Learn Drupal meetup coordinating call

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add1sun's picture
Start: 
2012-04-16 13:00 - 13:30 America/New_York
Organizers: 
Event type: 
Online meeting (eg. IRC meeting)

A few of us were in IRC and talking about our various meetup plans. As we have a few meetups planned, we decided to have a Skype call on April 16 at 1pm EDT (11am MDT, 5pm UTC, 7pm CET - Find your time) so we could all meet and share thoughts and ideas. After this initial call, we'll schedule another to talk about how it all went. This call is open to anyone who is going to hold a Learn Drupal meetup, or wants to.

UPDATE: I created a free conference call account we can use for the call (it takes up to 96 callers):

Dial in #: +1 209 255 1000
Access code: 882565

This service will also record the call, so we can post the recording for folks who can't make it.

Also, everyone should review the new info posted on learndrupal.org (on the home page) about how to run sprints. (thanks Bryan!)

Here's a quick thought to an agenda for this initial call. I consider this an introductory call and we can schedule more if people want to hash things out on the phone instead of the group discussions or issue queue. I'm mostly looking to:

  • introduce ourselves (who are we, what group are we with, why we're here)
  • make sure everyone knows what resources we already have for meetups
  • have anyone who has done a LD meetup share their thoughts and experiences so others have a better feel for what is involved

Comments

Awesome.

jeffschuler's picture

Looking forward to hearing everyone's ideas about how to put the ladder into practice with their user group!

This is so exciting, and

techgirlgeek's picture

This is so exciting, and re-ignited, or helped fuel, my excitement in this project. I'm looking forward to presenting this at my meetup. I really want it to be successful.

Feeling so good about it

dgoutam's picture

This is really exciting, and I am waiting to listen to you all folks and I am pretty sure it will be awesome.

A big +1

Rick Nashleanas's picture

We had a sputtering first start at our last S. Colorado meeting: http://www.meetup.com/Southern-Colorado-Drupal-Users-Group/events/58581022/

Everyone here is stoked.

The only problem I see is that we will need to consciously include a newbie topic every month so we don't scare away the content managers we have attracted in the past.

Rick Nashleanas
www.monarchdigital.com

I'm sure we'll talk about

BrockBoland's picture

I'm sure we'll talk about this on the call, but the way I understood how they were doing things in Boston was that, rather than choosing a ladder rung or particular issue for the group, people would first determine where on the ladder they fell, then pair up with someone of similar experience and work through a lesson or issue that was at their level.

Or at least, that's how I'm going to try the first event here, and I'll let you know how it turns out!

I love that idea Brock,

techgirlgeek's picture

I love that idea Brock, perhaps for the second 1/2 of the first meetup. I guess one of my concerns, approaches, is not everyone who attends the meetup (1) went to DrupalCon (although here in the Denver area the odds are better that they did) and (2) may not be familiar with the Learn Drupal model.

So, one thing I'm looking for is how to introduce it to the members the first time, and then coordination going forward.

My 2 cents FWIW.

My current plan

add1sun's picture

Yeah, so the way I'm planning to attack this is to start the meetup with 15 minutes to explain what we are going to do - what the ladder is. Then everyone finds where they are on the ladder and does the lesson on the rung above where they are. Each person works on their own lesson, but they have everyone in the room to ask questions of, if needed. If the lesson isn't completely written out yet, then they can research where docs are for that topic and help with getting the lesson more info. We'll see how this works out, but that is my current plan. Then, at the end I have time scheduled to talk about the meetup, what people thought, what they liked and what we can change to make it better, etc.

Learn Drupal online at Drupalize.me

This call sounds like a great

bryanhirsch's picture

This call sounds like a great idea. Thanks for coordinating add1sun. Lookin' forward to talking with you all at 1pm on 4/16.

Notes

BrockBoland's picture

My very rough notes from the call

On the call:

  • Addison: have a meet up schedule next Thur in Copenhagen. Also involved with groups in Sweden. Camp next week in Sweden, giving a session on this
  • Bryan Hirsch: presented on the topic at DrupalCon Denver, involved in the pilot in Boston
  • Brock Boland: DC, planning a learn sprint tomorrow night
  • Doug Vann: started local group Jan 08 in Indianapolis.
  • Kay V: Maintaining Lessons, group in Boston
  • Rick Nashleanas: Southern Colorado group, content manager for DrupalCon Denver, global content manager for DrupalCon now. Group has embraced the idea: lots of excitement, couple false starts, interested in getting things started there.
  • Karyn: runs Drupalchix meet ups in Denver, looking to boost attendance there and ways to present it. Learn sprint Thurs night

Rick in Denver

  • Weren't sure where to start (before the how-to docs were up on the site)
  • Put together a list of novice items to work on
  • First meeting was mostly getting people setup and running
  • Had a local member walk through a minor change that he had done
  • Didn't get far in working on issues, but people remain excited about it

Bryan ran through the outline of the two types of sprints

  • Trying to learn something new AND work on an issue was just too much to do during a single sprint
  • Learn sprints: should not be any prerequisites (like having a local Drupal setup). Calling it a pre-req makes it sounds like they have to do something before they can even come to the event
  • Issue sprints: (hard to hear, static) Require more preparation:
    • Have a spreadsheet with a list of issues that are potentially good to work on, with team leaders lined up: people who at least know where to start to move an issue forward
    • Make sure you have two hours scheduled: one hour isn't enough time for someone to wrap their head around a new issue and figure out what to do

Question for Boston people: How do you know how to space them out? Alternate learn and issue sprints?

  • Started by doing one hour during the regular user group
  • Maybe do a few learn sprints to each issue sprint
  • Kind of depends no the local group and existing schedule, etc

Bryan and Kay would love to talk to people before they run their first sprint in their area to help answer questions and touch base

We will Doodle call next week to recap the two sprints happening this week. Scheduling info on that coming later.

Thanks Brock! Recording?

jeffschuler's picture

I appreciate getting a sense of what was discussed.

add1sun suggested the call was recorded... Is that recording available?

Sorry

add1sun's picture

I thought I was recording the call, but I didn't. :-( I'll be sure to record the next one.

Learn Drupal online at Drupalize.me

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