[OSList] Agile Day 2011 Boston: OST experience report

Elisabeth Tepper elitepperk at gmail.com
Sun Oct 2 06:02:40 PDT 2011


Thank you Dan for your comments, and great "tips".
Elisabeth
Venezuela & right now in Spain

On Sun, Oct 2, 2011 at 2:22 PM, Daniel Mezick <dan.mezick at newtechusa.com>wrote:

>  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/>
>
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*XS*
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