Comments on: The unconference http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/03/26/the-unconference/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:40:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Kevin OKeefe http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-418103 Kevin OKeefe Sat, 10 Jul 2010 21:30:51 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-418103 Just Tweeted that I agree with Winer on this one and was prompted to explain why here. My opinion is coming from the perspective of someone coming from practicing law and now speaking at legal conferences on networking through the net and social media. When I have the good fortune of being at one of the conferences or programs you're involved in Jeff I am certain it will be a world of difference. If you've got knowledgeable panelists and audience members to pull into a discussion and learn from, an unconference can be great. The best thing about panels and group discussions for me is the ability to learn from co-panelists who are smarter than me -- and there are lots of such people. But if you're asking lawyers and legal marketing professionals to speak intelligently on the use of networking through the Internet, as opposed to using the net as a way to push things at people who don't want what you're pushing and SEO, forget it. You'll have the blind leading the blind, and drown out those who can challenge the status quo, inspire legal professionals to think differently, and touch a few raw nerves that need to be touched. Legal conferences can also be driven by sponsors and politically correctness. The dualoply of LexisNexis and Thomson sponsorships undoubtedly effects who gets to present and where. They're not fans of entrepreneurs more innovative than their employees discussing more effective and less costly solutions than they sell. You'll also have associations getting the 'right people' on the panels to reward this or that -- or even to incent a prospective panelist's law firm to pay for the panelist to attend so as to increase conference attendance. Another problem with panels and unconferences in the legal industry is they can be 'analized' to death. Lawyers and other legal professionals like precision, lots of planning, and no surprises (lack of spontaneity). The result is multiple conference calls to be calendared with 4 or 5 people in advance with joint documents to be submitted a month ahead. I'll take doing a one person presentation over that living death any day of the week. The legal profession, I guess by its very nature of employing lawyers, takes the joy, collaboration, and learning out of an unconference environment. Even an event such as Ignite Law 2010 put on at ABA TechShow, modeled after the Ignite events around the country lacked the spark and spontaneity I've seen at other Ignite events. Though the presenters and topics were good, most presenters looked ill at ease, often trying to cram 30 minutes into 5 while reading off note cards or a script. Let alone dressed in coat and tie. Sure, unconferences - and great panel discussions are a plus when you get them. I have had the pleasure and honor of participating in a few recently and learned a good deal -- and I am sure other attendees and panelists did as well. With the legal profession though there are challenges. Just Tweeted that I agree with Winer on this one and was prompted to explain why here.

My opinion is coming from the perspective of someone coming from practicing law and now speaking at legal conferences on networking through the net and social media. When I have the good fortune of being at one of the conferences or programs you’re involved in Jeff I am certain it will be a world of difference.

If you’ve got knowledgeable panelists and audience members to pull into a discussion and learn from, an unconference can be great. The best thing about panels and group discussions for me is the ability to learn from co-panelists who are smarter than me — and there are lots of such people.

But if you’re asking lawyers and legal marketing professionals to speak intelligently on the use of networking through the Internet, as opposed to using the net as a way to push things at people who don’t want what you’re pushing and SEO, forget it. You’ll have the blind leading the blind, and drown out those who can challenge the status quo, inspire legal professionals to think differently, and touch a few raw nerves that need to be touched.

Legal conferences can also be driven by sponsors and politically correctness. The dualoply of LexisNexis and Thomson sponsorships undoubtedly effects who gets to present and where. They’re not fans of entrepreneurs more innovative than their employees discussing more effective and less costly solutions than they sell.

You’ll also have associations getting the ‘right people’ on the panels to reward this or that — or even to incent a prospective panelist’s law firm to pay for the panelist to attend so as to increase conference attendance.

Another problem with panels and unconferences in the legal industry is they can be ‘analized’ to death. Lawyers and other legal professionals like precision, lots of planning, and no surprises (lack of spontaneity). The result is multiple conference calls to be calendared with 4 or 5 people in advance with joint documents to be submitted a month ahead. I’ll take doing a one person presentation over that living death any day of the week.

The legal profession, I guess by its very nature of employing lawyers, takes the joy, collaboration, and learning out of an unconference environment. Even an event such as Ignite Law 2010 put on at ABA TechShow, modeled after the Ignite events around the country lacked the spark and spontaneity I’ve seen at other Ignite events. Though the presenters and topics were good, most presenters looked ill at ease, often trying to cram 30 minutes into 5 while reading off note cards or a script. Let alone dressed in coat and tie.

Sure, unconferences – and great panel discussions are a plus when you get them. I have had the pleasure and honor of participating in a few recently and learned a good deal — and I am sure other attendees and panelists did as well. With the legal profession though there are challenges.

]]> By: Lee Gibbons http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-59708 Lee Gibbons Tue, 30 May 2006 21:30:24 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-59708 I was at the Syndicate Conference wherein Jeff did his Unkeynote not only worked. It really worked. I believe he got his licks in, in terms of contributing to the interaction, but also did a masterful job of brining out the collective wisdom of the group. His opening set of slides included "Conferences Suck!" "Panels Suck!" and "Keynotes Suck!" From there, he did a great job of making "the story" come together. I was so inspired by what Jeff did, that I (CEO of <a href="http://podango.com" rel="nofollow">Podango</a>) have bought a Silver Sponsorship and a 20 x 20 booth at the <a href="http://www.portablemediaexpo.com/podcastexpert/index.php?action=links&categoryid=5" rel="nofollow">Portable Media Expo</a> in September instead of the normal 10x10 booth so that the event can have an unconference there, for all attendees. I think it will help them get great benefit from being at the show. If only I could get Jeff to come be a great DL there... :-) At any rate. Jeff is a master! Thanks, Jeff, for the inspiration and the example of how to get a group of attendees to share openly their collective experience in a directed manner. I was at the Syndicate Conference wherein Jeff did his Unkeynote not only worked. It really worked. I believe he got his licks in, in terms of contributing to the interaction, but also did a masterful job of brining out the collective wisdom of the group. His opening set of slides included “Conferences Suck!” “Panels Suck!” and “Keynotes Suck!”

From there, he did a great job of making “the story” come together.

I was so inspired by what Jeff did, that I (CEO of Podango) have bought a Silver Sponsorship and a 20 x 20 booth at the Portable Media Expo in September instead of the normal 10×10 booth so that the event can have an unconference there, for all attendees. I think it will help them get great benefit from being at the show. If only I could get Jeff to come be a great DL there… :-)

At any rate. Jeff is a master!

Thanks, Jeff, for the inspiration and the example of how to get a group of attendees to share openly their collective experience in a directed manner.

]]> By: Marc’s Voice » Blog Archive » Reading the tea leaves: where the money is and isn’t - new business models emerge http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-38695 Marc’s Voice » Blog Archive » Reading the tea leaves: where the money is and isn’t - new business models emerge Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:22:32 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-38695 [...] So that’s why I thought we’d all just how up at a bar and wing it.  But Dave says “No!” Unconferences have to be meticulously planned out affairs with dedicated DLs (discussion leaders) who make sure that people don’t ramble on, the conversation keeps moving and that the topic is properly covered.  That’s why having great DLs (like Jeff Jarvis) is key to the success of a unconference. [...] [...] So that’s why I thought we’d all just how up at a bar and wing it.  But Dave says “No!” Unconferences have to be meticulously planned out affairs with dedicated DLs (discussion leaders) who make sure that people don’t ramble on, the conversation keeps moving and that the topic is properly covered.  That’s why having great DLs (like Jeff Jarvis) is key to the success of a unconference. [...]

]]> By: jake http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-36815 jake Sun, 09 Apr 2006 16:48:52 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-36815 We've debated this too in organizing Beyond Broadcast 2006, and ended up with a hybrid approach that combines small panels (none of those sprawling 5-person messes), 'high-order bits' of short demo presentations, and a day 2 that is run entirely on an open-meeting 'unconference' basis. There's a kind of meta layer going on here too since the topic of the convening is how public media broadcasters can embrace participatory models, so the event itself demonstrates that attempt. We’ve debated this too in organizing Beyond Broadcast 2006, and ended up with a hybrid approach that combines small panels (none of those sprawling 5-person messes), ‘high-order bits’ of short demo presentations, and a day 2 that is run entirely on an open-meeting ‘unconference’ basis. There’s a kind of meta layer going on here too since the topic of the convening is how public media broadcasters can embrace participatory models, so the event itself demonstrates that attempt.

]]> By: Dave’s Wordpress Blog » Blog Archive » Scripting News for 3/26/2006 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-34234 Dave’s Wordpress Blog » Blog Archive » Scripting News for 3/26/2006 Sun, 26 Mar 2006 13:33:15 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-34234 [...] It seems from reading Karl Martino and Jeff Jarvis, that yesterday’s unconference in Philadelphia was a success.   [...] [...] It seems from reading Karl Martino and Jeff Jarvis, that yesterday’s unconference in Philadelphia was a success.   [...]

]]> By: OPML Camp: May 20-21, 2006 » Blog Archive » Unconference Goals http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-34233 OPML Camp: May 20-21, 2006 » Blog Archive » Unconference Goals Sun, 26 Mar 2006 13:25:30 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/03/26/the-unconference/#comment-34233 [...] Jeff Jarvis has a great post on making an unconference work. We should try to follow as many of his suggestions as possible. Would several broadly defined sessions, within which an unconference format was used make sense? For example, in a session on tools that lasted 2 hours on the first day, anyone could come up to a computer in the front of the room and give a demo of their favorite product, not just the authors of products. On the other hand, there is no reason why an author should be forbidden to speak about his or her own code. A session leader for this format would act solely as a facilitator to make sure everyone gets a turn, and help set time limits for each demo. [...] [...] Jeff Jarvis has a great post on making an unconference work. We should try to follow as many of his suggestions as possible. Would several broadly defined sessions, within which an unconference format was used make sense? For example, in a session on tools that lasted 2 hours on the first day, anyone could come up to a computer in the front of the room and give a demo of their favorite product, not just the authors of products. On the other hand, there is no reason why an author should be forbidden to speak about his or her own code. A session leader for this format would act solely as a facilitator to make sure everyone gets a turn, and help set time limits for each demo. [...]

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