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The Unconference

Posted to Gurteen Knowledge-Log by David Gurteen on 31 December 2005

 



Title

The Unconference
WeblogGurteen Knowledge Log
Posted DateSaturday 31 December 2005 09:47 GMT
Posted ByDavid Gurteen
Linkshttp://www.highcontext.com/hcarchives/2005/11/18/conference- ... 
CategoriesUnconference
PeopleDavid Gammel 

For the last few years I have been running knowledge cafes and conferences that were inspired by my frustration with traditional conference and speaking formats. Too often traditional conferences are "chalk and talk" and "death by powerpoint" and I wanted to get away from this format and create meetings that were a lot more interactive, participative, and conversational - where the participants (note I have never called them delegates) got to engage with the subject matter.

At the same time it was good to notice that other people were adopting this format too and that many more conferences and seminars were becoming 'participative events'. Well once this new form of 'conference' is given a label then maybe its time has really come and so I was delighted to just read this posting of David Gammels on Unconferences.

This is how an "unconference" compares with a traditional "conference". I love it :-)
Conference Unconference
Attendees Participants
Exhibitors Participants
Recruiting speakers Recruiting participants
Content planning Content facilitation
Direct marketing Word of mouth marketing
Handouts Wikis
12 month planning cycle 12 week planning cycle
Sponsorships Donations
Once a year As often as needed and desired
Large budgets Shoe-string budgets
Maximize value for organizers Maximize value for participants
Best practices Innovation
Top down Bottom up
Wisdom of experts Wisdom of crowds
Magazine coverage 2 months later Live blogging/podcasting
Slides Stories
Panels Conversations
Best practices Practicing
Hierarchy Networks
Directive methods participatory methods
Participants Contributors/creators
Speakers Conversation starters
Sharing information Learning collaboratively
Instruction Discovery
Best learning in the hallway It’s all hallway!



If you are interested in Knowledge Management, the Knowledge Café or the role of conversation in organizational life then you my be interested in this online book I am writing on Conversational Leadership
David Gurteen


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