Adam and I just had a very intersting and useful chat on the #DrupalNYC IRC about what types of topics we should have at the meetups, and how to balance them. I am copying part of that chat to get a general discussion going on this blog, since the chats are lost after the discussion.
I think everyone interested should list what they want to have covered and how to balance it. We should probably set up a vote about this.
General questions:
1) How many people want the meetups to be mostly / completely for socializing?
2) For example: What percentage of the meetups should be at a bar, for socializing?
3) How many people want to get introduced to more technical topics: simple theming; views; panels; coding; HTML; CSS?
4) How many people want / need more basic information: how to install, configure Drupal; simple admin; etc?
5) If each session is two hours, should we have one hour being on on introductory help sesssions, and the second hour on one of the more technical topics? Then, we could socialize at the bar afterwards, as in some previous session.
Here is part of what we discussed in the chat: (including world domination, and more....)
asaunders: Of course, Sony and FastCompany are perfectly fine locations for the meetups. The problem was that I simply did not have the energy. I felt like chilling at a bar this time. But, if you know people at IBM that you want to approach then go for it. My feeling is that everyone comes to the meetups to get to know other Drupalers and covering too much content at the meetups can interfere with people's networking and socializing. So there needs to be a bala
[6:39pm] mcaudy: OK, I am glad you are being clear about this. My sense is that many people also want much more than socializing, and that a good number want to learn to code. My own vote is to have at least some coding (PHP, HTML or CSS) or other type of training (installation, admin, etc.) at every or most sessions, and to have the socializing at the bar after the meetup. Are you wanting to socialize more because that will help you find customers, or for some other reason?
[6:41pm] asaunders: If you have your head in code all day and you are already connected to people on the net then the meetups serve as a place to meet and get to know others with your same interests.
[6:41pm] asaunders: The coding often happens afterwards.
[6:41pm] asaunders: After you've talked through a good idea.
[6:42pm] asaunders: It is not really a meetup if everyone has their head in their laptop the whole time.
[6:42pm] asaunders: It is a difficult balance. I want to cover the nuts and bolts too.
[6:43pm] asaunders: Don't get me wrong.
[6:43pm] mcaudy: This is a very useful and important discussion and topic. I am going to copy this to the blog, as an introduction to this topic, and to start a general discussion to get a sense of what range and balance of topics the group really wants.
[6:43pm] asaunders: Presentations are definitely cool
[6:44pm] asaunders: But I don't think they should be forced.
[6:44pm] asaunders: Everyone is already soooooo.... busy.
[6:44pm] asaunders: In a way, I'd like for them to think of the meetups as a time to decompress.
[6:45pm] asaunders: And plot world domination, of course
[6:46pm] sirkitree: +1 for plotting world domination
[6:47pm] asaunders: Oh don't worry... There will be plenty of that on Tuesday.
Comments
and also individual "projects" or "use cases"
I forgot to add an important, 6th, type of possible topic at meetups:
6) How many people want there to be regular descriptions of how people can use Drupal for individual "projects" or "use cases". One hour out of the two in a session could be spent having one or several people describing interesting ways in which they are using Drupal. For example, some of the Sony folks presented such projects at a recent meeting. Perhaps we could discuss at the end of the previous meeting, who might want to give such presentation(s) at the next meeting.
I think that sounds great!
I find that the format of th NY PHP group's meetings are great. They have a topic which is usually a case study or maybe it's on a subject of someone's expertise (security, CCK). They have a PowerPoint/Keynote slideshow on the screen and will often show off sites or hop over to the code to show how things are done. That works really well.
As for socializing? They usually get together at a bar & grill afterwards.
I definitely want there to
I definitely want there to be some technical content, because the meetups have been a way for me to find out more about what is even possible to think about doing in Drupal. However, socializing is good, especially for those of us who don't work in an office with colleagues.
I would vote for taking a short time for more formal business networking type socializing or talking about business/career growth stuff, besides hanging out in a bar.
Jean Gazis
www.jeangazis.com
www.webhostny.com
I like the idea of specific
I like the idea of specific case studies of actual things.
I also like the idea of doing a sort of show & tell or Q & A -- like somebody can present something in progress that they're working on and get feedback from the group or a subset of the group (the group might be too big now for this to work).
But if I had to give up everything else, I'd keep the socializing -- mixing and talking about what people are doing and catching up with people I know. Sometimes it's just nice to commiserate with ppl in the same boat...