Getting everything ready

A Planning Meeting is a necessary prerequisite for a productive Open Space event. It usually takes place 6-12 weeks prior to the event and lasts 3.5 hours (half a day).

The objectives of the Planning Session are: 

• Clarifying the expected outcome of the event
• Finding the theme for the Open Space
• Deciding on who needs to be invited so that the expected outcome can be reached under the chosen title
• Deciding on technical and logistical issues for the preparation: who does what, when.

We recommend inviting a diverse group of stakeholders to the planning session to represent the expected group of people at the Open Space. Sharing their expectations and developing one common theme creates ownership for the conference. Thus the planning group actively invites and attracts participants to the(ir) event.