Open Space Technology
Open Space Technology (OST) is a self-organizing meeting format that enables large and diverse groups to co-create their own agenda around a central theme or challenge. It operates on four principles and one law, producing high engagement and emergent, participant-driven outcomes.
What it is
Open Space Technology was developed by Harrison Owen in 1985, who noticed that the most valuable conversations at conferences often happened in the hallways and coffee breaks — not in the formal sessions. OST is designed to recreate those conditions intentionally, at any scale.
An OST event opens with a broad, inviting theme. Any participant can convene a session by posting a topic and a time slot on a community bulletin board. Sessions run simultaneously, and participants vote with their feet — moving freely between sessions according to their interest and contribution. Two foundational principles underpin the format: Whoever comes are the right people (focus on who is present, not who is absent), and Whatever happens is the only thing that could (release attachment to predetermined outcomes).
The Law of Two Feet states that if any participant finds themselves in a situation where they are neither learning nor contributing, they should move to somewhere where they can. This creates a self-organizing system in which energy and intelligence naturally flow to where they are most needed.
OST works best for complex, multidimensional challenges that require genuine co-ownership of both the questions and the answers.
How it is used in coaching
OST is used by organizational development practitioners and change facilitators when a group needs to take genuine ownership of a change agenda or strategy. It is particularly effective when imposed agendas have failed, when trust needs rebuilding, or when the challenge is genuinely complex and the answers are unknown.
Key benefits & applications
Generates extraordinary levels of engagement and ownership; scales from twenty to thousands of participants; reveals what people actually care about; produces surprisingly practical and action-oriented outputs; builds community and trust.
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