ABSTRACT
Search conferences are a much-used work form that shape arenas for participative planning and development. The search conference is a method which has its origins in AR, and research groups in Norway and Australia have dominated its development. The first search conference in Norway was carried out in a fishing community and was aimed at developing strategies for development of business and social life in this active coastal community. The main actor in the development of search conferences on the Australian continent has been Merrelyn Emery. The first challenge for staff organizing a search conference is selecting participants. In Australia, the research group around Emery has been highly active in marketing the 'art' of running search conferences. Workshops have been held on almost every continent. In the first phase of the actual search conference, the staff will introduce the direction or focus of the activity.
