​​A Supersaturated Theory of Change: Three Models for Convening Supersaturating Conversations
​​This discussion is part of "DandDTrans," a "community of inquiry and action" regarding the role that Dialogue & Deiberation can play in addressing the mega-crises of our time
​​Image courtesy of www.NewStories.org
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​The post below is part of ​+OS Topic 11: A Supersaturated Theory of Change​
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​Three Models for Convening Supersaturating Conversations [Ben Roberts, 1/22]

​​I'm looking for opportunities to convene supersaturating conversations in the near future. I'm especially interested in prototyping three approaches, each of which has a significant virtual component:
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  • ​​A "trans-local" (or "glocal") model, which has three elements:
  • ​​Self-organized local conversation nodes (in-person or virtual) that are all engaged n the same process at more or less the same time
  • ​​An online space where the harvest from those local nodes can be shared globally
  • ​​A global live conversation where local node participants, as well as others who care about the subject, can come together and reflect collectively on what is being learned and what is possible.
  • ​​Examples of existing "containers" that might be primed for a "supersaturating trans-local conversation" include:
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  • ​​An existing entity (perhaps an alliance or network) is served, energized, and perhaps even brought to life by the convening of a "coherence and energy generating cohort" of, say 100 people who care about what it stands for and what it might do in the world. The members of the cohort commit to 5-10 hours of work a week, so this is something they can all do "in their spare time."
  • ​​The cohort is NOT drawn from leadership within the entity. Its function, however, is to serve that leadership and enhance its ability to act in ways that have impact. The cohort may in fact (and perhaps ideally) include people with no prior connection to the entity, but who care about what it stands for, or are drawn to some of the organizations of individuals within it. As a result, it brings new energy to the field, and avoids adding too much to the work of the core leadership within the entity being served.
  • ​​The work of the cohort might include things like:
  • ​​Appreciative interviews with core members of the entity being served, dialogue to make meaning out of what those interviews reveal, and the production of a report and even possible action plans that flow out of what has been learned.
  • ​​Fundraising, both to support the work of the entity it serves and the work of convening and hosting the cohort itself (my job!)
  • ​​Networking to "connect the entity to more of itself" and to identify additional resources of value to it (individuals, organizations, methodologies, models, etc.)
  • ​​Examples of existing "containers" that might be primed for a "supersaturating collaborative action festival" include:
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  • ​​"Virtual bookending" of a large in-person gathering
  • ​​This model builds on the natural supersaturating potential of a large in-person gathering. 
  • ​​Virtual engagement before the event builds participation and jump-starts  conversation, connection, and collective thinking.
  • ​​Virtual engagement after the event provides a container where the "saturated solution" can be held, more solids can be added, or perhaps some simple "cooling" and/or "evaporation" (i.e. time, and a reduced number of participants with a higher average level of commitment) can concentrate things to the point of supersaturation, which might not have been achieved at the event itself.
  • ​​Examples of upcoming gatherings that might be primed for "supersaturating virtual bookending" include:
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​Responses to Ben's Post

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​Deep Appreciation
​​Ann Ralston 2015-01-24
​​Ben, I so appreciate your thoughtful suggestions of potential models for moving forward. I'm going to be a bit in really getting my brain around the possibilities, so hang with me.   
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​​I'm also struck by the work that Otto is doing in the U.Lab.  I'm not sure what the registration or attendance actually is like at this point, but even if only 5000 of the original 25,000 take the U Process forward in some meaningful way, he's creating such a mass of energy.  Give me goose pimples.  How are you finding the course?  
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​​Our local crew doesn't seem to have much energy to get together.  There are a number of AoH people in the ULab from Columbus, so that may feel the need for the hubs. We now have 7 people in our coaching circle and need to nudge a couple of people to join other groups, but our first session was profound.  I'm learning to engage in the discussion boards and twitter - neither ones have captured me in the past...
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​​One thing that is cool about what Otto is doing is focus.  The process is the focus that transcends the different social, business or environmental sectors.  His process is pretty well known and what he's marketing the course around.  Perhaps it's a hope for people who long for a better place and feel despair at their ability to create change. 
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​​Back to your prototypes... you are suggesting are conversation containers where the content, conversations and processes would come from those conversing.... the groups form around content themes... right? How are you thinking about which one to play with first?  Why the Collaborative Action Festival?
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​[A Consultant's Cooperative/Similar to Some of these Examples]
​​[Linda Ellinor 1/26/15]
​​I haven't studied all of your examples, exactly, but there are places where what you are suggesting such as the collaboration action festivals come close to the ideas that I resonated with in what Ben Kadel's Social Impact Network is attempting to do, which was why I put up the consultan't cooperative under Open Space.   It seems to me that to bring more D & D people to the table around existing containers is mostly what the Social Impact Network is trying to do, so it might be interesting for us to brainstorm how your ideas might work from a larger organizational point of view some time.   
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​​In looking at what you are suggesting further, it strikes me that this will entail alot of people to help you do this.  These are large undertakings with a lot of pre-planning steps along the way.  How will you organize these events and with whom will you do these things  - outside of the organizations you mention?   Again, that was why I resonated with Ben Kadel's Social Impact Network as he is not only trying to figure out ways to organize providers (such as yourself), but how to match what providers can provide with the acitivist organization's needs.  There are multi-levels of engagement that would need to be defined and roles to be taken on.  Lots of organization would have to be considered, but in general, I like your ideas as they take advantage of the emerging technology  - both process and technical.  
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  • ​​Ben R, 1/29. I'm interested in the lightest weight structures we can come up with, to minimize the number of organizers, the "special skills" required, and the time commitment involved. In the case of the "collaborative action festival" idea, One way to do this might be to take a fractal approach to the process. Start with a much smaller cohort for the process, with the purpose being that that cohort then becomes the holders of the larger gathering, and the needed roles are identified and filled from out of that initial group. These roles would include:
  • ​​Invitation
  • ​​"Connecting" (which includes welcoming/greeting/orientation/tech help)
  • ​​Fundraising
  • ​​Admin
  • ​​Process design and hosting
  • ​​Harvesting
  • ​​Merry-making (it IS a "festival!"
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  • ​​And yes, careful pre-planning is so crucial. One of the (re)learnings for me from DandDTrans is that a bit more planning and intention, especially on the invitation side, can make a huge difference in the energy that emerges inside the container. And yet, being nimble and able to move qucikjly also strikes me as essential. I think I/we have tended to focus proportionately more on the container and less on inviting people into it, and a shift there would be a good thing (which isnot to in any way diminish the wonderful inviting that you did here, Linda, without which this wouldn't have gone anywhere at all!).

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​Twitter
​​Steph Jo, 1/28
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​​Great thinking, Ben :-)  I've been attempting to generate dialogues that encompass academic conferences for some time, especially by using Twitter to 'export' key knowledge and dynamics from experts as they're talking about their area(s) of expertise. If I tweet consistently, especially if others also tweet, we can generate a concentration of seed knowledge that can then be interconnected with relevant seeds in other bases of knowledge and experience. 
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​​Adding this level to the pre-existing containers might also bring in needed influence and insight, if there's openness to it. 
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  • ​​Ben, 1/29. Tweets as a way of dissolving solids into the solution. Love it! It's another example of how the metaphor invites us to value things that don't have an obvious, immediate impact, and appear "fragmented."

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