[OSList] Open Space flip charts, signage and proceedings

[doug]

Dan--

Wonderful ideas!

Could you post a link to a photo of how you are doing the flip charts?
It would help us to "see" what you have invented!

			:- Doug.



On Thu, 2011-09-22 at 20:40 -0700, Daniel Mezick wrote:
> On 9/29 in Boston, we (Agile Boston) are producing an event called
> Agile Day 2011 Boston. We have about 250 people coming. 
> 
> See http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/
> 
> The event includes an Open Space in the afternoon. We are planning
> full proceedings. The proceedings are to be delivered in PDF format
> not later than 48 hours after the event. 
> 
> We are taking a shot at experimenting with some small improvements
> that may prove useful for OST practitioners. 
> 
> Here is the list of things we are trying: 
> 
> 1. Helium Balloons for Session Location Signage. We are using helium
> balloons as the session-meeting-space signage. The balloons are marked
> A,B,C,D etc and then tied to chairs or easels. The letters and colors
> make it simple to use expansive convention spaces (no walls or
> corners)  for OST and point people to session spots from very far
> away. "See that green balloon marked G way over yonder? That's your
> session!" Etc. Chairs can get moved around and the spot for meeting is
> still clearly marked and visible from far away. That's the idea
> anyway !
> 
> 2. Yardsticks on Flipcharts. We know this one works. This technique
> originated with the Agile Boston group, which has done 6 Open Spaces
> so far. The technique allows the use of use flip charts in a session
> without the need for an easel. The flip chart goes on a chair instead.
> The technique goes like this: 
> 
> a. Get a flip chart, a yardstick, and some duct tape
> 
> b. Affix yardstick to back of flip chart with duct tape, to make a
> backbone for the flip chart. Let 1/2 inch of yardstick protrude at
> bottom. This creates a little foot or anchor.
> 
> c. Now place flip chart on  chair. Back of chair supports yardstick,
> yardstick supports flip-chart. The yardstick makes the flip chart
> rigid. The 1/2 inch foot cushes into the chair seat cushion and keeps
> the flip-chart upright and easy to write on when seated. 
> 
> 
> 3. Searchable PDF Proceedings. 
> We are producing a high-quality, searchable, transcribed PDF of the
> Open Space proceedings. At least 100 pages worth. Up to this point few
> if any Open Spaces in Agile conferences are producing any proceedings.
> Those that are, are not producing a searchable file. Rather, the
> proceedings contain copies of proceedings forms, or scanned images.
> We are aiming at producing a searchable PDF by using a transcription
> service to convert scanned images to text to render said text
> searchable in a delivered PDF. 
> 
> Steps
> 
> a. At the event and before, make it very plain that conveners are
> expected to make free-hand, paper-form-based proceedings happen.
> Provide forms and pens but do not force anything further per se
> 
> b. When a convened session is over, conveners are expected to go to
> Newsroom with freehand forms filled out, to hand over. 
> 
> c. Volunteers rush to meet and serve convener, bench-checking the
> handwritten form, photographing any artifacts generated on
> flip-charts, and finally, sending the convener on his or her way
> thereafter. 
> 
> d. Copy of proceedings-form is made, gets posted immediately in
> Breaking News. Original gets scanned, sent to transcribers by email
> and filed. Said transcribers send back RTF file. RTF file is inserted
> into PDF and is now searchable etc. JPG artifacts are added as needed
> per session. 
> 
> e. The completed searchable PDF is posted on a public share,  free to
> anyone in the world who has the link. 
> 
> f. Expected latency is no more than 48 hours per 200 pages of
> proceedings generated
> 
> We expect 20 sessions per round over 3 rounds of 50 minutes each in
> this afternoon event. We expect 230++  people so we expect 60 or 70
> sessions to document. 
> 
> We plan to post a full experience report here after the event, to let
> you know how it goes, what we learned etc. We welcome and strongly
> encourage suggestions, historical information about similar stuff
> people have tried, specific guidance and so on. The event is in one
> week. 
> 
> Dan
> 
> -- 
> Daniel Mezick, President
> New Technology Solutions Inc.
> (203) 915 7248 (cell)
> AgileDay2011 Sept 29! 
> 
> Bio, Blog, Twitter,
> Team Training, Team Coaching
> Agile Boston! 
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list
> To post send emails to OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to OSList-leave at lists.openspacetech.org
> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below:
> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org