Space gathering. In Vancouver, I worked with GabrielShirley? to help create the online environment, but I have never held space online before.
Several colleagues in the world have, including Gabriela Ender who has developed an online Open Space Technology conference tool that gets rave reviews.
So what do we need to know to keep things going in cyberspace? Is holding the space the same kind of experience? Is it just another form of invitation?
Dear Chris and dear colleagues!
Thank you Chris for posting this interesting topic!
When I got my deep flash with a real-time online open space conference software in 1999 - I saw this software in a very complex way, so that it was at the same time the virtual conference center and the virtual facilitator. During the real-time conference (between 2,5 to 8 hours!)the software leads the group through a structured working process, which is close to the OST-procedure and at every time the group and also each participant has a good orientation. The main development goal for this software was, that during this hours all are independent from third parties, like e.g. online-moderators. Our tool offers a high range of democracy. The experts are the participants - and for example a CEO or a consultant is during this time one of the others. For my team and me it was the biggest challenge of all to include this virtual "facilitating" in such a way, that everything from the users side looks very easy and simple. That tooks the most time and money. It was really an experiment - luckily with a happy end.
I am not an expert regarding asynchron online tools - perhaps here it is very important to support peoples energy - to let the fire burn. Often such online spaces have a duration over one or more weeks. I can imagine, that it could be helpful to summarize special working steps during a longer period, or to bring in new features from time to time, or combine different online activities during this long process. I guess that in such cases it makes really sense to work with online facilitators.
One part of such asynchron collaboration could be e.g. to include an OpenSpace?-Online® conference. That is a good example to explain my view from future process facilitatings and the future role of change facilitators. The challenges regarding communication in generell became bigger and bigger. One big task will be to build bridges between offline and online communication, to create individuell designs of collabortaion and learning processes, and to support clients to find their best own architectures, and to help them to became more and more independent with that all.
So, I see a big future for different and new kinds of facilitating change and for the role of facilitators. With warm greetings Gabriela Ender
Thanks for that Gabriela. So what have you learned, as someone who has actually held space face toi face and online about the expereince of facilitating? One difference i have noticed is that I'm a lot more involved in this space than I mioght otherwise be in a live event. As I was checking through the participant checkins I was finding myself wanting to clean up the formatting and so on, akin to organizing the agenda wall perhaps (wink to Michael and Judi!). So for me, I'm trying to figure out the intricacies of holding space online, and will learn a lot more I think as the next 10 days progress. I wonder how it will affect my face to face facilitation practice?
Chris
Oh, what have I learned? A big question. It depends on ... I want to explain it with my limited english. What I have learned is e.g. :
1. That it makes no sense to compare F2F methods with online methods. Its the same with OST and OpenSpace?-Online®. Both have its own personality. So many things you can do F2F :-), you can´t do online, and also several good things are only online possible. It is much more better to focuse on the potentials of each single method and for the individual needs, and also for excellent combinations. Luckily we have a lot of very good online and F2F change methods.
2. In generell what I find very interesting is the issue "controll and facilitating". My opinion is that a deep understanding of the wisdom of OST and of the power of OST leads a person more to be careful and at the same time self-confidently. For me a good OST Facilitator is also a good consultant of change processes, he/she knows when its time to switch the role between mentoring, consulting and facilitating. During an OST the main task is to create a safe space, to hold the space and to close the space, and during this time to LET GO controll with the deep believe and trust, that everything will develope in a good direction. The EVIDENCE for "everything works well" can be, that the OST facilitator can observe from a distance "his or her" participants. "Does all look in that way, that it works - like in the past?" The facilitaor see the people ... the talk, the walk, they eat, they laugh, they discuss ....... OST facilitator see, feel, smell the growing energy - the vibrations of OST. WOW! It works everytime - so wonderful ...
3. But how does it feel to facilitate in an online environment? Here it depends so much also on the special method. I know e.g. mailing lists in which the host offers the space, but he is very quite in the background - "what will happens is the only ...". And I know mailing list, where the initiator is acting more as a space controller. So it depends very much of the personal stile. As I said, I am no expert with asynchron online work space, but I guess it would be not easy if one person would have the task / is responsible for ongoing energy of the participants. What can be the evidences for "good" conversations, for the "right" work flow or the "right" themes?? How much and what has the online facilitator to do? Where is the beginning of controll or manipulating? Oh - I don´t know! I guess, that task must be stressy.
4.With OpenSpace?-Online® the idea was, that during the real-time process the consultant, CEO, organizer or who ever it is, has to do a good job in front of this event and after this event. But during that online conference the software is the "facilitator" and the participants are all equal. So, here the "holding space element" is the hugh complex software structure, what is not so visible for the people, but what enables a good orientation. But please believe me, that it is conferece for conference an exciting moment for me - you can´t do nothing ... grrrrrr - the groups are working total alone. But it works. So I agree with you 100%, that it is a strange feeling to be "responsible" for online work space. One additional very intersting point is the total different behaviour of many people. But thats another story. Sorry - for that long text - I guess in german it would be "shorter" :-)
Gabriela
This is getting VERRRY interesting. I am especially interested in the notion that the software holds the space, and it makes me wonder what that implies for software design. When you were putting together the software for OpenSpace?-Online® were you conscious of this role of the software, or did it become apparent to you only after you started using it? And how does this make your software different from other kinds of collaborative technologies? And where does it leave the human facilitator?
I take it from your post that the human is far off in the background, watching and caring, but not able to respond to everything with "feeling."
I have to say that my experience holding space for this conference feels very weird. Very dissociated. I can check in an out and it doesn't really seem to matter. But I can't do nothing, as you say. I also feel quote sad that I'm not in Marysville. I have never felt that before in holding space, never felt sad that I wasn't a part of the discussions. At least face to face if something really catches my ear I can find an excuse to go over there and listen, but not so in this environment. Yours is different though, but can the facilitator drop in unannounced, or is the group informed if the facilitator lurks?
Wow...so many more questions...
And this teaser about the different behaviour of the participants...I HAVE to hear more about that. Don’t worry about the long text. I don’t have any cups to pick up or any tables to get rid of or any space invaders to deal with, so I have lots of time to read. And if you did write in German, I have no doubt that it would be shorter, but the words would longer and thus there would be no net savings in keystrokes ;-)
Looking forward to hearing more...
ChrisCorrigan?
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Hi Chris,
an online environment will never and can never be an equivalent to humans f2f communication, and we should not compare f2f communication with online collaboration. That are two total different areas. Therefore we can´t compare 1:1 offline faciliation with online facilitation. Additionally it depends soooooo much on the kinds of online methods and online tools.
I am in my thoughts in Australia too, and I wished to be there. It must be wonderful! I am happy for all friends, who have the opportunity to be there!
... Yes, it was from the beginning on one of a few main goals to create the software structure in that way, that the participating groups don´t need a special online moderator during this real-time process, and that they also need no knowledge about OST (one good effect is, that they became curious about OST after working with OpenSpace?-Online®) The ""space holder"" during this duration (only a few hours!) is e.g. "the software structure and procedure with Comoso, the virtual facilitator", and "the energy and passion of the group", and "their trust in such online process". My idea was, to create a tool, which makes groups and organizers much more independend from third parties. Therefore the software supports selforganzied collaboration and e-participation in a very new way.
I think that it is the goal of many change facilitators, like me, to help clients to become more and more familiar by facilitating change. I believe, that the field of competence for each professional facilitator will be becoming bigger in the future. Our software is just one tool between so many different online tools. Many tools need moderators, or e.g. an online teacher and that is good too, like in the wide area of e-learning. Over all the big task for change facilitators in the future is to have a good overview about different online (and offline) tools to consult clients in using that or that depending on their individual situations and or steps of processes. And from case to case the facilitator is more in front or more in the back of what happens. For example during an OpenSpace?-Online® a CEO, an organizer or an facilitator is a participant in the same way like all others are. Only the participants are the experts - that is the clear frame, and it works. Before or after our online conferences it could be good to have an external process facilitator ... but it is not a must ... it depends on the group and their situation.
It is not so easy for me to explain that all, without producing misunderstandings with my english. The best would be, if you would have the chance to jump into an OpenSpace?-Online® one day. Thomas Hermann from Sweden organized his first some weeks ago and he will have his next on Nov, 25th. Did you read Thomas short report about his first OpenSpace?-Online® experiences?? Or do you know our new software-presentation? You can find it on the welcome page from www.OpenSpace?-Online.com
I am curious about, where the next F2F OSonOS? will take place! You too? Perhaps in Afrika, Asia or Haiti, or in Sweden? In a few hours we will know that :-)
Have a nice sunday, Chris! Gabriela
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This has been a great conversation, and lots of food for thought. Of course, online and f2f facilitation is waaaay different, and I'm interested in what we can learn from each to apply to the other, or not!
Thomas's story on the use of OpenSpace?-Online was great, and gives a really good taste about how it feels to use this software. I've looked at your website last a few weeks ago, but I'll check again for the new presentation.
And yes, maybe one day OSonOS? will be held in a place where we can finally meet each other. Wouldn't that be ironic? ;-)
Chris