Lowdown on Unconferences

Andrew ShupingOctober 2010

What are they?

"Happy hour with colleagues, sans beer" 

Amy Buckland

http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/access-aej-spring2010.pdf

 

"What makes an unconference unique is the way it is engineered from the start to enable as much active participation by all attendees as possible." from:  http://tinyurl.com/2bq5v6o

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennafreedman/3363355683/in/photostream/

 Just like regular conferences, but with some key differences: • Agenda set day of the conference• Everyone participates in an active discussion• More fluid, more easy to change• May also be called camps, like barcamp or librarycamp • Are informal • Free or low cost

 Some key tenants:  • Whoever comes are the right people• Whatever happens is the only thing that could have• Whenever it starts is the right time• When it’s over, it’s over• Rule of two feet: don't like the topic then walk away

Where did they come from?From the tech industry and open space technology which Wikipedia defines as: "an approach for hosting meetings, conferences, corporate-style retreats and community

summit events, focused on a specific and important purpose or task—but beginning without any formal agenda, beyond the overall purpose or theme."

 And this is really where the core tenants of the unconference come from, like the "law of two feet"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83156837@N00/1756495297/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/christajoy42/3416272145/

 

What do you need?Overall:

1. A need 2. A venue3. A date4. Sponsor or other funds5. Communication tools/logo/publicity/other 6. People

 Getting ready:

1. Conversation2. Way to organize:

o emailo wikio Google Group

3. Some people to sort out the logistics4. Be flexible 

Funds

For: • Keynote Presenter (if you have one)• Supplies • Food• Space• Schwag

Had:

– $100 from GLA which paid for lunch– ~$50 from Tarver Library to pay for assorted snacks throughout

the day

Tips and tricksDo x, y, and z...no really.  Seriously.  Z's are really important (as in sleep).   • Don't over prepare, difficult for perfectionist but is important• Diversity of roles for planners/facilitators is handy, i.e. someone to

be creative, someone to ask questions, etc. • Library camps/unconferences are casual• Many unconferences are hybrids, and borrow some of the traditional

concepts of a conference (keynotes, registration fees, etc.)• Utilize social software, like wikis• When planning a date/place/time, remember:  Every day is a bad day

for  somebody. Think of yourself as the host or hostess for this event.

Need to have ready    • Room with plenty of chairs • Marker pens• Large sheets of paper• Schedule slots ready to be filled in• Whiteboards• Recycling & trash bins• Nametags  • Duck tape • Food• WiFi• Enough power sockets• Hashtags

 From:  http://work.miramarmike.co.nz/2009/10/how-to-facilitate-barcampunconference.html

Day of Advice

Remember this is new for a lot of folks let them know what they need to do that day, such as: • Helping come up with the schedule• Participation in discussions is encouraged • Help in taking notes

 For the organizes remember: • You can't control everything• Things will be stressful in the beginning, but it will happen• “Whatever happens is the only thing that could have”

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035678396@N01/4299713318/

 

Advice for attending a session• Come prepared to share information, ideas and questions.

Unconferences work best when people are willing to share. • In order to encourage the spirit of sharing, use open-ended

questions.• Give everyone an opportunity to share their ideas.• Keep track of ideas that interest you.• Exchange business cards with those people that you want to

continue talking with after the unconference. Consider using the unconference as the start of your conversation with that person.

• Bring whatever you need for taking notes (e.g., paper, pen, laptop, PDA, etc.)   

 Selections from:  http://cnylibrarycamp.wetpaint.com/page/Advice+for+Participants 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahockley/2481722549/sizes/m/in/photostream/

 

Advice on leading a session

• Create a topic and an angle• Be a good host• Relax and have fun• Continue the conversation

 Things to avoid: • Don't walk in without a question• Never assume you know more or less than the audience

  Selections from:  http://www.scottberkun.com/blog/2006/how-to-run-a-great-unconference-session/

LibCamp NYC

 

 

 

 

 

Lib2.0 unconf

 

LibraryCamp West

 

Difficulties

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/2788648775/

• Format can create anxiety for some people• Might not look as good on the resume  for presenting• Some people just aren't going to be happy 

When all is said and done...• Step back• Enjoy the results• Take pictures• Take videos• Learn for the next go round

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9352758@N04/2121437918/

Examples of Unconferences

Master list of Library Camps/Unconferences: 

• http://liswiki.org/wiki/Library_Camp Examples: 

• http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2008/08/22/library-20-and-beyond-getting-our-hands-dirty-library-unconference/

• http://librarycampperth.wetpaint.com/• http://wiki.oreillynet.com/foocamp06/index.cgi• http://librarycampks.wetpaint.com/• http://thatcamp.org/ • http://denver-stella.pbworks.com/

  

Selected Resources:    Books:

Steve Lawson, tech set forthcoming Michelle BouleOpen Space Technology: A User's Guide  

Websites: http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htmhttp://www.unconference.net/ http://www.openspaceworld.org/http://work.miramarmike.co.nz/2009/10/how-to-facilitate-barcampunconference.html http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2009/02/11/ala-annual-unconference/http://chronicle.com/article/The-Unconference-Technology/65651/http://chimprawk.blogspot.com/2006/07/advice-for-planning-bar-camp.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference

Questions?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/76283035@N00/1507585665/