【正文】 t do that, you will just have to make a choice, but that is the way life is.From here on out you are on your own. As soon as your group is ready to go to work, go to it. We39。t try to straighten things out. THE GROUP WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. A little chaos at this point is a good and necessary thing. First of all, everybody probably needs a stretch and some conversation. But most of all the rising noise level is a positive indication that the group is getting to work, and good things are happening.Let the group bubble along for a few minutes, but before long some people will start to experience conflicts. They want to go to two different groups which are supposed to meet at the same time. Or two different groups are scheduled to meet in the same place at the same time. When you sense this happening, or even if you don39。t worry about conflicts. We39。t wait to be asked. Go when you are ready.Keep on going until everybody with a subject they want to work on has posted it on the wall. There will be a certain amount of noise and confusion, which is positive and good, but keep it down a little bit so people can hear. Most important, don39。t make your first effort the critical one. Find some friends and colleagues who are willing guinea pigs. They should have fun, and so should you. As a matter of fact, having fun is the key indicator that you are ready to take on a group for real. If it isn39。t seem to matter much anymore. The Open Space environment provides the nutrient setting for creative activity, and those who would lead in that environment must keep their eye on the creative process and forget about the clock. When it happens, it will happen in its own time, and scheduling a breakthrough for 10 am is not only an exercise in futility, it is consummately destructive of Open Space.Open Space Events do, of course, occur in time, which means that there must be a time of beginning and a time for closure. But everything in the middle must be allowed to run its own course.The final principle, When it is over, it is over, again states the obvious, but it is a point we may forget. Deep learning and creativity both have their own internal life cycle. They may take more or less time, but when they e to pletion, they are over. Occasionally this means that we have to spend more time than we had planned, but more often than not, the reverse is true. The creative moment has a nasty habit of occurring very quickly, and just because the session or meeting was scheduled to take two hours is no reason to sit around and waste time after the moment has passed. When it is over, it is over.Finally we e to the One Law of Open Space. It is a law only in the sense that all participants must observe it or the process will not work. We call it the Law of Two Feet. Briefly stated, this law says that every individual has two feet, and must be prepared to use them. Responsibility for a successful oute in any Open Space Event resides with exactly one person each participant. Individuals can make a difference and must make a difference. If that is not true in a given situation, they, and they alone, must take responsibility to use their two feet, and move to a new place where they can make a difference. This departure need not be made in anger or hostility, but only after honoring the people involved and the space they occupy. By word or gesture, indicate that you have nothing further to contribute, wish them well, and go and do something useful.WHEN NOT TO USE OPEN SPACE TECHNOLOGYAs there are individuals who should not lead in Open Space, there are also situations in which Open Space Technology is not appropriate, and in fact may be counterproductive. Open Space Technology is effective when real learning, innovation, and departure from the norm are required. When you aren39。t know the details of discussions that have yet to take place. But they can and should be made aware of the general outlines. Open Space is not for everybody, and involuntary, noninformed participation is not only a contradiction in terms, it can bee very destructive.This raises the obvious question of what to do with those people whom you want to involve, but who, for whatever reason, do not share your desire. There are two possibilities. The first is to schedule two sessions, and trust that the first one will be so rewarding that positive word of mouth testimony will draw in the recalcitrant. The alternative is to respect the wishes of those involved. In the final analysis it remains true that genuine learning only takes place on the basis of interest and mitment, and there is absolutely no way to force any of that.The size of the group is not absolutely critical. However, there does seem to be a lower limit of about 20. Less than 20 participants, and you tend to lose the necessary diversity which brings genuine interchange. At the upward end of the scale, groups of 400 work very well, and there is no reason to believe that number could not be increased.SPACE The space required is critical, but need not be elaborate or elegant. Comfort is more important. You will need a room large enough to hold the entire group, with space to spare in which the participants may easily move about. Tables or desks are not only unnecessary, but will probably get in the way. Movable chairs, on the other hand, are essential.The initial setup is a circle with a large, blank wall somewhere in the room. The wall must be free from windows, doors, drapes, and with a surface that permits taping paper with masking tape. The wall should also be long enough so that the total group may stand before it, and never be more than three to four deep. The center of the circle is empty, for after all we are talking about Open Space.If the room is very large, additional breakout areas may not be required, but they are always helpful. Best of all is the sort of environment in which there is an abundance of mon space. If you are going to use a confe