AgileWelly Open Space 2015 and meet the Agile Alliance Board

AgileWelly Open Space 2015 and meet the Agile Alliance Board

Theme - "Agile Adolescence: The Growing Pains"

What's the best thing that happened at the last conference you attended?

Chances are that you remember one or more lively "hallway discussions" the most. The Open Space format creates that experience for an entire event by ensuring that you are always having the most interesting conversations possible. The emphasis is on discussion, instead of listening to eyes-forward presentations. If you have ever signed up months in advance for sessions in a traditional conference only to discover that your needs and interests had changed by the time you got to the event, you’ll appreciate the value of this approach.

Join Us!

When: Thursday 23rd April 2015 (to 5:30pm... or maybe later !)

Where: Mac’s Brewbar (http://www.thebrewerybar.co.nz/) (Wellington, Cable Street)

Cost: Free! (thanks to Software Education and the Agile Alliance)

Food and drinks will be provided, you just need to bring an open mind and lots of enthusiasm!

Dress code is casual as there will be lots of moving about!

Be prepared to be surprised!

Before you sign up: Please don't be an opportunity thief ! Please sign up if you intend to come along for the whole day, there are limited spots.

What is an Open Space Conference?

Open Space (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology) Technology is an approach to meetings that enables groups of all sizes to self-organize, create an agenda, and solve complex problems. It delays all decisions about what sessions will be held, when they will happen, and who will attend them until the last responsible moment. Participants create and manage their own program of parallel working sessions that are open to all attendees.

Open Space has been used for conferences and as a facilitation technique for company meetings, community organizations, and other groups that wish to explore the emergent ideas and agendas of their members. Prepare to be surprised by the depth and breadth of topics that are discussed – quite often, topics are raised in Open Space that are off the radar of general thinking . This spontaneity is part of the format’s benefit.

Here’s How our Open Space will Work

The event is formally Opened and Closed… the magic happens in the “open space”.

Opening the Space

During the initial session of the Gathering, the facilitator (Ainsley Nies) “opens the space”. All participants attend and sit in a large circle or concentric circles. The facilitator begins by introducing Open Space and explaining the Principles, the Law of Mobility & Responsibility, other aspects of Open Space, and how they integrate to create an environment for learning.

The Five Principles:

1. Whoever comes are the right people.
2. It starts when it starts.
3. Wherever it is, is the right place.
4. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have.
5. It’s over when it’s over.

The Law of Mobility and Responsibility (also known as the “Law of Two Feet”):

“If you are not learning or contributing where you are, find a place where you can learn or contribute.”

Creating the Sessions

When the introduction is over, the facilitator explains how to create sessions and invites participants (you!) to present sessions they would like to host. All you need to do is come forward and state briefly (less than a minute) what your session is about. There are many types of sessions possible - you don’t need to be an expert to host. For instance, you might propose a session about:

a question or topic you want information about a concept to be developed or idea to discuss a tool or technique you’d like to explain a problem that needs solving an experience, lessons learned, best practices to share

After announcing your proposal, you’ll select a time and location for the session from the available options and post a session notice on the Agenda Wall.

Since there will be more sessions introduced than anyone can remember, the session postings need to state clear intentions. Be sure to include words like help, share, need, explain, discuss, present, etc. A posting like “How we were successful with TDD” or “What tools can help with TDD” is likely to draw a more focused group than “TDD Talk”.

The Marketplace

When there are no more sessions to propose, the Market Place process begins. Participants move to the Agenda Wall to browse the posted sessions, and sign up to show interest (not commitment) in attending. While people mill around and discuss what they might want to attend, hosts (only hosts!) may combine or reschedule their sessions.

People leave the Marketplace whenever they are ready - the space and time are now open for holding sessions.

Check the Agenda Wall frequently - session hosts may update their session posting at any time during the Open Space. Existing sessions may be moved only by the session host; new sessions may be added by posting a notice in an open time/location.

Closing the Space

All participants come together again in a circle for the Closing. As the last session of the gathering, the Closing includes a time for thinking about and/or proposing action going forward that will put into practice the energies and insights that emerged from sessions. We conclude by sharing reflections about the Open Space experience.

Our Facilitator

Ainsley Nies (http://www.linkedin.com/in/ainsleynies), who directs the Agile Open Program (http://agilealliance.org/programs/agile-open-program/) for the Agile Alliance, will facilitate the event. Ainsley has been an innovator, synthesizer and leader for more than two decades in the people side of information systems work. She is co-author of “Liftoff: Launching Agile Teams and Projects” and teaches Agile Management graduate courses. As a consultant, she works with organizations to develop sustainable environments for learning and continuous improvement; methods such as Open Space Technology and World Café are frequent elements of her work

Meet the Agile Alliance Board

Nine members of the Agile Alliance Board of Directors will be on hand to participate in the conference. Don’t miss the opportunity to engage with these thought leaders!

· Juan Banda, Bolivia

· Pat Reed, U.S.

· Ola Ellnestam, Sweden

· Linda Cook, Treasurer. U.S.

· Declan Whelan, Canada

· Samuel Crescencio, Brazil

· Stephanie Davis, U.S.

· Shane Hastie, Secretary, New Zealand

· Phil Brock, Managing Director, U.S.

Brought to you by SoftEd

SoftEd (http://softed.com/) is proud to support Agile Open Wellington 2015. As internationally recognized experts in SDLC training, our offerings – from Agile Fundamentals to Agile Dev Ops and Agile Coaching ­– provide you with the certifications and leading-edge content you need to be successful in today’s disruptive marketplace.

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