[OSList] Agile Day 2011 Boston: OST experience report

[Daniel Mezick]

Hi Friends!

On 9/29/2011, we (Agile Boston)  execute on AGILE DAY 2011, a joint 
effort with AgileNYC. (www.AgileNYC.org)

In Boston, we receive about 230 persons attending and conduct a 3-round 
Open Space event in the PM after lunch.

This is the trip report and learnings documentation.

Some related pictures and info are here:
http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/
http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/

Findings:

1. BALLOONS. Balloons filled with helium signal fun and work great for 
identifying the labeled spaces. Ballons have no markings because ink 
decomposes latex. Balloon have value in terms of being visible from far 
away.

2. SIGNAGE FOR MEETING STATIONS; EASELS. We use file folders torn in 
1/2. We tape the 1/2 of a file folder to the easel sides so they stick 
out from the side. We use dark marker to mark location '1", "2", etc. 
One person goes around and labels each with Sharpie; next worker comes 
behind and darkens the signage with a big wet dark marker so the signage 
is visible from far away. The set up took about 1 minute for each 
station we have 20 stations.

3. MARKETPLACE. We use flip chart paper and tape to make a huge 
Marketplace surface 6 FT X 50 FT across. This works great. The hotel has 
a rule that we can place flip chart paper and use painter tape (blue) 
but cannot remove it; they want staff to remove. We work inside that 
using this method and it works great. We put it up during AM prep. No 
problems.

4. OPEN.

a. We tell people about proceedings duties. Some receive the messaging; 
some do not. See below.

b. Session pads. We receive guidance from facilitator, Jay Vogt. We buy 
STAPLES flip charts. We use STAPLES to cut them for us. Result is ninety 
10X12 pages (30 to a pad) for 30 cents each. Thanks to Jay Vogt for this 
idea. We refine it a little (found SKU with paper 30 inches across for 
making 3 sub-pads) and it works awesome.

This SKU is 30 inches wide by 23 inches tall, by 30 pages up:

http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-Self-Stick-Landscape-Easel-Pads/product_751161

STEPS
Cut it vertically twice, then trim to 12 inches tall
The result is: 3 pads of 10 wide by (whatever you like tall, for example 
12) wide, each pad has 30 pages
So 90 pages of 10X 12 for about $30 per pad
Use STAPLES print  shop to do the trimming for free.
So there you go ! 30 cents a page 90 pages

4. SESSION ROUNDS. We do 3 rounds. We do 60 minute segments consisting 
of 50 minute session and then ring bells to signal 10-min transition. We 
budget 10 minutes for people to transition and relocate/engage. This 
transition time we deem essential. Again, effective and useful guidance 
from Jay. People report good feelings about the session-body of the 
event; we think the 10-minute transitions contribute substantially to 
that. We have no proof per se but have gut feeling about it.

5. CLOSE. We have space so we keep Opening circle intact for use during 
close. We had a jaggy close because it ended before Reception space was 
prepared for the people to use. Thus we have time to fill in at end of 
close. (see below).

a. Close Chairs Count. We have an idea about chairs also. Next time we 
intend to reduce chair count for the close so it is  a little tighter 
since many people leave before OST close. We see many gaps between 
people. We plan to experiment with chair count reduction and see how it 
feels. Closing in leftover Opening circle space has many open seats in 
typical OST events so we plan to tweak and see what happens.

6. PROCEEDINGS.

a. Clip boards and Forms. We did full proceeding for first time. We 
signal to conveners with emphasis that they are required to make sure 
proceedings are captured. We provide clip boards with pens secured with 
string. We prepare these during lunch-time prep.

b. We plan proceedings. We establish naming scheme to stay organized. We 
produce PDF with text and images. Images are camera-capture JPGs of 
artifacts such as flip-chart diagrams. Text is transcribed from scanned 
images of session proceedings form from clipboard. We capture all during 
event. We box up all proceedings in files and folders in a file box from 
STAPLES. We place single camera and interface cable and battery charger 
in box. We tape up box at end of event and then on to Reception (see 
below).

c. We produce proceedings. After event, next day we work to build PDF. 
We engage transcription service who takes scanned forms as input and 
produces RTF text files as output. This makes writing legible, 
organized. This also makes PDF searchable on terms like 'agile 
coaching', 'leadership', 'testing' etc. We work online and by phone with 
transcriber service. It works great. PDF ETA is approximately 48 hours 
following event. Could be faster but next day everyone is tired and 
skips a day. So day-after-day-after is when works happens. It is quick 
and easy.

d. Proceedings Delivery. We plan to deliver proceedings not later than 
Monday COB 10/1. Event date is earlier, Thu 9/29/2011

7. RECEPTION. We plan a reception. We provide games, beer, wine, food. 
We provide cocktail tables where people stand. We place weird 
interesting toys and gizmos on tables for people to play with. We play 
music and display video and pix on big screen. These include some videos 
of Harrison at Scrum Gathering by accident. (not planned). We provide 
background music intended to support engagement and conversation.

a. Moments. We arrange for live music. At several points in time, we 
stop DVD music and engage live musician. Live music is fellow named 
Brian Tarbox, who plays North American native woodwind instruments. 
Music is awesome and has a very spiritual tone and tempo. (again not 
planned) A moment emerges where Brian is playing this live earthy music 
for several minutes. Everyone stops and listens. At that moment, a 
random video is playing on the huge screen. The lights are low, the 
music is live and in-person. The image on the screen is Harrison larger 
than life. No audio, just the video imagery of him talking. It is Scrum 
Gathering Orlando footage. Angle is up and proximity is close. Image and 
impact is unique. The throaty music is playing, the lights are low. 
Harrison is on the huge screen. It is a special moment. I am standing, I 
am listening and looking and immersed....a person stands next to me. I 
sense him and smile with him, we watch and listen. After a while, he 
says "...now here is something you do not experience every day of the 
week..."

We keep watching and listening. The music and imagery goes for quite 
awhile longer, and ends ... the moment ... is over. Poof.

I look to my right, the person is gone.

This is the most significant moment of the event for me.




Things to Improve:

1. Not every session convener executes on commitment to fill out 
proceedings form. We seek ways to balance autonomy/self-org and 
prescription such that we get more participation

2. Marketplace chairs. We continue to act stupid in respect to chair 
near Marketplace. We need to learn to move these chairs well in advance 
of the movement to Marketplace moment.

3. Better articulation of ground rules for Open and Close. For Open, we 
want better alignment of sessions with theme (Freedom At Work). For 
Close, participants marketing of other upcoming community events and 
some shameless hype leaked into the close, as people grabbed the mike 
and over-steped with out-of-scope announcements and messaging etc. An 
announcement and even a poster with ground rules (in addition to 
canonical OST posters) is needed to remind people of what is "out". 
Posters may also help in terms of a) preventing this and b) explicitly 
referring attention to these posters and all other a-priori ground rule 
agreements about the meeting when people behave in this way.

Summary

This is by far the best OST event we have done to date (this our 5th OST 
in 30 months in Boston). We try balloons, file-folder signage on easels, 
big 10 X 12 fabricated pads for sessions, monster MARKETPLACE surface, 
full proceeding in searchable PDF using transcription, and Reception. 
All work really well. We plan to tinker with seat count at Close at next 
opportunity.

We welcome questions, suggestions/feedback from everyone who has 
interest in learnings from this event, what we are doing in Boston.


Some related pictures and info are here:
http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/
http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/


Agile Boston who we are:
http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/visionmissionvalues/


Regards,
Dan

-- 
Daniel Mezick, President
New Technology Solutions Inc.
(203) 915 7248 (cell)
AgileDay2011 Sept 29! <http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/>

Bio <http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/>, Blog 
<http://newtechusa.net/blog/>, Twitter <http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/>,
Team Training <http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/>, 
Team Coaching <http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/>
Agile Boston! <http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20111002/f570e098/attachment-0007.htm>