Comments on: 6 Month Meeting Planning Lag http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/2006/02/20/6-month-meeting-planning-lag/ 101 Things About Associations We Must Change Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:01:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Face2Face Meetingsnet » Blog Archive » Dump the six-month content lag? http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/2006/02/20/6-month-meeting-planning-lag/#comment-21 Face2Face Meetingsnet » Blog Archive » Dump the six-month content lag? Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:53:01 +0000 http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/?p=40#comment-21 [...] That's what the good folks over at We Have Always Done It That Way are proposing: That meeting organizers shouldn't line up all their sessions six months before the conference, but just let the topics to be covered bubble up from the attendees on-site, and let the attendees be your speakers (a relatively new concept called the unconference). While I think this would work for some, mostly small, conferences, I can't see it happening for a major scientific convention, or other types of meetings where people do want to hear the latest breakthroughs from those who do the breaking-through. [...] [...] That’s what the good folks over at We Have Always Done It That Way are proposing: That meeting organizers shouldn’t line up all their sessions six months before the conference, but just let the topics to be covered bubble up from the attendees on-site, and let the attendees be your speakers (a relatively new concept called the unconference). While I think this would work for some, mostly small, conferences, I can’t see it happening for a major scientific convention, or other types of meetings where people do want to hear the latest breakthroughs from those who do the breaking-through. [...]

]]> By: Sue Pelletier http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/2006/02/20/6-month-meeting-planning-lag/#comment-20 Sue Pelletier Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:36:41 +0000 http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/?p=40#comment-20 I'd make speaker flexibility a condition of speaking at the conference. I find it hard to imagine that a speaker wouldn't want to be as relevant and interesting as possible to the participants, but if there are some out there like that, well, that's not who I'd want speaking at my meeting. I’d make speaker flexibility a condition of speaking at the conference. I find it hard to imagine that a speaker wouldn’t want to be as relevant and interesting as possible to the participants, but if there are some out there like that, well, that’s not who I’d want speaking at my meeting.

]]> By: David http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/2006/02/20/6-month-meeting-planning-lag/#comment-19 David Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:25:49 +0000 http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/?p=40#comment-19 That would be a great first step, Sue! I like the idea a lot. If an association can bring themselves to try that and it works well then it would probably lead to more of an unconference event down the road. One trick would be that the speakers must be willing to adapt their presentations based on what the participants push back on. If they aren't then it would likely do more harm than good. That would be a great first step, Sue! I like the idea a lot. If an association can bring themselves to try that and it works well then it would probably lead to more of an unconference event down the road.

One trick would be that the speakers must be willing to adapt their presentations based on what the participants push back on. If they aren’t then it would likely do more harm than good.

]]> By: Sue Pelletier http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/2006/02/20/6-month-meeting-planning-lag/#comment-18 Sue Pelletier Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:14:36 +0000 http://www.alwaysdoneitthatway.com/?p=40#comment-18 Another possibility would be to do what you are doing with your book--put out a beta version of the program with topics you think will be of interest six months out, and let potential attendees, speakers, etc., comment and update the topics up until the day of the conference. That way, you can have a plan in place and still ensure that the content will be fresh and interesting, and speakers can target the information much more effectively. While I love the unconference thing, I don't think many associations would be comfortable in taking that big a leap. This might be a reasonable compromise. Another possibility would be to do what you are doing with your book–put out a beta version of the program with topics you think will be of interest six months out, and let potential attendees, speakers, etc., comment and update the topics up until the day of the conference. That way, you can have a plan in place and still ensure that the content will be fresh and interesting, and speakers can target the information much more effectively. While I love the unconference thing, I don’t think many associations would be comfortable in taking that big a leap. This might be a reasonable compromise.

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