What is LSI
From LSI
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What is LSI?
The first thing that struck me after diving in the literature is that it is hard to say what LSI exactly is ( Bryson 2000 p. 152). The intervention is part of a wider family of participative approaches used to involve people in change processes. LSI itself embraces a rather divers family of methods for working with Large Groups, the Large Group Intervention (LGI) methods, that share some basic principles. Each LGI method is consequently associated with the “founding fathers”. Each method comprises a fairly complex collection of concepts, procedures, tools, and techniques. Most require highly skilled facilitators, which adds even more complexity to a particular method, as each facilitator adds a particular twist to the LGI method in practice (Cropper 1990). Following the Dutch tradition I choose for the name LSI with the following definition:
Definition of LSI
A Large Scale Intervention (LSI) is a trajectory for change or learning in which stakeholders of the whole system (organisation or community and its context) are invited to contribute in all stages of the trajectory. On one or more occasions the whole system is invited in one room, to address strategic issues.
LGI is part of LSI
In this definition the interventions with (a representation of) the whole system in the room, the large group conferences or LGIs, are embedded in a larger change process, the LSI trajectory.
Basic principles
- Past, present and future of the organisation/community are inseparably connected
- Reality is defined by meanings as well as facts
- Active participation enhances commitment to change, learning and working together
- Action learning facilitates real time change (thinking and doing are not separated)
- Meaningful experience is created by engaging the whole person (mind, body, and spirit)
The large scale notion addresses (possible) large numbers of people involved, and it directs also to a perspective for looking at change processes in their larger context.
Translated in terms of organization science, the basic principles of LSI are:
- 1. Systems thinking: dynamics in time (organisation/community and its stake-holders) influence the future of the future of the system
- 2. Participation of stakeholders: Active participation enhances commitment to change, learning and working together
- 3. Action learning: facilitates real time change because thinking and doing are not separated
- 4. Holistic view on development: Sustainable experience is created by engaging the whole person (mind, body, soul and spirit), because reality is defined by meanings as well as facts; everything that lives wants to grow, to flourish.
Different names for the same phenomenon:
- Whole System Working (Mike Pedler et al 2003)
- Whole Systems Change (Dannemiller 2000, Jacobs 1997)
- Whole Scale Change (Dannemiller Tyson Associates, Jacobs)
- Large Scale Systems Change (Brown 2001)
- Whole Systems Approach (Adams & Adams 1999)
- Large Group Interventions (Bunker & Alban 1996, Leith 2004, Holman & Devane 1999)
- Collective organizing (van Nistelrooy 1999)
- Großgruppen Arbeit (Königswieser 2000, Zur Bonsen 2003)
Characteristics
How are the principles of LSI worked out in practice? A whole family of methods and recipes is developed, but they share some characteristics you can observe in design and practice. LSIs share the following characteristics:
Large Group Intervention methods
The LSI family is mostly categorized by the method used for the Large Group Intervention (LGI), the method used to work with the "whole system in the room". Bunker & Alban distinguish in 1997 twelve main groups of LGI methods, in their first book about Large Group Interventions. Since then the family expanded even more, several authors mention twenty or more LGI methods ( Bunker & Alban 2006, Holman & Devane 1999, Bryson 2002, Pedler 2003, Homan 2005, Weber 2005). The term LGI covers a wide variety of methods, from very structured (Future Search, Conference Model®, Search Conference) to almost open (Open Space) and everything in between (Real Time Strategic Change, World Café, Participative Design, Simu Real).
In this research project I focus on the best known, and most wide spread LGIs, because their spreading may indicate the highest potential for success (or great marketing tools?). For now I select:
- Future Search
- World Café
- Open Space
- Real Time Strategic Change (Whole Scale Change®)
- Hybrids of methods above
They all have a network of practioners, and are building a community of practice around the method, see LSI networks.
NB: Although Appreciative Inquiry is a well known method for working with large groups it does not meet my criteria for an LSI (no representation of the whole system, focus on positive experiences rather than looking at the whole and appreciating both the prouds and the sorries. Of course, AI can be integrated with other LGIs in an LSI or in a bigger change process.
