FRESH13
 

A TRUE DEBATE IS HARD TO FIND

Although the debate is one of the most potent formats in meetings, only seldom you can see one. Is it because meeting planners are conflict-averse? Or because the antagonists don't want to be on stage in front of their peers? FRESH will give it a go! We have a few potentially explosive topics lined up to get some real debate. Are you ready to take up the glove? 
 

DEBATES for FRESH13



Elling Hamso moderates one of the FRESH debates that were held on stage. Also participants were debating in small groups.

Un-conference meetings are unrealistic and Naive

Social Media in Meetings is seriously over-estimated


Meeting planners are in the way of good meeting design.

Protagonist: Changing shape in meeting design takes creativity, experimenting and changing things. This takes time and needs pressure to get teams to decide. Meeting planners are good at the opposite: fixing things as soon as possible, control and avoiding risk.

Antagonist:
Meeting design needs to be managed so it doesn't endanger the meeting itself. Meetings are team work and too much change and innovation ruin team spirit.
  

MEETING DESIGNER? Find a real job! Open Space is all you need.

Protagonist: Harrison Owen started the open space movement in the 70's. He says that designing a meeting is not needed. The program takes care of itself with Open Space. All you do to design it, is just in the way of valuable processes among participants. No other meeting formats needed at all.
    Antagonist: Open space is a nice format to be used at the end of a conference like FRESH. By no means can it replace all formats and techniques for all the possible needs groups can have. Open Space is just another format.
     

    THEATER STYLE SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!

    Protagonist: Theater Style room setup is the worst for learning, networking AND motivation.
      Antagonist: It mostly has to be Theater for space reasons and participants can relax more: It is okay.
       

      PERFECT MEETING DESIGN IS IMPOSSIBLE...

      Protagonist: There is just too much you can do, for to many different needs of too many different stakeholders. If you don't accept mediocre meeting design, you cannot organize any meeting anymore. 
       
      Antagonist: It must be perfect, and it can be. You just need to prioritize. 
       
       
       
       

      Topics FROM FRESH12:

      MEETING PLANNERS VS. MEETING ARCHITECTS

      Position A: planners can never be meeting architects.

      Position B: Planners have to combine meeting architecture with planning

      SLOW VS. HYPER MEETINGS...  

      Position A: Meetings are going too fast to be effective

      Position B:  Speed and activities keep people awake

      CO-CREATION VS. EXPERTS ON STAGE

      Position A: Co-Creation is a waste of time

      Position B: Co-creation is the best part of any conference