This page contains links to documents, files and websites of interest primarily to OST practitioners and those wishing to learn more about Open Space Technology.

There are a number of essential books and online publications that practitioners of OST should be familiar with.  Foremost among these are the books of Harrison Owen, the creator of Open Space Technology. Follow this link for ordering information for Harrison's books in Canada.

• Open Space Technology: A User's Guide (download an early version of this guide from Harrison's website)
• The Power of Spirit
• The Spirit of Leadership
• Tales from Open Space (link to the online edition of the book)

In addition to these books there are two online publications that support the practice of OST.  Of special interest is a compendium of dialogue regarding the essence of OST composed by 37 practitioners and edited by me and Michael Herman.  Called Open Space Technology: A User's NON-Guide, the book is available free of charge in .pdf format. Michael has also edited and authored Evolution at Work which is a collection of writings about the emergence of the inviting organization.  Both of these publications contain a great deal of the theory that underpins my practice of OST.

• Open Space Technology: A User's NON-Guide, edited by Chris Corrigan and Michael Herman
• Inviting Organization by Michael Herman

Other books of interest to practitioners:

• The Change Handbook, edited by Peggy Holman and Tom Devane.
• A Brief History of Everything, by Ken Wilber
• The Fourfold Way, by Angeles Arrien

Open Space weblogs

Several practitioners use weblogs to chart their current thinking and practice of Open Space Technology. Not all of these weblogs are devoted to Open Space exclusively, but they are all full of remarkable writing and links to resources which keep me inspired. If you know of another weblog to add to this list, drop me a line.

• My own Parking Lot weblog
• Michael Herman's Global Chicago
• Jeff Aitken's rio grand-i-o
• Ashely Cooper's easily amazed
• Colin Morton's Empowerment Illustrated
• George Nemth's Brewed Fresh Daily
• Jack Ricchiuto's Gassho
• George and Jack's Smart Meeting Design
• Alexander Kjerulf's Positive Sharing
• John Engle's Experiment in Alternative Leadership
• My (now defunct) Open Space weblog

Leading practitioners with informative web sites

These practitioners all have websites with interesting and useful information about OST.

• Harrison Owen: The originator of Open Space Technology has articles and papers posted on his website about Open Space, organizational transformation and change.
• Michael Herman: Based in Chicago, Michael is a leading trainer and practitioner and has the most extensive set of OST resources anywhere.
• Judith Richardson: From Halifax, one of my co-conspirators on an amazing Open Space conference we did in Alaska.
• Birgitt Williams: A leading practitioner and trainer in Open Space Technology.
• Martin Leith: A British consultant specializing in large scale change processes. Martin has a wide variety of interesting resources on his site.
• Michael Pannwitz: A leading European practitioner and trainer. His site is in German.
• Larry Peterson: A colleague based in Toronto who is active in the Open Space Institute of Canada. Larry has been opening space longer than almost anyone I know.
• Gabriela Ender: Based in Germany, Gabby has developed software for working online in Open Space.
• Chris Weaver: A gifted writer and facilitator who works with youth in North Carolina, USA
• Peggy Holman: Down the road in Seattle, Peggy is an influential author (of The Change Handbook, with Tom Devane) and long time Open Space Technology practitioner.
• Dianne Gibeault: A consultant and trainer based in Ottawa, her site is in English and French.