How an Open Space day works

The anatomy of a day

An Open Space day has a fixed structure — but no fixed programme. The structure creates the space. What happens within that space is determined by the participants themselves.

More about the method: What is Open Space Technology?

1

Preparation (weeks before the day)

Together with the client, we formulate a powerful central question — the invitation that sets the day in motion. We determine the participant group, the logistics, and the harvesting strategy: how are the day's outcomes translated into concrete next steps?

2

Opening & the marketplace

The day begins in a large circle. The facilitator explains the process and invites participants to propose topics they want to discuss. Anyone with a question, idea or challenge writes it down and announces it to the group. This creates the marketplace — an agenda made entirely by the participants themselves.

LeSS conference Amsterdam — filled Open Space marketplace board LeSS conference Amsterdam — Open Space marketplace board before the opening
3

The sessions

Participants choose which sessions to attend based on their interest and expertise. The Law of Mobility applies: if a session is no longer relevant, move to another. This is not rudeness — it is the engine of the process. Each session has a note-taker who captures the outcomes.

4

Harvesting

At the end of the day, the outcomes of all sessions are shared with the whole group. Depending on the objective, we prioritise, create action plans, or determine next steps. The harvest is not what the facilitator summarised — it is what the participants themselves created.

5

Closing & follow-up

The day closes in the large circle, with space for reflection. After the day, the client receives a summary of all session outcomes. On request, I provide a follow-up session to sustain the energy and agreements from the day.

What you need

The requirements for an Open Space are surprisingly simple:

  • A large space where all participants can sit in a circle for the opening and closing
  • Smaller spaces or corners for the parallel sessions
  • A marketplace wall — a large wall surface or flip charts for the agenda
  • Paper and markers for session proposals and notes
  • Coffee, tea and space for informal conversation — the breaks are part of the programme

For online Open Space, I work with video conferencing (Zoom or Teams) with breakout rooms and a digital whiteboard (Miro) as the marketplace.