What to Expect? 

What will you learn?

The Future of Agility, new experience, and the opportunity to speak with industry leaders. Bill Nye “everyone you ever will meet knows something you don’t.”

How will you apply it to your job?

You pick the topics that interest you and that will be useful for you to apply at your organization. You will apply in the same way, you would learn something helpful you read in a book, hear on a Ted talk, or learn from a colleague at lunch.

How will the topics benefit you?

To recognize that others have the same challenges or opportunities as you. It could also highlight that your organization is much farther along or lagging and be a motivator to pick up the pace in your agile journey.

How do I prepare?

Before attending, participants should think of areas in their agile practice that they would like to improve and then host a session or look for those with that in mind.

What is Derby City Agile Open Space?

Here’s How it Works

In the practice of Open Space Technology (OST), 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 “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 all integrate to create an environment for self-directed learning.

The Four Principles:

• Whoever comes are the right people.
• Whatever happens is the only thing that could.
• It starts when it starts.
• 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 then invites participants (you!) to present sessions they would like to convene. All you need to do is come forward and talk briefly (less than a minute) about your proposed session. There are many types of sessions possible and you don’t need to be an expert to convene. 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 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. 

The Marketplace

When there are no more sessions to propose, the Market Place process begins. Participants move to the wall to browse the posted sessions (the Marketplace), and sign up to show interest (not commitment) in attending. While people mill around and discuss what they might want to attend, 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 Marketplace frequently – session hosts may update the Marketplace 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.