Conversations that matter, led by the people who care the most.

Purpose

Open Space is a self-organising format for large-group dialogue, reflection, and learning. 

It works by inviting people to take responsibility for what they care about, and create their own agenda for a marketplace of conversations. It’s especially powerful when the path forward is unclear or contested.

Once the space is opened, participants propose sessions, host them, and choose which conversations to join.

Activity Flow

Set the context

Create a clear, positively framed theme or question to guide the session. It should speak to a higher purpose and invite contribution.

“How can we…?” or “What’s possible when…?”

Or

“We’re creating a marketplace of ideas — a space for the conversations that you’re hungry to have.”

Prepare the space

• Chairs in a circle (or concentric circles)
• A blank “Agenda Wall” with a large visible grid for Time x Space where people can post their session idea
  • e.g. 3 time slots across 4 discussion areas = 12 session slots

• A “News Wall” for session reports

• A big stack of session cards or post-its + markers

• Clear signage and station markers around the room

• Optional: quiet zone, doodle zone, or open notetaking wall

Welcome & orientation
Introduce the theme, explain the format, and introduce:

• The Law of Two Feet: Move to where you can best contribute or learn. (AKA The Law of Mobility/Law of Two Clicks)

• The Four Principles:

1. Whoever comes are the right people
2. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have
3. When it starts is the right time
4. When it’s over, it’s over

Give participants a chance to reflect on what matters most to them. This could be through a mix of fairly quick activities such as journalling, a friendship lottery or impromptu networking for some individual and collective sense-making.

Open the marketplace
Anyone who feels moved writes a topic they care about on a sheet, announces it, and posts it to the Agenda Wall with a time/place. They become hosts who convene those sessions.

Proposing a session
“If you’d like to host a session, come grab a post-it and write your topic in big letters. Then bring it up to the grid and claim a slot.”

Things to include:

• Title or central question (encourage specificity, not slogans)

• Your name / co-host name

• Optional: who the session is for or what kind of conversation it is (e.g. brainstorm, peer support, open inquiry, embodied)

You can host solo, or co-host with someone else. You’re not expected to have answers — just a willingness to hold space.

Choose your adventure
Participants self-organise their day by choosing which conversations to join. Everyone uses the Law of Two Feet to follow their curiosity and energy.

Host & report
Each conversation is hosted by its convenor, who ensures notes are captured and posted on the News Wall or shared at open sessions. A facilitator tends the space but not the conversations.

Closing Circle
Return to the main circle to share highlights and insights. This can be done as a listening circle, using a talking object if helpful.

Share
Email out the session reports and contact list to all participants. If the event spans multiple days, repeat the process each day.

Outcomes & benefits

• Builds shared leadership, energy, and trust

• Engages people beyond roles — as free agents, creators and contributors

• Surfaces what truly matters to the group, not just what’s planned

• Generates action, clarity, creativity and collective insight

• Great for exploring big questions, transitions, or complex systems

• Allows quiet voices and surprising topics to emerge

• Surfaces hidden energy, patterns, and needs

• Works at any scale — from 5 to 1500+ people

Notes / Things to flag up