Self-Organizing and Pizza: Unconferences
This past Saturday, NDItech was proud to host the Tech@State Open Source - Unconference. Around 100 people turned out over the course of the day to set the agenda, huddle in hallways, and talk about everything from APIs to data advocacy.
The event built on the previous day's more formal event at State Department, a series of speakers and speakers addressing the changing perceptions and applications of open source in government. Nearly 400 people registered for the event at State, and brought with them an extraordinary blend of curiosity and expertise. Not even the end of the Mubarak regime in Egypt could divert their enthusiasm for learning and prostlytizing about the importance of community code.
On Saturday, the fantastic facilitation of Wayne Moses Burke of the Open Forum Foundation kicked things off. It was the first unconference for quite a few participants, so he set to explaining what an unconference really is, and laid down some basic ground rules. An unconference, he explained, is like the best part of the conference - like a series of extended coffee breaks, with just a hint of structure to keep things moving. Whenever it begins is the right time, whomever shows up are the right people, and whenever its over, its over. It's this informal ethos, and emphasis on essential communications, that makes these events so productive and fun.
Participants pitched their ideas to the group, then arranged them on the fly on a giant wall. Ideas included the practical: Federal Open Source Policy & Guidelines How-To; the inspiring: Transparency Leapfrog In Developing Countries (Example: Timore-Leste); the geographic: Citizen Science: DIY Data Cartography; and the philosophical: Open Source Culture & Democracy: the Impact of Open Source on Enhancing Democratic Principles. The full schedule, as it played out, can be found here.
Every session seemed packed - but perhaps that's because whomever showed up were just the right people. The day powered through 30 pizzas, 10 gallons of coffee, and 150 bagels, and was still so ravenous for data and discussion that it spilled into a happy hour nearby. The NDItech team was thrilled by the turnout, and learned from its Tech@State and Open Forum partners, as well as Google's generous support of the mission-critical food and snacks. All-in-all, a fantastic day of learning, sharing, and collaboration.
The amazing drawing above was the output of graphic recording artist Diane Klein. She captured many of the day's proceedings visually - her full Saturday portfolio can be seen here.