Software development teams are the initial focus of any Agile adoption. In OpenSpace Agility, teams experiment with Agile practices for about 100 days as they tune and adjust their behavior in the direction of continuous improvement.
Teams might be large or small. They may or may not decide to use Scrum or Kanban. During the period of experimentation, the primary thing that is generated is learning. All too often there is pressure to get a software delivery out the door, even as the teams are figuring out new ways to do that. Yes, teams are expected to continue to deliver as they are learning. The difference in the OSA method is that the teams are intentionally choosing to try specific practices during the period of experimentation.
You might wonder: “How can all these teams stay in sync if they are all allowed to do something different?”
The answer is surprisingly simple: by periodically inviting ALL the Teams and ALL the Stakeholders into Open Space. There is no need for central control. When people show up passionate, responsible, and fully engaged, the best ideas get heard and the best course of action is identified and acted upon. By the time OST-2 rolls around, the organization is very aware of what needs to be done to keep everyone in sync.