BarCamp is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from attendees.
BarcampUKGovweb
What?
This barcamp is about creating a shared vision for UK government web activity, and establishing the UK government digital network - bringing together the community of webbies within central government and the wider public sector.
Why?
Government's approach to all things web and digital is changing for all sorts of reasons: transformational government / website rationalisation provides greater focus on a smaller number of online channels, the impact of - and opportunities presented by - web 2.0 is looming large in everyone's thoughts, online engagement and deliberation are buzz phrases around Whitehall.
• What does this all mean?
• How does it all fit together?
• What skills / resources are organisations going to need in future?
• Who's done it already?
• How do you actually do this stuff?
This barcamp provides a opportunity where hopefully we can answer some of the difficult questions and create a shared vision and approach. Equally, its hoped we can mobilise the government digital media community to improve our skills, knowledge and voice as a collective group.
When?
We plan to run this event during the last weekend of January 2008: at least Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th if there's enough demand.
Who should attend?
This event should be of interest to all who work in the UK government digital media community: permanent civil servants, contractors, consultants, agencies, advisers, supporters, observers, and critics.
If you think you've got something to contribute to improving how government organisations use the web, then this event is to you. If demand and space results in us becoming oversubscribed, we may limit spaces to a representative sample of the above.
Sign up further down this page, and be prepared to lead a session on something.
Where?
Location not yet decided, but somewhere in central London so that if you need to stay the variety of options will overwhelm you.
We need to find somewhere with a large communal space, smaller breakout rooms, catering and possibly sleeping too. Do you know somewhere (see sponsors below)?
Sponsors
Some of the things we need, and hope various organisations can provide:
• a location - requirements detailed above
• food - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks for the two days
• drink - cold, hot, soft, hard
• wifi - hopefully the location will be able to provide this too.
• goodies - as is customary at barcamps, at least T-shirts for all the attendees.
• entertainment - maybe some sort of social event on the Saturday evening
Some Background Reading
• BarcampWellingtonNZeGov (http://barcamp.org/BarCampWellingtonNZegov)
• Transformational Government - Alex, any ideas where we should point this?
• The power of information review
• GCN review of social media
• The Government web strategy - back of a fag packet version (from my blog)
• BBC - Government websites 'too complex'
• Sun: Norway creates first Web 2.0 government
The rules of BarCamp (as listed by barcamp.org) are:
• 1st Rule: You do talk about Bar Camp.
• 2nd Rule: You do blog about Bar Camp.
• 3rd Rule: If you want to present, you must write your topic and name in a presentation slot.
• 4th Rule: Only three word intros.
• 5th Rule: As many presentations at a time as facilities allow for.
• 6th Rule: No pre-scheduled presentations, no tourists.
• 7th Rule: Presentations will go on as long as they have to or until they run into another presentation slot.
• 8th Rule: If this is your first time at BarCamp, you HAVE to present. (Ok, you don't really HAVE to, but try to find someone to present with, or at least ask questions and be an interactive participant.)
Participants
Add your name to this list if you want to come and under 'Session' detail what you want to contribute to the barcamp
Name Organisation Session topic / description other topics I'd like to hear about
Volunteers
add your name to this list if you're prepared to help make the event happen by becoming involved in its organisation
To do list
(please cross out when it's done)
Tech
Wifi
Projector, White Boards
Photo
Video
Audio
Streaming or Stickam or Skype
Non-tech
Breakfast
Lunch
Coffee/Tea
Tables and chairs
Schedule
...will be posted here as it develops.
Tags for flickr, delicious, ma.gnolia, technorati etc.
Please use the tag ( barcampukgovweb) for content related to this event
Who's blogging?
Add your name and URL to this list if you intend to blog at the event. This will help other participants to follow the build up and post-event coverage.
