<font color="#003300"><font size="4"><font face="garamond,serif">Thank you Dan for your comments, and great "tips".</font></font></font><div><font color="#003300"><font size="4"><font face="garamond,serif">Elisabeth</font></font></font></div>
<div><span class="hps" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: rgb(245, 245, 245); "></span><font color="#003300"><font size="4"><font face="garamond,serif">Venezuela & right now in Spain<br>
</font></font></font><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Oct 2, 2011 at 2:22 PM, Daniel Mezick <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dan.mezick@newtechusa.com">dan.mezick@newtechusa.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
Hi Friends!<br>
<br>
On 9/29/2011, we (Agile Boston) execute on AGILE DAY 2011, a joint
effort with AgileNYC. (<a href="http://www.AgileNYC.org" target="_blank">www.AgileNYC.org</a>) <br>
<br>
In Boston, we receive about 230 persons attending and conduct a
3-round Open Space event in the PM after lunch. <br>
<br>
This is the trip report and learnings documentation.<br>
<br>
Some related pictures and info are here:<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/</a><br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/</a><br>
<br>
Findings:<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
4. OPEN. <br>
<br>
a. We tell people about proceedings duties. Some receive the
messaging; some do not. See below. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
This SKU is 30 inches wide by 23 inches tall, by 30 pages up:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-Self-Stick-Landscape-Easel-Pads/product_751161" target="_blank">http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-Self-Stick-Landscape-Easel-Pads/product_751161</a><br>
<br>
STEPS<br>
Cut it vertically twice, then trim to 12 inches tall<br>
The result is: 3 pads of 10 wide by (whatever you like tall, for
example 12) wide, each pad has 30 pages<br>
So 90 pages of 10X 12 for about $30 per pad<br>
Use STAPLES print shop to do the trimming for free. <br>
So there you go ! 30 cents a page 90 pages<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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). <br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
6. PROCEEDINGS.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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). <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
d. Proceedings Delivery. We plan to deliver proceedings not later
than Monday COB 10/1. Event date is earlier, Thu 9/29/2011<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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..." <br>
<br>
We keep watching and listening. The music and imagery goes for quite
awhile longer, and ends ... the moment ... is over. Poof. <br>
<br>
I look to my right, the person is gone. <br>
<br>
This is the most significant moment of the event for me.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Things to Improve:<br>
<br>
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<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Summary<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
We welcome questions, suggestions/feedback from everyone who has
interest in learnings from this event, what we are doing in Boston.<br>
<br>
<br>
Some related pictures and info are here:<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/</a><br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
Agile Boston who we are:<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/visionmissionvalues/" target="_blank">http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/visionmissionvalues/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Dan<br><font color="#888888">
<br>
-- <br>
<div>Daniel Mezick, President<br>
New Technology Solutions Inc.<br>
<a href="tel:%28203%29%20915%207248" value="+12039157248" target="_blank">(203) 915 7248</a> (cell)<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/user-groups/ma/agileday2011/" target="_blank">AgileDay2011
Sept 29!</a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/" target="_blank">Bio</a>,
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/" target="_blank">Blog</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,<br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/" target="_blank">Team
Training</a>, <a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/" target="_blank">Team
Coaching</a><br>
<a href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/" target="_blank">Agile Boston!</a>
</div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><font color="#993399" face="garamond, serif" size="4"><b>XS</b></font>
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