[Linux-aus] LCA2016 post event report

[Kathy Reid]

Fully agree with David on this one.

I think we also run the risk of quantity over quality by attempting to 
fit too many talks into the Miniconf Schedules. LCA is a high bar to get 
into as a Speaker and as a Miniconf Speaker; and rightly so. Having done 
2 LCAs now as Speaker Liaison, the experience has taught me that you set 
the Schedule, and then have Speakers work around that, rather than vice 
versa. I would definitely recommend less and better talks and adequate 
break times, both for Delegate comfort and also to 'catch up' Speakers 
who run over time.

For the Miniconfs at LCA2016, Schedule changes were being updated in 
four primary locations;

- The Miniconf site by the Miniconf Organiser
- The Wiki page by the Miniconf Organiser
- The ZooKeepr schedule by me
- The mobile app by whoever wasn't tied up with a higher priority task

The ZooKeepr schedule in turn fed digital signage (which was a stretch 
goal; we didn't have it up and running until Thursday - source code here 
- https://github.com/KathyReid/lca2016-digital-signage)

So, in the event that a Miniconf Schedule changed, up to four people 
were making an edit to four sources.
I suppose they're not stored on 8" floppies, but still, it's not exactly 
efficient.

Definitely recommend synchronising Miniconf Schedule timeslots, times, 
and reducing changes.

Regards,
Kathy

On 29/05/16 17:06, David Bell wrote:
>
> Our schedule was something we spent a considerable amount of time 
> thinking about. We settled on a 10 minute break between talks for 
> LCA2016 due to the walk to the Wool Museum venue. As well as not 
> wanting to rush our delegates from talk to talk or have people 
> interrupting the start of the next session.
> Other conferences who's talk venues are located closer together might 
> be able to get away with a shorter break, we weren't so lucky.
>
> On 29 May 2016 4:25 PM, "Simon Lyall" <simon at darkmere.gen.nz 
> <mailto:simon at darkmere.gen.nz>> wrote:
>
>     On Sat, 28 May 2016, Russell Coker wrote:
>
>         On Sat, 28 May 2016 09:40:10 PM Simon Lyall wrote:
>
>             5b. 10 minute gaps in the middle of 100min sessions are a
>             big lose of
>             time, I'd recommend no longer than 5.
>
>
>         5 minutes is barely enough time to change rooms given the
>         crowds.  It's not
>         enough time to change rooms and get a drink or go to the toilet.
>
>
>     In which case you'll be late for the next session, please try not
>     to disrupt things as you come in the room.
>
>     Seriously though we already have 40 mins each for Morning and
>     afternoon tea plus 60 minutes for lunch (going off the 2016
>     schedule). 10 minutes out of the middle of each session is 10% of
>     miniconf talk time. I could fit anouther 1-3 talks in there.
>
>     Perhaps 5 minutes minimum and some miniconfs could give another 5
>     if they think it will help. FWIW the Sysadmin Miniconf did a 5
>     minute break in 2016. I think at least if the schedule has a 5
>     minute spot in there then it enables miniconfs to be coordinated.
>
>
>
>     -- 
>     Simon Lyall  |  Very Busy  |  Web: http://www.simonlyall.com/
>     "To stay awake all night adds a day to your life" - Stilgar
>
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