I thought that I'd start this thread because I've been watching the Drupal Association webinar and the Talking Drupal podcast about Drupal meetups and I was wondering what people's thoughts were about the SWDUG meetups, and why the interest seems to tail off after a few meetups. Is it an issue with the day and/or time, venue, content?
I'd really like to see a consistent user group in Cardiff - even if it's just a couple of people turning up each month - as I think that they are a great way to share knowledge and network with other Drupalers. I know that there are less people compared to somewhere like Bristol, but I also know that there are clients and some agencies in Cardiff doing Drupal work, as well as others who are doing PHP and other languages who may be interested in evaluating Drupal as a platform. Obviously no-one can find the group if it isn't happening.
I'm more than happy to take the reigns on organising it etc. if no-one else wants to, but I'd be interested in hearing some opinions on what the issues (if any) were with the previous meetups and what could possibly be done to sustain interest going forward.
Comments
....some thoughts....
I think this needs a dedicated room (bars are too noisy, although being close to a drinks venue is a good idea), city centre is ideal. Make start-time close to the end of the working day (6:00 - 6:30) and set an end-time (1 hour meetings ?); start and finish on time, most people live busy lives, those who want to carry on afterwards can always do so. Best to have an Agenda if you want to attract new people, nobody goes out to 'a vague gig'.
Disappointment.
Hi Olly,
I really appreciate you taking the time to kick off a discussion. Sorry I haven't jumped in straight away - a combination of a stupidly busy week and wanting to turn over my own thoughts and experiences.
For my part, I've been equal parts enthusiastic and disappointed. Every time we re-boot the meetups we get one event that's well attended, followed by a series of events with maybe a handful of people, and finally events where maybe 2 people bother to attend. The organisation has changed - we've tried in Cardiff Bay, and in the city centre. We've tried in an office and in a pub - albeit supposedly one with a dedicated space (though this didn't go as planned when the big TV that was promised got stolen :-/). We've tried with organised talks, and without.
It's not about anyone wanting or not wanting to organise, for me. It's a simple case of people not turning up. There's no point in having a meetup if noone wants to come. It's equally pointless if the majority of the attendees are being begged or borrowed from Bristol - with absolutely no offence to Bristol as a place (it's lovely, but could be improved by a massive water-slide), but there's a group already there. It's well served, and well populated both in terms of people working with Drupal, and in terms of enthusiasm.
What Mark says is absolutely correct. People have busy lives, and noone's going to attend for its own sake - it needs to be compelling.
I'm thinking a better idea would be to identify a need and serve it. I think (no, I guess, actually) that the principle difference between Cardiff and somewhere like Bristol is the amount of adoption of Drupal. We're in a different stage in South Wales compared to more tech-centric areas. Perhaps what we need is a more aspirational event. Something to get people and companies introduced to Drupal?
Maybe instead of creating an event with a preconceived idea of what it should be, we could somehow canvas for local opinion? Find out whether folks out there are dancing on the edge of Drupal, or just starting to use it? Identify a bunch of companies (I think you mentioned that you know some, Olly) and see what they need, and what they might have to offer, and then propose an event.
My tuppence, anyway :-)
Bristol has the same sort of
Bristol has the same sort of boom and bust cycles in its meetups.
I wonder if a good approach for SWDUG would be less frequent, but higher quality? So maybe more like a small camp a couple of times a year?
I also particularly like the idea of instanceofjamie going door to door round the agencies of Cardiff, asking if they've heard the good news about Drupal and offering to leave them a copy of PDD ;)
agree with less frequent, high quality
My own point of view is that I'd love to pop out to the pub with a handful of local Drupalists once a month for an informal chat about what we've all been up to. However, at present getting into the city for a meetup (particularly early evening) is not without its complications (train times, busy job, small children etc...)
If we were able to organise something a bit more substantial a handful of times a year, I think I'd be more likely to be able juggle priorities and try hard to make it.
I can see Jamie's point-of-view about trying to "identify a need and serve it", but I don't think this is necessarily incompatible with the idea a more 'camp-like' meetup a few times a year?
I just spoke to FoundersHub
I just spoke to FoundersHub in Cardiff to get an idea of what sort of venue they could be. They sound really promising. Dedicated stage area with projector, working spaces (might be useful for short workshops?), licensed bar and a room with xboxes in (I'm certain that could come in handy... somehow...)
What surprised me the most was the gentleman that I spoke to happened to be a Drupal freelancer, whom I'd never spoken to in the past, never bumped into on IRC, and who said would definitely be up for attending too. So there's more of us out there, for sure.
Perhaps then, something more impactful for those of us who'd benefit would work better, on a 12 week cycle? Maybe interspersed with other events more suited to those who are interested beginners, or just thinking of adopting?
Have a core group commit to N events?
OxDUG kind of limped along for a good few events until it really took off. I don't know what changed, to be honest: we did move venue, to a regular city-centre one (hosted by the university, but a decent conference-style room with good tech) and made a big thing of all heading to a nearby pub to socialize afterwards.
Perhaps all events have to limp along for a while: with Oxford, it was kind of chaperoned through that phase by a core group, most importantly the Agile Collective people and then the university. If that's the case then maybe you need a core group of e.g. half a dozen people who can commit to several events in advance? Attracting attendees from far away for a reboot is a good sign, but it's then quite a burden on them to form part of that group.