Discussion and organizing related to BarCampStanford...

Needs (sign up next to anything you are willing to bring/do):

• Food!
  • Fruit of the day (e.g. apples, bananas) (Tim)
  • Cookies
• Flatware, cups, napkins, etc.
  • 50 Plastic cups (Tim)
  • Paper plates
  • Napkins
  • Utensils
• BBQ supplies and skills
  • 5 Sausages (Tim)
  • 12-pack o'beer (Sam Adams, Warsteiner, or Becks) (Tim)
  • Grill (on site)
  • Charcoal
  • Long matches
  • Sauces
  • Bread
  • Sides (e.g. potatoes, zucchini etc.)
• Computer projectors
  • Can bring one or two (Todd)
• Butcher paper for session signups and signs
• Heavy tape and markers for butcher paper and Barcamp signs
• A volleyball (for the picnic)
• Billiard balls and cues (for Camp Fooey)
• Welcoming table staffers (1 hour shifts)
• A Barcamp Stanford digital logo
• T-shirts!
• The Buscyle will be outside from 2PM Saturday on for Open-Air Open-Space interactions with groups up to 14 people around campus

Ideas

• Run one of the sessions as a hands-on MashPit (mashpit.org). A structuring topic to channel everyone's creativity would be nice. Maybe we can brainstorm topics in an earlier session (say Sunday morning) and then collaboratively work on prototypes in a following session (Sunday afternoon).

Process Discussion

Why the distinction between self-organizing sessions and OpenSpace? Why not do the whole thing as OpenSpace? -- EugeneEricKim

We could do that, Eugene. As I understand it, the main differences between the way, say BarCampSanFrancisco was run and Open Space Technology are (a) asynchronous versus synchronous signups/announcements and (b) limited versus unlimited numbers of announced simultaneous discussions. Open Space, in my experience, also puts more emphasis on everyone having gone through the orientation, on keeping people close together so they can move easily between discussions, on spaces of roughly equal size, and on having lots of small discussions rather than a mix of, say larger presentations and discussions. We have a variety of spaces we could use, from lecture halls down to cubby holes. I figured that for the regular sessions we could make the full variety available so presenters/hosts can choose what's appropriate (e.g. a lecture room with a projector versus a set of chairs under a stairwell). But for the Open Space we would try to keep most discussions in and around a large space. All of this would highlight the differences, I think, and add variety to the day. I had a good experience at BCSF, but wanted to follow up on Kaliya Hamlin's suggestion that Barcamp be run as "real Open Space". So I thought we could try OST for a while on Saturday afternoon and see if people like it better, but I wasn't ready to say we should throw out the way the previous barcamps have been run in the bay area, since some expectations may have formed around that (ability to schedule rooms a little farther ahead, larger audiences for sessions, etc.). If there is a groundswell opposing this plan, then we could definitely modify it. I have some issues with what I see as OST dogma, but that's probably better left for talking over next weekend. :) - ToddDavies

For all intents and purposes, the original Barcamp was OpenSpace. Don't be distracted by perceived dogma. (Those who are dogmatic about OpenSpace tend not to understand it.) What's currently being proposed as the schedule is tacking on some process that often happens at the beginning of OpenSpace events onto the middle of an OpenSpace-like gathering. That's not going to work.

Let's throw out the notion of OpenSpace for now, because it's distracting us from the core issue, which is what's the best process for this event. From your description, it sounds like you expected the "OpenSpace session" to have synchronous announcements and to happen in a large space. Instead of having a separate session, I recommend having synchronous signups at the beginning and making the large room the plenary gathering space for the group (as well as potential session space). Doing synchronous signups doesn't prevent you from doing asynchronous as well. It adds additional value by drawing attention to the diversity of topics and participants. -- EugeneEricKim

Eugene, can you take the lead in modifying our process, then? Your idea sounds fine, although I don't understand why what I proposed couldn't work also. Modify the schedule as you think it should be, and people can comment here if they think it needs changing. - ToddDavies