Filled example: agenda wall
Fictional half-day open space, Thursday 19 November 2026: five spaces, two slots, nine sessions.
| Time | Space A: main room, window side | Space B: main room, door side | Space C: meeting room 1 | Space D: meeting room 2 | Space E: training room 3 (quiet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 10:00–10:50 | S1 Ten-minute lessons at the start of a shift: what would they need? Convener: Shift lead, inbound | S2 The night shift always gets training last. How do we change that? Convener: Night shift lead | S3 Learning on a phone when not everyone has a work phone Convener: Warehouse operative, returns | S4 Who covers the line while someone is on a course? Convener: Operations planner | S5 Making the forklift refresher less of a lecture Convener: Safety trainer |
| Break 10:50–11:05 | Reports go on the news wall | ||||
| Slot 2 11:05–11:55 | S6 Buddy learning for new starters on the floor Convener: Team leader, despatch | S7 Training in a second language: what helps? Convener: Warehouse operative, picking | S8 Recording training without more paperwork Convener: Learning coordinator | S9 What managers say before and after a course Convener: Learning and development partner | (no session: space free) |
Agenda wall grid
Blank version. Add a column per space and a row per slot. The Excel grid calculates the end of each slot and counts free places.
| Time | Space A: ____________ | Space B: ____________ | Space C: ____________ | Space D: ____________ | Space E: ____________ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 from ___:___ to ___:___ | |||||
| Slot 2 from ___:___ to ___:___ | |||||
| Slot 3 from ___:___ to ___:___ |
Filled example: session log
One row per report on the news wall. People at the start: 40 in slot 1 and 39 in slot 2, out of 42. People move, so the counts are approximate.
| # | Topic | Convener (role) | Space | Slot | People at the start | Report on the news wall | Proposed next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Ten-minute lessons at the start of a shift: what would they need? | Shift lead, inbound | A | 1 | 10 | Yes | Pilot ten-minute lessons at shift start on the inbound team for four weeks |
| S2 | The night shift always gets training last. How do we change that? | Night shift lead | B | 1 | 9 | Yes | Run every new course on the night shift first or in the same week |
| S3 | Learning on a phone when not everyone has a work phone | Warehouse operative, returns | C | 1 | 8 | Yes | Put two shared tablets in the break room for online modules |
| S4 | Who covers the line while someone is on a course? | Operations planner | D | 1 | 7 | Yes | Agree a cover rota for course days a month ahead |
| S5 | Making the forklift refresher less of a lecture | Safety trainer | E | 1 | 6 | Yes | Rebuild the forklift refresher around practice tasks |
| S6 | Buddy learning for new starters on the floor | Team leader, despatch | A | 2 | 12 | Yes | Write a one-page buddy checklist for a new starter’s first two weeks |
| S7 | Training in a second language: what helps? | Warehouse operative, picking | B | 2 | 10 | Yes | Make picture-based quick guides for the three most common tasks |
| S8 | Recording training without more paperwork | Learning coordinator | C | 2 | 9 | Yes | Replace paper sign-in sheets with a scanned code |
| S9 | What managers say before and after a course | Learning and development partner | D | 2 | 8 | Yes | Agree two questions every manager asks before and after a course |
Filled example: convergence sheet
40 people, 3 marks each, 120 marks in all. Marks set the order of the owner question, not the decision.
| # | Proposal (from a session report) | Session | Marks | Rank | First step | Owner (said yes) | By when | Go or parked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Pilot ten-minute lessons at shift start on the inbound team for four weeks | S1 | 24 | 1 | List three topics and draft the first lesson | Shift lead, inbound | Fri 4 Dec 2026 | Go |
| P2 | Run every new course on the night shift first or in the same week | S2 | 19 | 3 | Put night dates in the January course calendar | Learning coordinator | Fri 11 Dec 2026 | Go |
| P3 | Put two shared tablets in the break room for online modules | S3 | 15 | 4 | Ask IT for a cost and a support route | Learning and development partner | Fri 18 Dec 2026 | Go |
| P4 | Agree a cover rota for course days a month ahead | S4 | 22 | 2 | Draft the rota rule and test it on the January courses | Operations planner | Wed 9 Dec 2026 | Go |
| P5 | Rebuild the forklift refresher around practice tasks | S5 | 9 | 7 | Draft two practice tasks and agree them with the safety lead | Safety trainer | Fri 15 Jan 2027 | Go |
| P6 | Write a one-page buddy checklist for a new starter’s first two weeks | S6 | 14 | 5 | Draft the checklist with two recent starters | Team leader, despatch | Fri 11 Dec 2026 | Go |
| P7 | Make picture-based quick guides for the three most common tasks | S7 | 11 | 6 | Photograph the three tasks and agree the words | Warehouse operative, picking, with the trainer | Fri 8 Jan 2027 | Go |
| P8 | Replace paper sign-in sheets with a scanned code | S8 | 4 | 8 | No owner today | — | — | Parked |
| P9 | Agree two questions every manager asks before and after a course | S9 | 2 | 9 | No owner today. The sponsor asks again at the check-in | — | — | Parked |
Convergence sheet
Blank version. A proposal is Go only when an owner has said yes; otherwise it is Parked.
| # | Proposal (from a session report) | Session | Marks | Rank | First step | Owner (said yes) | By when | Go or parked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | ||||||||
| P2 | ||||||||
| P3 |
Theme questions: weak and stronger
Original examples. A strong theme question is short, open, and something the sponsor does not already know.
| Weak theme | Why it struggles | Stronger theme |
|---|---|---|
| How do we improve engagement? | Abstract; nobody owns “engagement” | What would make you want to come to the Monday briefing? |
| Should we move to a four-day week? | Yes or no; the sponsor may not be able to decide it | What would have to be true for a shorter week to work in our team? |
| How can staff use the new system properly? | Hidden blame and a hidden answer | What gets in the way when you use the new booking system? |
| Our strategy for 2027 | A heading, not a question | What should our team stop, start and keep doing in 2027? |
| How do we fix communication, morale, hybrid working and the office move? | Four topics; too long to read aloud | What would make working across two offices easier? |
| How do we cut training costs by 20%? | The answer is fixed, and only some people can speak to it | Where does training take time without giving people much back? |
Filled example: invitation
Fictional invitation from the sponsor, sent four weeks before the event.
| Part | Text |
|---|---|
| Heading: the theme question | What would make learning at work easier to fit into a shift? |
| Why now (two or three sentences from the sponsor) | Shift staff tell us that courses rarely fit their day. We want to hear how learning could fit, from the people who work the shifts. I will read every report and answer every proposal that has an owner within four weeks. (Head of operations) |
| Who is invited, and why their view matters | Shift leads, warehouse staff, trainers and planners from all three shifts. You know what gets in the way. You do not need to prepare anything. |
| Date, time and place | Thursday 19 November 2026, 09:00 to 13:00, the training centre, ground floor. Paid working time; your manager has arranged cover. |
| What will happen | There is no fixed agenda. In the first hour anyone can propose a topic, and we build the timetable together. Then two rounds of small conversations. You choose which to join and can move at any time. |
| What you will leave with | A typed report of every conversation by Friday 20 November, and a short list of proposals, each with a person who has agreed to take the first step. |
| What is fixed | Safety training stays compulsory. Shift patterns and pay are not part of this event. |
| Access and support | Step-free rooms, a hearing loop and a quiet room. Large print, an interpreter or a scribe on request. You can take part seated the whole time, and in writing. |
| How to reply, and by when | Reply to the learning coordinator by Thursday 5 November, in person, by phone or by email. Tell us any access, language or dietary needs. |
Filled example: session report
The report from session S1 of the fictional event, as posted on the news wall.
| Part | Notes |
|---|---|
| Topic (as on the wall) | Ten-minute lessons at the start of a shift: what would they need? |
| Convener (role) and note-taker | Shift lead, inbound (convener); a trainer took notes |
| Space and slot | Space A, slot 1, 10:00 to 10:50 |
| People at the start (a number; names only with consent) | 10 at the start; 2 left and 1 joined |
| Main points | 1. The ten minutes before a shift are already used for the safety briefing, so a lesson must fit after it or replace part of it. 2. Lessons work best standing at the task, not in a room. 3. One topic per lesson; a shift lead can run it from a one-page card. 4. Night shift wants the same cards. |
| Questions still open | Who writes the cards? Does a ten-minute lesson count in the training record? |
| Proposed next step, if any | Pilot ten-minute lessons at shift start on the inbound team for four weeks. |
| Who wants to keep going (roles, or “ask the convener”) | Two shift leads (inbound, returns), one trainer, ask the convener |
Plan the spaces and materials
Planning figures, not rules of the method. Change them in the Excel planner.
| Item | Rule used in this kit | Example: 42 people |
|---|---|---|
| Spaces for sessions | People ÷ planning group size (10), rounded up | 5 |
| Session places on the wall | Spaces × slots (2) | 10 |
| Chairs in the opening circle | People + facilitator and helpers (3), with gaps for wheelchairs | 45 |
| Markers | One per person | 42 |
| Report sheets | One per session place + one spare per space | 15 |
| Priority marks | Three per person | 126 |
| A3 sheets for topics | One per two people, rounded up | 21 |
Roles on the day
Six roles. Only the sponsor and the facilitator are fixed in advance.
| Role | Who | Before the event | On the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | Owns the theme and the follow-up | Agrees the question and what is fixed; signs the invitation | Opens with why now; joins as a participant; answers proposals within the promised time |
| Facilitator | Holds the process, not the content | Plans the room, the wall and the timings; briefs helpers | Explains the method, runs the marketplace and the convergence, then stays in the background |
| Convener | Anyone who proposes a topic | Nothing | Starts the session, makes sure a report is written and posted |
| Note-taker | Any participant, asked by the convener | Nothing | Writes the report sheet in the last ten minutes; can scribe for someone else |
| Helpers (two) | Agenda wall and news wall | Learn the timetable and the access options | Read the wall to anyone who asks, post topics for people who prefer not to walk up, count marks |
| Participants | Everyone else | Read the invitation | Choose sessions, move or stay, write a line, mark priorities |
Logistics checklist
Blank version with timings. The Excel checklist turns the timing into a date from your event date.
| # | Task | When | Days before the event (negative = after) | Owner | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Agree the theme question, what is fixed and what the sponsor will do with the results | 6 weeks before | 42 | ||
| T2 | Book the main room and the breakout spaces; check step-free access, a hearing loop and a quiet space | 6 weeks before | 42 | ||
| T3 | Confirm the event is paid working time and arrange cover for shift staff | 5 weeks before | 35 | ||
| T4 | Send the invitation, in plain text and as a printed notice, with one way to reply | 4 weeks before | 28 | ||
| T5 | Ask for access, language and dietary needs; arrange interpreters or large print if asked | 3 weeks before | 21 | ||
| T6 | Recruit two helpers: one for the agenda wall, one for the news wall and the convergence count | 2 weeks before | 14 | ||
| T7 | Order materials: markers, A3 paper, tape, sticky dots, report sheets, name badges | 2 weeks before | 14 | ||
| T8 | Send a reminder with the theme, the times of the day and the access options | 1 week before | 7 | ||
| T9 | Prepare a seated way to see the wall: printed agenda copies and a shared document a helper updates | 1 week before | 7 | ||
| T10 | Print report sheets, convergence sheets, slips for written marks and large-print copies | 2 days before | 2 | ||
| T11 | Set out one circle of chairs with gaps for wheelchairs; tape the grid; label every space | 1 day before | 1 | ||
| T12 | Test the microphone and the hearing loop before people arrive | On the day | 0 | ||
| T13 | Collect the report sheets after each slot and post them on the news wall | On the day | 0 | ||
| T14 | Type up the reports unedited and send them to everyone who took part | 1 day after | -1 | ||
| T15 | Confirm each owner’s first step and date in writing | 7 days after | -7 | ||
| T16 | Hold the first check-in on every proposal marked Go | 28 days after | -28 |
Filled example: logistics checklist
Status on Monday 16 November 2026: 8 of 16 tasks done, one overdue (T9), five due in the next seven days.
| # | Task | Due | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Agree the theme question, what is fixed and what the sponsor will do with the results | Thu 8 Oct 2026 | Sponsor and facilitator | Done |
| T2 | Book the main room and the breakout spaces; check step-free access, a hearing loop and a quiet space | Thu 8 Oct 2026 | Event lead | Done |
| T3 | Confirm the event is paid working time and arrange cover for shift staff | Thu 15 Oct 2026 | Operations planner | Done |
| T4 | Send the invitation, in plain text and as a printed notice, with one way to reply | Thu 22 Oct 2026 | Sponsor | Done |
| T5 | Ask for access, language and dietary needs; arrange interpreters or large print if asked | Thu 29 Oct 2026 | Learning coordinator | Done |
| T6 | Recruit two helpers: one for the agenda wall, one for the news wall and the convergence count | Thu 5 Nov 2026 | Facilitator | Done |
| T7 | Order materials: markers, A3 paper, tape, sticky dots, report sheets, name badges | Thu 5 Nov 2026 | Learning coordinator | Done |
| T8 | Send a reminder with the theme, the times of the day and the access options | Thu 12 Nov 2026 | Learning coordinator | Done |
| T9 | Prepare a seated way to see the wall: printed agenda copies and a shared document a helper updates | Thu 12 Nov 2026 | Helper, agenda wall | Open |
| T10 | Print report sheets, convergence sheets, slips for written marks and large-print copies | Tue 17 Nov 2026 | Learning coordinator | Open |
| T11 | Set out one circle of chairs with gaps for wheelchairs; tape the grid; label every space | Wed 18 Nov 2026 | Facilitator and helpers | Open |
| T12 | Test the microphone and the hearing loop before people arrive | Thu 19 Nov 2026 | Event lead | Open |
| T13 | Collect the report sheets after each slot and post them on the news wall | Thu 19 Nov 2026 | Helper, news wall | Open |
| T14 | Type up the reports unedited and send them to everyone who took part | Fri 20 Nov 2026 | Learning coordinator | Open |
| T15 | Confirm each owner’s first step and date in writing | Thu 26 Nov 2026 | Sponsor | Open |
| T16 | Hold the first check-in on every proposal marked Go | Thu 17 Dec 2026 | Sponsor | Open |
What you'll leave with
By the end of the four-hour open space, every session has a report on the news wall, everyone has marked priorities, and each proposal is Go, with an owner who said yes, a first step and a date, or Parked. Everyone receives the typed reports the next working day.
Before the session
- For facilitators and learning teams planning an open space for 20 to 100 people, half a day or one day.
- Six weeks ahead, agree the theme question, what is fixed and what the sponsor will do with the results. If the sponsor cannot promise a response, choose another format.
- Book a room for a circle of chairs plus one space per ten people, and recruit two helpers.
- Accessibility: step-free spaces, a hearing loop, a quiet room, printed copies of the wall for people who stay seated, written ways to propose and mark, and interpreters or a scribe on request.
How to fill it in with your team
Open the circle and name the theme
Seat everyone in one circle, with gaps for wheelchairs. Welcome people for two minutes, then hand to the sponsor for five: why this question now, what is fixed, and exactly what will happen to the results. Take the last three minutes yourself. Read the theme question twice, slowly, and say: “Take one quiet minute. What part of this question do you care about enough to talk about for 40 minutes?”
Explain how the day works
Five minutes on the plan: point to the theme wall, the agenda wall, the news wall and the five spaces, and give the slot times. Five minutes on the principles and the law, in your own words: “Whoever turns up is enough to start. Let the talk go where it goes. Start when the group is ready and stop when you are done, even early. And if you are neither learning nor adding anything where you are, go somewhere you can, or take a break.” Five minutes on roles and access: conveners and note-takers, the helpers, the printed copies of the wall, and that staying seated in one session all day is fine.
Run the marketplace
Five minutes of silent writing. Say: “If there is a topic you will start and look after, write it on an A3 sheet in a few words, with your role. You can also hand your idea to a helper.” Then 15 minutes for conveners to read their topic aloud, about 20 seconds each, and post it on the grid with a space and a slot. Say: “Proposing a topic means you will be there and make sure a report is written. It does not mean you must know the answer.” In the last five minutes ask twice: “Any more topics?” Wait in silence each time.
Settle the agenda wall
Invite people to read the wall, or the printed copies the helpers bring round. Conveners with similar topics may merge or swap slots; nobody else moves a topic. A helper photographs the final wall and updates the shared document for people at their seats. Say: “The wall is the agenda. If it changes during the day, the convener changes it.”
Session slot 1
Sessions run in their spaces. Stay out of the conversations. Walk the room twice to check that every space has what it needs. At 10:40 announce: “Ten minutes left. Please write your report sheet now.” Each session spends its last ten minutes on the report: main points, open questions, a proposed next step and who wants to keep going.
Break and news wall
Helpers collect the report sheets and post them on the news wall in session order. A helper copies each proposed next step onto the convergence sheet. Say: “The reports from slot 1 are on the news wall. Slot 2 starts at 11:05.”
Session slot 2
As slot 1. Announce the ten-minute report warning at 11:45. Helpers add the slot 2 proposals to the convergence sheet as the reports arrive, and print one reading pack per table.
Read the news wall
Ten minutes of reading. People read at the wall or from the printed packs at their seats. Five minutes of writing: each person writes one line on a card, “The idea I want to see happen is…”, or passes. Collect the cards; they go into the typed reports.
Converge on proposals and owners
Five minutes: read each proposal on the convergence sheet aloud with its session number. Say: “You have three marks. Put them on the proposals you most want to happen. All three on one is fine.” Ten minutes for marking with sticky dots, or by writing proposal numbers on a slip that a helper adds to the count. Five minutes while the helpers count and read out the ranks. Fifteen minutes on owners, from the top: “Who will take the first step on this, and by when?” Write a proposal as Go only when an owner says yes aloud. With no owner, write Parked and move on. Marks set the order, not the decision.
Close the circle
Back in one circle. The sponsor says in two minutes when the typed reports will arrive and when the first check-in is. Then ten minutes for a round: one word or one line about the morning, or a pass. Pass a microphone so everyone is heard. Take the last three minutes to thank conveners, note-takers and helpers and close on time.
Participant worksheet
Copy this table into a document, or print the worksheet from the bundle. Share only what you choose.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Theme question worksheet | The situation, who must be in the room, what is fixed, two drafts and six tests |
| Invitation template | Nine parts, from the theme question to access needs and how to reply |
| Agenda wall grid | Time slots by spaces; one topic and convener per cell |
| Session report sheet | Main points, open questions, a proposed next step and who wants to keep going |
| Convergence sheet | Proposals, priority marks and rank, first step, owner, date, Go or Parked |
| Logistics checklist | Sixteen tasks from six weeks before to four weeks after, with owners |
Debrief questions
- Which proposal has an owner but no date or first step yet, and who will ask about it before the check-in?
- Which group of people was missing or quiet today, and how will we hear them before decisions are made?
- What did the sponsor promise in the opening, and what is the date by which that promise is kept?
- Which parked proposal matters most, and what would it take for someone to own it?
Adapt it for your group
- For 20 to 30 people, use three spaces and two slots of 40 minutes, and run the convergence as one conversation in the circle instead of marks. The whole event fits in three hours.
- For a short version of two hours, keep the opening (15 minutes), the marketplace (15 minutes), one slot of 45 minutes, report writing (10 minutes), convergence (25 minutes) and closing (10 minutes).
- Online, use one breakout room per space, named with the space letter, on a platform where people can choose and change rooms. Keep the agenda wall and the reports in one shared document. Cameras stay optional; topics and marks can be typed in the chat or the document.
- For people who prefer not to move or speak in a large group: staying in one session all day is fine, topics can be handed to a helper to post, printed copies of the wall come to the seat, and priority marks can be written on a slip. Pass a microphone in every circle.
- For 60 to 100 people, plan one space per ten people, add a third helper and a third slot, and allow 20 minutes for the marketplace queue. Above about 100, get help from someone who has run a large open space before.
After the session
Send the typed reports, unedited, the next working day, with the convergence sheet and the date of the first check-in. Track each Go proposal in the Excel convergence sheet. At the check-in, about four weeks later, the sponsor answers every proposal with an owner: yes, no with a reason, or not yet with a date. Parked proposals are read out once more; any that gain an owner move to Go.
Questions people ask
What is open space technology?
A meeting method developed by Harrison Owen in the 1980s and described in his book “Open Space Technology: A User’s Guide”. Participants sit in a circle, propose topics around one theme question, build the agenda on a wall and run their own parallel sessions, each with a written report. Superglue is not affiliated with Harrison Owen or any open space organisation; this pack’s sheets and wording are original.
What are the principles and the law of open space?
Owen’s guide names four principles and one law. In plain words: the people who turn up are enough; the conversation can go where it needs to; it starts when the group is ready and ends when it is done. The law, usually called the law of two feet, says that if you are neither learning nor contributing, you move somewhere you can. In this pack, staying put is equally welcome.
How do you plan an open space agenda wall?
Count the spaces and the time slots. Draw a grid with one row per slot and one column per space, label each space, and leave every cell empty. Conveners write their topic in a cell during the marketplace. The Excel planner suggests one space per ten people; the fictional example uses five spaces and two slots for 42 people.
How is this different from the run of show template?
The run of show template is a minute-by-minute backstage plan for a session whose content is set in advance. Open space fixes only the theme, the times and the spaces; the participants set the content on the day. This pack covers what that needs: the theme question, the invitation, the wall, the reports and the convergence on owners.
What if nobody proposes a topic, or a session has one person?
Wait in silence after asking for topics; the first proposal often takes a minute. A clear theme question and a sponsor who has said what will happen with the results make silence less likely. A session with one person is allowed: the convener can think alone, write a report, or join another session. The pack does not promise any particular result from the method.
What is included in the free and editable files?
The open PDF has the theme question worksheet, the invitation template, the agenda wall grid, the session report sheet, the convergence sheet and the logistics checklist, a filled example of each, and the four-hour run of show. Subscribers also receive the editable Word file, an Excel workbook that sizes the event, counts the wall, ranks proposals and dates the checklist, and a CSV of the checklist.
How to use the files
Print the PDF, edit the Word file in Word or Google Docs, or open the CSV or XLSX in a spreadsheet. Open files need no email.
Can I use this with paying clients?
Yes. Use and adapt this original Superglue kit in your own training, including paid client sessions. Please share this page rather than redistributing the unmodified kit. Read the full usage terms.