DrupalCamp Organizing Guide Version 2 - Outline

Please see this post for additional information about this outline and effort.

What is a DrupalCamp?

Types of DrupalCamps

• Conference-style
• Unconference-style
• Summits
• Clinics
• Hackfests
• Coding for a Cause

What are the steps in organizing a basic camp?

• keep it simple
• lead time
• find volunteers
• determining a target attendance

• setting a date

  • consider other local/regional events
• fiscal agent
• secure venue
• find sponsors
• marketing (web site, local user groups)
• call for speakers
• everything else (nametags, food, t-shirts, swag, parties, etc...)

What tools are used to help organize camps?

• g.d.o.
• Open Atrium
• Google Docs
• email lists
• conference calls

How much should a camp charge participants?

• free
• nominal
• registration abandonment rates
• discounts for students, non-profits

Committees (usually a single person)

• fearless leader

• sponsors

  • giveaways
  • swag
• finances
• food/drinks

• sessions

  • beginning track
• t-shirts
• venue/wifi/rental equipment
• marketing
• signage

• volunteer wrangler

  • registration
  • runners
  • swag bag stuffers
  • setup
  • cleanup
  • red-shirts
• registration
• web site
• social coordinator
• Coding for a Cause

Budget

• start with the basics

  • location
  • insurance
  • rental equipment

• nice to have

  • morning food and drink
  • afternoon food and drink
  • lunch

• splurge

  • t-shirts
  • swag bags
  • session recordings
  • bring in well-known speakers (assist with travel costs)

• surplus

  • Drupal Association
  • COD

• sample budgets from previous DrupalCamps

  • NYC 2007: http://wiredgeek.com/node/702

Volunteers

• where to find them

  • local user group
  • regional user groups
  • other local organizations
• the size/scope of your camp should be determined by the amount of time and effort the vounteers are willing to put into it.

Venue

• look for a venue with several rooms for simultaneous presentations/BoFs/coder lounges as well as one room large enough for everybody

• universities/colleges

  • rooms with a/v equipment
  • wifi available
  • low cost if a faculty or staff member is helping
• libraries
• organizations
• insurance requirements
• don't underestimate how important good wifi is
• be sure each room is equipped with a project and screen
• power outlets

Insurance

• provided by venue
• purchased by local organization
• purchased through the drupal association

Sessions

• Develp strategy and objectives for sessions and tracks

• Conference-style

  • invite community to submit session proposals
  • accept as many proposals as possible to encourage participation
  • encourage experienced presenters to mentor new presentors

• Unconference-style

  • have a large whiteboard on-hand
  • encourage everybody to present

• Tracks

  • beginner

    • share session materials among camps
    • standardize on consistent starting point
  • intermediate
  • advanced
  • social media
  • business

• Keynote presentation

  • one session that appeals to everybody
  • Drupal rockstar
  • local panel
• Remote presenters
• Special Interest/BOF Groups
  * Select topics and Leaders
  * Establish time and place
  * Engage Leaders early to start dialog
• installation party

Web site

• g.d.o.

• Conference Organizing Distribution (COD) (usecod.com)

  • free Pantheon hosting for camps
  • session proposals
  • session schedules
  • registration
  • sponsors
• custom

Registration

• EventBrite.com
• COD

• registration volunteer

  • handle special cases and questions

  • nametags

    • name
    • location
    • d.o. username
    • tag yourself
  • check people in

Finances

• methods for handling the money

  • have sponsors pay vendors directly
  • funnel through local individual(s)
  • funnel through local organization/company
  • set up new legal entity
  • drupal association

• accepting payments

  • PayPal
  • sponsor checks
• paying vendors

• working with a not-for-profit fiscal entity

  • provide tax exempt receipt to sponsors and vendors

Sponsors

• why have sponsors?
• single point of contact

• tiered sponsor levels

  • document
  • samples
• leverage volunteer networks

• initial contact

  • in-person (meetups)
  • phone
  • email
• start local, move outward
• sponsor payment deadlines
• gathering sponsor information

• media sponsors

  • publishers
  • local (social) media

• contacting sponsors

  • sample sponsor pitch letters

• following through

  • ensure timely payment
  • ensure sponsors are getting what was promised
• thanking sponsors

Food and Drinks

• sponsors

  • cash
  • free stuff

• morning

  • coffee estimation

• lunch

  • boxed vs. buffet
• snacks

T-shirts

• design

  • stay consistent with web site design
• sponsors
• different color shirts for volunteers

• sizes

  • esimate sizes

    • based on previous camps
    • get data from DrupalCon Chicago for size breakdown
  • ask for sizes during registration
• link to DrupalCamp logo

Marketing

• g.d.o.

• twitter

  • set "official" hash tag
• meetup.com
• planet drupal

• related local groups

  • web designers
  • php
  • linux

Signage

• outdoor lawn signs
• room signs
• restrooms
• venue map

Social Activities

• finding a suitable loction
• sponsorships
• potential liabilities

Miscellaneous

• extension cords and powerstrips (could be a volunteer position for setup)
• break/snack rooms
• extra room(s) for BoF, spontaneous meetings/discussions
• pre-planned signage
• blank signage and markers
• tape
• paper and pens

• twitter wall

  • use an extra projector to display hash tag twitter feed

• giveaways

  • raffle
  • per session by presenter

Post-camp survey

• provide giveaway (books from media sponsor) as enticement to complete post-camp survey
• sample surveys

Companion Events

• pre-camp trainings
• Coding for a Cause
• Hackfests

Case Studies