

If you cannot get a room big enough, a room rated for at least the number you are expecting can do in a pinch, provided that you have a variety of breakout spaces available. This means that in general, if you are expecting 50 people, you need a room that is rated for 100 “theatre style” at a minimum. In order to provide enough room for an Open Space Technology meeting, you should secure a room that holds double your expected attendance, theatre style. Supporting the invitation in a variety of ways will ensure that a diverse and active groups shows up for the Open Space event.

These include, choosing the right room, choosing a skilled facilitator, and ensuring that rigorous pre-planning occurs. Having said this, there are a minimal number of requirements that need to be met for a successful Open Space Technology meeting to occur.

Sponsors need only focus most of their time and attention at crafting and supporting an effective invitation. Costs are kept to a minimum and time spent planning the meeting is greatly reduced. An Open Space Technology meeting requires minimal infrastructure, only one facilitator, no presentation scheduling problems and other logistical headaches and no pre-planned agenda. Planning an Open Space Technology meeting is pretty straightforward, and much simpler than preparing for a traditional conference, although it can still be a lot of work. The original Open Space Technology User’s Guide.Also check the invitation and planning resources page for more forms and documents and help with creating invitations and getting ready for the event. Before reading through this page, feel free to download a copy of the planning checklist in MS Word format.
