I noticed the session schedule for Western Mass Drupal Camp is starting to take shape. I'm concerned that a session I proposed about MERCI (Manage Equipment Reservations, Checkout and Inventory) is now neither listed in the Sessions Accepted nor Sessions Proposed views.
What happened to that session?
While MERCI isn't a general use module that would have a large install base like Features, i18n or Domain Access, it is a key part or the Drupal configurations of many public access organizations, universities, and libraries. We already have at least 15 people working with public access attending the camp. With the number of people attending the camp from universities in the Amherst area, I'd really like to see this session make this camp's schedule.
Comments
I was wondering about that
I was wondering about that too!
It has been set to deferred
It has been set to deferred status... which is why it isn't in the proposed view. Making the schedule is tricky and I know it is definitely not final yet.
Looking forward to MERCI
As a new user to MERCI and attendee of the Camp I'm really looking forward to a session on MERCI.
The session I proposed--in
The session I proposed--in response to a requested session--Building Paid Membership Sites with Drupal (http://drupalcampma.com/building-paid-membership-sites-drupal)--looks like it's been added to the schedule. But I'm not sure it would not have wide appeal to the Western MA audience.
I'd be willing to give up my spot and just organize a BOF on my topic...
I was thinking about
I was thinking about proposing a CiviCRM session since that's what most public access stations use to manage paid memberships and certifications, but MERCI and Creative Commons were my priorities. Rather than dropping the paid membership with Ubercart altogether, what do you think about showing both the Ubercart and CiviCRM approaches in a single session?
@kreynen, Hey, I've been
@kreynen,
Hey, I've been meaning to write to you and discuss it, but I've been slammed w/ work recently. When picking the preliminary schedule, Kelly and I went for:
A). Broad appeal
B). One session for everyone.
Yours was a tough one to decide on, and since we had scheduled a lightning talk one of yours, I wanted to see if you could do a BoF instead on MERCI. MERCI seems really relevant, but perhaps to a smaller dedicated audience than many of the other sessions. Maybe not, I don't really know. I know CiviCRM very well and am a friend of lobo and Dave's (having done a couple projects w/ them). It would be great to get a CiviCRM session up and I think there would be a lot of interest. We are unfortunately limited in space and time (isn't everything?), but if you can Kelly (Lucas) can pair together on that, I think it would make a killer session.
Best,
Jacob
I know organizing camps can
I know organizing camps can be thankless and no one has enough time, but just a suggestion for the next camp. Obviously you are flagging presentations as deferred. Next time, don't just drop session proposals from the existing Views. Add another View of the deferred session with an explanation like what is now been offered in this thread.
Are there lightening talks scheduled? When?
Is there space available for BoFs to meet? Where?
We started organizing as a BoF as soon as the camp was announced and invited staff and management from Drupal using public access station in the area to attend. I'm trying to make the camp worth the trip for a group that is already using Drupal and has some very specific needs. I would have offered MERCI as a training, but with 20 people from public access planning on attending the camp that would exceed the space for 8-10 people.
You're absolutely right. I
You're absolutely right. I meant to follow up with people who were on the edge to try and merge sessions, organize BoFs, etc but after Kelly and I planned it and then I spent the night keying the stuff in, I had exceeded the time budget for myself that I could spend that week. Acquia had a full team on-site so I was really preoccupied.
Wasn't meant to be a dis, just lacking time to properly deal. There are 4-5 other sessions that also need conversations.
In terms of a MERCI BoF, we have excellent space thanks to Steve. There is a large open atrium with several tables for BoFs. If you feel the MERCI group is large enough, we can probably open up another room with a projector, etc for that slot if you want to do it there. We didn't want to have a full other room all day because it would spread the attendees thin and be a lot to maintain. If we get another 70 registrations or something this week, maybe we'll have to change that.
To be honest, it's getting a little overwhelming and we really need to do some volunteer coordination to make sure everything works even though I'm trying to keep stuff as low-key as possible. :)
Thanks for your patience,
Jacob
I think CiviCRM would be
I think CiviCRM would be great to present on. Tons of orgs in the area use it. I can help if needed.
I added the deferred filter to the site so it will show http://drupalcampma.com/program/sessions/proposed here as well.
From experience at the Connecticut camp it is hard to judge how popular a session will be.
One people do not sign up for session ahead of time, just human nature unless they pay.
Two, not sure how many people where involved to make the choices of deferred or not but I think as seen at the Chicago Drupal Con
http://chicago2011.drupal.org/news/drupalcon-chicago-session-selection-p... it is not an easy process and needs to be a more clear and planned process that involves a number of people.
I think Jacob that your busy schedule should only free you up to delegate a task to others in the group so feel free to list out open tasks and I and other will jump on them. At this point there my be a list somewhere but until more of us know it is hard to just sign up for tasks. I can not make it to the meetings all the time but I think we all know it is possible to do a bit of this over the net.
I noticed in past meeting using Google Doc but I would suggest using this site is the best way to centralize the data and openness of the process.
Alfred Nutile
alfrednutile@gmail.com
http://www.alfrednutile.info/about
http://twitter.com/alnutile
Hey Al, I sense a little
Hey Al,
I sense a little hostility in your post, so I'm going to respond clearly. I totally value that I'm the new kid on the block (well at least the old-new-kid back in W. Mass) and that you've done a lot for this community. It doesn't mean I'm upset, but I just want to be clear how I feel about the camp and my involvement and I don't like the roll I feel I just got hit with.
"I think Jacob that your busy schedule should only free you up to delegate a task to others in the group"
I volunteered to handle the content. Others signed up to handle the website (yourself), marketing (Kelly) and infra (I think Steve @ Umass). I've taken the lead in certain areas to push stuff along and helped in other areas, but I also set a firm time budget and said I wasn't going to put it on my back. So no, there is no master list of tasks (on google docs or here), and if there is, I didn't make it, and if I did, it wasn't my intention to do so. This site sucks for keeping a wiki, since it is non-collaborative and has edit conflicts, but I don't care really about the vehicle, we need a master task list from here on out. I don't know who is planning to coordinate the infrastructure stuff, but I haven't seen a lot of movement there yet. I signed up to organize the schedule and reach out to presenters, and I've also done a lot of marketing, gotten a keynote (or sorts) and done a bunch of the website content but I'm certainly not "owning" the entire process here - no wish to.
Responding to " it is not an easy process and needs to be a more clear and planned process that involves a number of people.":
At the first meeting we agreed to just put a group together a few weeks before the camp and take a call. Keep it light weight and have room for BoF, etc. At the previous meetup we scheduled a meeting to handle the schedule. It was totally open and anyone could join. There were two volunteers (myself, Kelly and Steve). Steve couldn't make it, so Kelly and I did it. Kelly and I spent several hours going through the sessions and talking about what would be an accessible schedule which had broad appeal with a diversity of topics and speakers. We also talked about who could perhaps work together and what could be a BoF. This was about a week ago, we haven't announced it because we wanted to keep it preliminary and then I was away w/ Holidaze and an onsite.
To be honest, there will always been unhappy people when a schedule is made. There is no "fair" way to do it and unlikely to be a "good" way. It really just comes down to some people (preferably those who are working to make it happen) making a call, and I think that's what has happened.
The schedule is still flexible, but I'm pretty tapped out in terms of how much more time I'm willing to spend on it. We have a great space, and plenty of room for BoFs, so I feel like people can self-organize if there are topics that need more love than is in the official schedule. Will there be sessions on the schedule that bomb and people complain about? YES! Will there be great sessions with broad appeal which aren't on the schedule and people complain about? YES! Do we have all the answers now and should we spend the little time we have left arguing instead of working out the infrastructure and sponsorship details? ... meh, I don't think so!
I probably can't make it to the meeting tonight since I've more than used up my chits from the missus regarding DrupalCamp and I need to save them for the next two weeks :( When there is a checklist of tasks for the coming weeks and one for the day itself, I'll sign myself up as I am able.
Best,
Jacob
I think the word hostility
I think the word hostility should be replaced by frustration. Others I have spoken to talked about this feeling as well. For me the frustration it just with "our" inexperience organizing something as a group and nothing personal.
There are a number of best practice articles online about working on things as a group and some related to drupalcamps so it is a common subject.
So not to go on too long here and have a long thread that one phone call or beer can set aside lets just say next year we are all a little wiser about working as a group.
Alfred Nutile
alfrednutile@gmail.com
http://www.alfrednutile.info/about
http://twitter.com/alnutile
Sure, always up for a beer!
Sure, always up for a beer! Everything is simpler w/ Alcohol.
I'm not frustrated yet, but I warned about this from day one: Make a time budget and stick to it and keep it low-key, just take quick decisions and keep it simple. To be honest, I don't think there has been a process. There have been mostly independent actors doing the best they can with very limited time.
It often helps to have someone organizing the entire group and following up on peoples' individual commitments / connecting volunteers. I don't think anyone wanted to take on that role - I sure as hell didn't. Without that, frustration ensues because people A). Act alone or B). Don't know what to do or C). They are in time-consuming consensus building meetings which this group is not ready to commit to. Personally, I would prefer that next time we have a defined leader who has the experience and can spare a bunch of time to drive everything forward.
So what we have is several people (mainly you, me and Kelly) doing a ton of work without group inclusion on micro-decisions because it just has to be done and done fast. THere have been plenty of opportunities for others to be involved in all these efforts (content, sponsorship, website) but not a lot of active outreach beyond the meetup. Then there are a few other people who would do work, but need someone to hand them tasks, I have done this to some extent and I know you and Kelly have done that as well, but we could do a lot more.
I've done exactly what I signed up to do from day one: I marketed the hell out of this through my channels (and I think I've done a very good job there), I've raised some money and I've been a part of the teams working on website content and building the schedule. I've included anyone who wanted to be included via the meetups at every step. I'm happy with what I personally and what we as a team have accomplished. I think we've done a bang-up job in limited time. We've got a very professional looking website with nice content, a kick-ass schedule and about 250 registrants which is around our target.
Now, we really need someone to lead the logistics push. It would be great to know who that person is and what their checklist is so I can volunteer to help them.
Best,
Jacob
Coming armed with chocolate and a notebook
I'm not sure I can be the ONE person who can head up logistics but I have not lived up to my personal time budget commitment. I can get a list together, put it somewhere accessible to all, nudge people, and bring chocolate when we meet. I'm happy to help the ONE person or be a half a person in a one person role if that's helpful.
I very much appreciate all you folks are doing to pull this together and I get really psyched about the way it's coming together. I've wanted to help but it's been hard to know what's been done and what still needs doing. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves.
Thanks, Kelly, for gathering us tonight and giving us a much needed nudge. And - is there parking at Amherst Media? If not, tips for where to put the car?
Thanks for posting the google
Thanks for posting the google doc.
I will take on some of the webadmin stuff Sunday night but anyone who wants to feel free.
Alfred Nutile
alfrednutile@gmail.com
http://www.alfrednutile.info/about
http://twitter.com/alnutile
Annaconda first?
Thanks very much - I'll jump in as well, but won't get to this today. Can you tackle annaconda first? :-)
Hey, That's fine. She is the
Hey,
That's fine. She is the chief organizer of Vancouver events was organizing a talk at DC about organizing camps and was going to share some notes with us, wanted to DM to our twitter account.
No need now, I linked up with her through my account.
task spreadsheet Looks like
task spreadsheet
Looks like someone took care of annaconda? Said done.
I took care of the other items on my list. I marked some Done with a question mark just incase I misunderstood the request.
Then there was one I just had a question on for sponsors.
I made a Notes column where I put those comments and notes.
Alfred Nutile
alfrednutile@gmail.com
http://www.alfrednutile.info/about
http://twitter.com/alnutile
kreynen, I'd totally be up
kreynen,
I'd totally be up for working together on a presentation. In talking to a few people since I proposed my session I realize that "paid membership site" can mean a lot of different things. My experience is based on content publishing and online subscriptions--but I'd personally be really interested in the CivicCRM approach (especially since Ubercart is NOT at all a CRM).
E-mail me at krlucas at gmail dot com to discuss more. We should probably get moving quick...
Kelly
P.S.: Thanks to Jacob and Kelly (and others I'm sure) for all your work on the schedule and organizing. I'm kind of amazed....
Sent you my contact info.
Sent you my contact info. Let's talk.
Kevin (kreynen) and I touched
Kevin (kreynen) and I touched based offline and we're going to co-present http://drupalcampma.com/building-paid-membership-sites-drupal. We'll essentially do two case studies covering the Ubercart approach and the CiviCRM approach. Looks like I can update the node so I'll modify the description and add kreynen as a co-presenter.
Kelly (#2)