Thoughts to add to Tony and Peggy. Knowing Peggy just a little bit I would imagine that part of the success you (Peggy) have seen in OST transforming systems is that you have probably done a lot of pre work which is behind the scenes and invisible to some observers. Any study of research into OST (and there has been so very little) would want to explore what happens before and after an OST meeting. I think one of the useful benefits of Centola's work on how systems transform is that it might sharpen up the OST Facilitator's pre-work with the client on who we need to get into the room. Saying 'whoever comes are the right people' can quite truthfully, and paradoxically, be joined to the following commitment : 'we're going to make damn sure we get the right people in the room'! (Future Search is keen on this point too). Getting the right people in the room for an OST meeting means some detailed analysis of the system - finding out where the networks are, who the 'brokers' are and then strategically getting them into the OST meeting if we can. Once people are in the room OST will do its magic. The relationships, shared understandings, and commitments to action which are formed through conversation in an OST meeting are then much more likely to get some ongoing transformation in systems change. All this means imagining the work of the OST Facilitator as not just as facilitating an OST meeting but in being a kind of 'systems/process consultant', helping the client to see how OST meetings fit into a timeline and potential series of iterations. Michael Wood Melbourne www.openspacecoachingandfacilitation.com Ph. +61 435 065326 -----Original Message----- From: everyone-request@oslist.org <everyone-request@oslist.org> Sent: Wednesday, 12 August 2026 1:55 AM To: everyone@oslist.org Subject: OSList Digest, Vol 52, Issue 9 Send OSList mailing list submissions to everyone@oslist.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to everyone-request@oslist.org You can reach the person managing the list at everyone-owner@oslist.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of OSList digest..."

Yes — to know whether an innovation or new behavior has taken hold you *must* measure a baseline, then collect timely follow‑up measurements (ideally multiple times) so you can detect change, understand its dynamics, and link it to your intervention. Centola’s research and the broader literature on social contagion and behavior change emphasize *pre‑intervention baselines, repeated post‑intervention measures, and attention to timing, exposure counts, and network context*. On 8/11/2026 8:30 PM, spacemaker62--- via OSList wrote: > Thoughts to add to Tony and Peggy. > > Knowing Peggy just a little bit I would imagine that part of the success you > (Peggy) have seen in OST transforming systems is that you have probably done > a lot of pre work which is behind the scenes and invisible to some > observers. Any study of research into OST (and there has been so very > little) would want to explore what happens before and after an OST meeting. > > I think one of the useful benefits of Centola's work on how systems > transform is that it might sharpen up the OST Facilitator's pre-work with > the client on who we need to get into the room. Saying 'whoever comes are > the right people' can quite truthfully, and paradoxically, be joined to the > following commitment : 'we're going to make damn sure we get the right > people in the room'! (Future Search is keen on this point too). > > Getting the right people in the room for an OST meeting means some detailed > analysis of the system - finding out where the networks are, who the > 'brokers' are and then strategically getting them into the OST meeting if we > can. Once people are in the room OST will do its magic. The relationships, > shared understandings, and commitments to action which are formed through > conversation in an OST meeting are then much more likely to get some ongoing > transformation in systems change. > > All this means imagining the work of the OST Facilitator as not just as > facilitating an OST meeting but in being a kind of 'systems/process > consultant', helping the client to see how OST meetings fit into a timeline > and potential series of iterations. > > Michael Wood > Melbourne > www.openspacecoachingandfacilitation.com > Ph. +61 435 065326 > > -----Original Message----- > From:everyone-request@oslist.org <everyone-request@oslist.org> > Sent: Wednesday, 12 August 2026 1:55 AM > To:everyone@oslist.org > Subject: OSList Digest, Vol 52, Issue 9 > > Send OSList mailing list submissions to > everyone@oslist.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send a message with subject or body > 'help' to > everyone-request@oslist.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > everyone-owner@oslist.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than > "Re: Contents of OSList digest..." > OSList mailing list --everyone@oslist.org > To unsubscribe send an email toeveryone-leave@oslist.org > See the archives here:https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org > -- In Solidarity for more joy, and less stuff, *Tony* Click HERE to Meet with Tony <https://bit.ly/3WtAIgT>