[Scale-planning] SCALE 101 / helping new attendees

Fri Mar 10 16:46:40 UTC 2017

Liz Krane organized a Learn Teach Code meetup BoF which connected those
learning programming with those more senior in the field.

It was well attended and very interactive.

We should invite her to help us keep enough beginner friendly sessions.

1) Issue: New people to the venue - often in a hurry to find registration
and where the rooms are.
Suggested solution: Larger signage outside indicating location of
Registration, as well as Ballrooms vs 100s/200s, and expo hall

Perhaps 3 stand up direction signs outside - one by each main entrance to
the buildings and one in the middle to catch those walking from the Mall

< Rooms 100-200s || Registration >
< Press Rooms       || Expo Hall >
< Ham Radio          || Ballrooms >
                               ||
                               ||
                            ++++

2) Issue: Finding guidance when onsite

Suggested solution: Info Booth - The Game night table by the ballrooms can
also be an info booth
We can put up a poster for recommended beginner friendlier events/sessions
there....
maybe a "NEW TO SCALE? Check this out... "

3) Issue: We can be a very scary bunch using language which isn't
understood by others.
I found in running numerous social events that some people need a lot of
courage to go by themselves to something...

Suggested solution: Find ways to better enable community groups ( like Liz
Krane is doing with Learn Teach Code ) to encourage participation
Find ways to assist and/or in allowing people to "buddy" up

4) Issue: hard to determine beginner friendly talks at SCALE.
Some conferences label talks as 100, 200, 300 level.. not certain if we
want to go completely that way, but we should always find ways to have an
welcoming door for new people to join us, thus

Suggested solution: add a tag or other identifying info to the sessions
which are definitely beginner friendly.
With an appropriate tag we can generate a special schedule for those new to
SCALE

5) Issue: Beginners looking for User Groups to participate in.
We have some great user groups on the show floor, would be nice to find a
way to better connect beginners with the various groups which are welcoming
of new members.

Suggestion: ... [ still thinking of options on this one, feel free to
suggest some ]

6) Issue: SCALE appears to have less social media news than other events.

Suggestion: Find ways to engage and invite more with groups which are
invested in social media activities... [ feel free to suggest ideas ]

7) Perhaps a Thur night BOF for new people would be useful? Give people a
chance to find SCALE buddies, a chance to ask questions,...

8) Encourage people to introduce themselves to others before the sessions
start.
A simple introduction to those next to you can mean another friendly face
you notice during the week.
( I would sometimes ask people to introduce themselves to the person next
to them when I have a good crowd and have time before the session starts
when MCing )

Thank You

On Fri, Mar 10, 2017 at 1:05 AM, Lori Barfield <itdirector at gmail.com> wrote:

> we had talked about having a table next to the Game Night promotions table
> in the front lobby, just for newbies.  there would be a "SCaLE Newbie?"
> sign and a big FAQ there to read.  and the Banks Boys would have ready
> answers about things like when all the special events occur and where those
> are.  and maybe even keep maps and programs there for quick reference (not
> handing out).  and maybe they can have the hotel and restaurant info too.
>
> ...lori
>
>
> On Fri, Mar 10, 2017 at 12:51 AM, Phil Dibowitz <phil at ipom.com> wrote:
>
>> On 03/09/2017 09:37 PM, Lei Zhang wrote:
>> > In another thread, Chris Smith said "A recurring theme I observed this
>> > year with people new to SCALE was that they weren't as aware of
>> > SCALE's offerings as one might hope."
>> >
>> > Should we make a "new to SCALE" guide on the website and link to it in
>> > the registration emails?
>> >
>> > Should we take 1-2 pages near the front of the printed program and put
>> > the "new to SCALE" guide there?
>> >
>> > Did anyone go to the SCALE 101 talk? [1] Was it useful? Should we have
>> > held it on Friday, instead or ran a second session on Friday?
>>
>>
>> Gonna answer these in reverse.
>>
>> The SCALE 101 talk, like last year, was not well attended (about 15
>> people,
>> including those that filtered in late), but the panel / Q&A portion was
>> incredibly interactive, nearly everyone asked questions or commented, and
>> nearly all of them either stayed late to thank me or found me later to do
>> so.
>>
>> Ilan had a suggestion that we do this between the keynote and the first
>> session, in the keynote room. It's a good suggestion, but we'd probably
>> have
>> to move the keynote slightly earlier to account for the panel, which I
>> think
>> is the magic of it all (since I think the breaks are only half hour).
>>
>> This would I think be more useful than stuff in the program which people
>> don't
>> read as it is.
>>
>> --
>> Phil Dibowitz                             phil at ipom.com
>> Open Source software and tech docs        Insanity Palace of Metallica
>> http://www.phildev.net/                   http://www.ipom.com/
>>
>> "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter
>>  and those who matter don't mind."
>>  - Dr. Seuss
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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