RETechSouth - Conference 2.0
Posted by Pat Kitano at 3/28/2008 10:25 PM 
Categories: New Business Models, Thank you, Events and Premieres
Categories: New Business Models, Thank you, Events and Premieres
RETechSouth was, from inception to finale, a remarkable surprise... set up adhoc in a span of 21 days from the day Matt Fagioli and Brad Nix met (kudos). Invitations and marketing went out along with the new website the week of March 10, two weeks before the event.
What made RETechSouth a more vibrant, loose conference than any I've attended was its spontaneous, collaborative effort. Here's the way to run Conference 2.0:
- Let the speakers determine
what they want to talk about, don't slot them into categories or narrow
subjects. Moderators, don't over-control the conversation... leave
questions open-ended and don't be surprised if the conversation veers
off.
- Use the big screen to show
website examples on the fly (this requires a "big screen" handler or a
peripatetic moderator). Demonstrate with web examples what the speakers
are discussing. Show the websites, videos and blogs that an audience member has
questions about. Don't use the big screen to show talking heads all the
time.
- RETechSouth used the BarCamp
style of developing breakout session topics by having speakers and
participants suggest on poster boards what they want to talk about.
Then, the breakout sessions should be used as an opportunity for
one-on-one conversations with speakers... and again, let the breakouts
be collaborative, they don't have to follow the suggested topic to a T.
- Don't dumb down the conversation... it's much better to confuse a newbie than bore a veteran. The hope is a confused newbie will be motivated to learn more.
- Add speakers on the fly if appropriate. Maybe cut down the personal introductions to 30 seconds, leave the bios in the program for reference but let the participants just talk.
- Stand up comedian moderators keep things lively...
Facebook pics of our visit to the Waffle House - RETechSouth folks, take us up on our offer to link you into Facebook...
Also, great to meet one of my favorite bloggers - Tom - who live blogged RETechSouth.
This was tech conferencing at it's best! Informative, flexible, and a high dose of sharing. Looking forward to the 2009 event.
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Very cool. Will there be a second one?
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Great to meet you to Pat. Excellent sessions and amazing what quality can be put together in such a short period of time when great minds get together.
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Pat, I've heard nothing but great things about the day and love the whole spontaneous creation. Thanks for sharing.
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