Facilitation Wiki - User contributions [en]

Facilitation:SpeedGeeking

2016-01-12T20:29:54Z

Miriam: /* Learning objectives */

=== Overview ===

SpeedGeeking first saw the light of day at the [http://wiki.advocacydev.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?AdvocacyDevSpeedGeekingSession AdvocacyDev I SpeedGeeking Session].

A tongue-in-cheek rip off of the speed dating concept, SpeedGeeking offers a fully immersive, invigorating and hilarious approach to meeting people ... and learning about the cool projects, software tools and crazy ideas that they have been working on. At a SpeedGeek, one group of participants sets up at stations around a room to give 5 minute presentations while the rest of the group migrates in a circle around the room to hear these high-speed raps. The result is an obscene amount of fun, all tied up with a good dose of learning about how technology is being used for social change.

=== Learning objectives ===

At the end of a SpeedGeeking session participants will:

* See and touch some of the world's best activist websites and tools
* Watch social change and technology converge before their very eyes
* Laugh. Giggle. Smile. Catch breath. Repeat.

=== What do SpeedGeekers need to do? ===

All participants are encouraged to present at the SpeedGeek. If you are interested in presenting your site, software or idea at the SpeedGeek, you need to:

* Sign up on the sheet provided by the organizers
* Prepare a five-minute demo or pitch. This is not a lot of time, so make sure your presentation is tight and informative.
** Visual aids are good: a few slides or screen captures (safer) or a live web demo (risky in terms of connectivity).
** You can expect to make at most four (4) major points. Suggested talking points include:
*** 1) Why should listeners care about your TYPE of technology or project? How does it benefit the listener?
*** 2) Why should listeners care about your PARTICULAR technology or project?
*** 3) What distinguishes you from other offerings or models, from the user's perspective?
*** 4) High-level demo of the product. Screen shots are often excellent and adequate. Deep technical demos are probably too much.
* Be ready to answer questions and enter into discussion for one minute.
* Be loud and be lively.

=== Facilitation Process ===

One person needs to serve as Facilitator (aka "Manager of Mayhem"), tracking the 5 minute periods and blowing a whistle or ringing a bell to rotate listeners to the next station.

The facilitator takes the following steps:

* Identify how many demos will run in parallel. 10 or so demos (50-60 minutes) is a practical limit; participant brain overload usually occurs with higher numbers, as does SpeedGeeker vocal cord stress.
* Place the SpeedGeek presenters at stations around the room so that those viewing the demos can move in something resembling a circular path as they go from station to station.
** Number the SpeekGeek stations from 1 to N, for use in assigning groups later
** The larger the room, the better, as things get loud and space allows folks to reduce their yelling
* Take the number of people who will be viewing the demos and divide into small groups, one group for each demo station.
** For 30 people to see 10 stations, you would create 10 groups of 3 people.
*** For N stations, have participants count off in cycles 1..N, 1..N
** Assign each small group to an initial demo station
*** Send group #X to table #X, etc.
*** This has nice randomizing effect on groups as well
** The groups should as small as possible. Higher group sizes should be addressed by encouraging more folks to demo something; it's fine for folks to demo things they use and/or like as well as develop and/or support.

* Make sure everyone understands the process
* Blow the whistle / ring the bell to start the demo
* Track time. Shout out a "1 minute warning" after 4 minutes, and then count down the final 10 seconds loudly, as if you were narrating a rocket launch.
* When the 5 minutes are up, blow the whistle / ring the bell and actively force participants to move to the next station. Interrupt conversations, move folks along, get the next set of demos started
* Lather, rinse, repeat until each small group has viewed each demo station

One drawback to this facilitation model is that those doing the demos don't get to see each other's demos. Multiple rounds of SpeedGeeking can partially mitigate this, but it remains an unsolved problem in the model described above.

One other drawback is that this model is relatively speaking a uni-directional approach: speed-geekers spend a lot of time talking, but very little time receiving feedback.

Future experiments in speed-geeking with smaller groups might allow for RapidFeedback, in which a bi-directional exchange is created. Just like in speed-dating, the geekers speaks first while the participants listen. After the first five minutes, the tables are turned, and the participants give their immediate feedback to the speed-geeker, in possibly another 5 minute interval. Obviously you'd need fewer geekers to get this done, but it might add a lot of value to projects looking for big-picture ideas from users.

=== Speedgeeking goes Europe ===

Where else to test the limits of speedgeeking than during a 2,500 person outdoor hacker event? Probably the first appearance outside North America, and perhaps the 'world record': 13 parallel presentations at [http://wiki.whatthehack.org/index.php/Speedgeek_Soiree_tonite,_20:30 What The Hack] in The Netherlands, July 2005 ([http://wiki.whatthehack.org/index.php/Speedgeek_Overview reported here])

Please add your comments and suggestions to this process!

=== Plone Community Innovates ===

The Plone community appears to be exploring the cutting edge of speed "geekery" ;-)

http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/archives/2007/03/19/pinitifcation-a-new-speed-geeking-technique/

Best, Jon Stahl, Program Manager

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T20:17:10Z

Miriam: /* Brainstorm and Agenda Hacking facilitation supplies */

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] Facilitation Supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session Facilitation]] Supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant Supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name Tags ==

* Name Tag Labels White
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Self-Adhesive-Name-Tag-Labels-White-2-1-3-x-3-3-8-400-Pack/product_465914

*Vinyl Badge Holder
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-74471-Vinyl-Badge-Holder-Horizontal-3-x-4-25-Pack/product_491454

* Badge Holders
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-reg-Lanyards-for-ID-Badge-Holders-Black-12-Pack/product_810387

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T20:16:46Z

Miriam: /* Session facilitation supplies */

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] facilitation supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session Facilitation]] Supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant Supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name Tags ==

* Name Tag Labels White
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Self-Adhesive-Name-Tag-Labels-White-2-1-3-x-3-3-8-400-Pack/product_465914

*Vinyl Badge Holder
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-74471-Vinyl-Badge-Holder-Horizontal-3-x-4-25-Pack/product_491454

* Badge Holders
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-reg-Lanyards-for-ID-Badge-Holders-Black-12-Pack/product_810387

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T20:15:57Z

Miriam: /* Name Tags */

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] facilitation supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session facilitation]] supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant Supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name Tags ==

* Name Tag Labels White
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Self-Adhesive-Name-Tag-Labels-White-2-1-3-x-3-3-8-400-Pack/product_465914

*Vinyl Badge Holder
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-74471-Vinyl-Badge-Holder-Horizontal-3-x-4-25-Pack/product_491454

* Badge Holders
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-reg-Lanyards-for-ID-Badge-Holders-Black-12-Pack/product_810387

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T20:14:51Z

Miriam: /* Name Tags */

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] facilitation supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session facilitation]] supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant Supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name Tags ==

* Name Tag Labels White
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Self-Adhesive-Name-Tag-Labels-White-2-1-3-x-3-3-8-400-Pack/product_465914

* Badge Holders
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-reg-Lanyards-for-ID-Badge-Holders-Black-12-Pack/product_810387

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T20:12:38Z

Miriam: /* Name tags */

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] facilitation supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session facilitation]] supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant Supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name Tags ==

* Name Tag Labels White
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Self-Adhesive-Name-Tag-Labels-White-2-1-3-x-3-3-8-400-Pack/product_465914

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T20:12:28Z

Miriam: /* Participant supplies */

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] facilitation supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session facilitation]] supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant Supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name tags ==

* Name Tag Labels White
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Self-Adhesive-Name-Tag-Labels-White-2-1-3-x-3-3-8-400-Pack/product_465914

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T20:12:02Z

Miriam:

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] facilitation supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session facilitation]] supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name tags ==

* Name Tag Labels White
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Self-Adhesive-Name-Tag-Labels-White-2-1-3-x-3-3-8-400-Pack/product_465914

Guidelines for Deaf Particpation

2016-01-12T20:09:01Z

Miriam: /* Culturally sensitive terminology */

Guidelines initiatilly taken from an MIT Course on Deaf Culture with lecturer Carol Zurek (Statewide Coordinator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Support for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services).

'''So you're going to have a Deaf participant...'''

Ask which sort of communication the Deaf/Hard of Hearing person uses
* American Sign Language (official language)
* Oral (learned to read lips + speak)
* Sign Exact English (supposed to sign as if speaking English)
* Total Communication (sign+speak at same time, things drop)
* Cued Speech (didn't cover)
Oter aspects of communication, which aren't necessarily shared:
* Home Signs
* Visual Gestures

Know that Deaf Culture (yes, the double capitalization is intentional and respectful) is a super blunt culture which assumes digressions into storytelling, gorey details about accidents or medical issues, and honesty about appearance.

==Facilitation Considerations==
===Communication Tips, including Gaining Attention===
Always get attention before speaking - verify this has happened by estabilishing eye contact. Get attention not by shouting, but by waving or touching on shoulder ('''never''' on head).

Keep your face and mouth unobstructed. Speak clearly and at a normal pace, using appropriate volume (issues of volume are either already accounted for OR won't matter at all). You may need to repeat or rephrase, to provide extra context or words for understanding.

One-to-few works, one-to-many prevents being able to see what is going on.

===Variables Affecting Communication===
* Line of sight and seating arrangements (U-Shaped room is best)
* Sound scape: Poor acoustics, background noise
* Visual Distractions
* Insufficient lighting
* Distance from speaker, their movement (and their facial hair!)

===Translation Considerations===
When/if hiring interpreters, look for folk who have certification by Registry of Interpreters for teh Deaf or National Coucil of Interpreting.

:Translators swap between taking a signing role or a speaking role, need breaks sometimes.
:Differentiation for interpreter for what was their mistake, and what was the initial speaker's.

===Space abilities and support===
Having an interpreter isn't the only way to interact!
* FM setup (sort of like an API where anyone with various hearing needs can set their own requirements and get what they need from teh room)
* CART - live transcription

==Ways to demonstrate respect==
Many Deaf people consider themselves to be a part of a distint cultural and linguistic group. Many are bilingual. They do not view themselves as disabled. There are two main approaches to responding to deafness - The '''medical view''' and the '''cultural view'''.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Medical View
! Cultural View
|-
| Focus on "ears"
| Focus on "eyes"
|-
| Hearing loss/disbility
| Just fine - no loss
|-
| Must fix hearing
| No need to fix hearing
|-
| Hearing school settings
| Mainstreamed OK, or Deaf School
|-
| Speechreading=important
| Speech training not important
|-
| Paternalistic - decide for you, take care of you, "hearing knows best" more of oppression
|
|}

===Culturally sensitive terminology===
* '''Disrespectful''' - Hearing impaired, Deaf-Mute, Deaf and Dumb
* '''Respectful''' - Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened
: "Hard of Hearing" often signals that someone doesn't know ASL, will need other support, such as FM or CART.

[[Category:Cultures]] [[Category:Unique_Needs]]

Guidelines for Deaf Particpation

2016-01-12T20:08:38Z

Miriam: /* Ways to demonstrate respect */

Guidelines initiatilly taken from an MIT Course on Deaf Culture with lecturer Carol Zurek (Statewide Coordinator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Support for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services).

'''So you're going to have a Deaf participant...'''

Ask which sort of communication the Deaf/Hard of Hearing person uses
* American Sign Language (official language)
* Oral (learned to read lips + speak)
* Sign Exact English (supposed to sign as if speaking English)
* Total Communication (sign+speak at same time, things drop)
* Cued Speech (didn't cover)
Oter aspects of communication, which aren't necessarily shared:
* Home Signs
* Visual Gestures

Know that Deaf Culture (yes, the double capitalization is intentional and respectful) is a super blunt culture which assumes digressions into storytelling, gorey details about accidents or medical issues, and honesty about appearance.

==Facilitation Considerations==
===Communication Tips, including Gaining Attention===
Always get attention before speaking - verify this has happened by estabilishing eye contact. Get attention not by shouting, but by waving or touching on shoulder ('''never''' on head).

Keep your face and mouth unobstructed. Speak clearly and at a normal pace, using appropriate volume (issues of volume are either already accounted for OR won't matter at all). You may need to repeat or rephrase, to provide extra context or words for understanding.

One-to-few works, one-to-many prevents being able to see what is going on.

===Variables Affecting Communication===
* Line of sight and seating arrangements (U-Shaped room is best)
* Sound scape: Poor acoustics, background noise
* Visual Distractions
* Insufficient lighting
* Distance from speaker, their movement (and their facial hair!)

===Translation Considerations===
When/if hiring interpreters, look for folk who have certification by Registry of Interpreters for teh Deaf or National Coucil of Interpreting.

:Translators swap between taking a signing role or a speaking role, need breaks sometimes.
:Differentiation for interpreter for what was their mistake, and what was the initial speaker's.

===Space abilities and support===
Having an interpreter isn't the only way to interact!
* FM setup (sort of like an API where anyone with various hearing needs can set their own requirements and get what they need from teh room)
* CART - live transcription

==Ways to demonstrate respect==
Many Deaf people consider themselves to be a part of a distint cultural and linguistic group. Many are bilingual. They do not view themselves as disabled. There are two main approaches to responding to deafness - The '''medical view''' and the '''cultural view'''.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Medical View
! Cultural View
|-
| Focus on "ears"
| Focus on "eyes"
|-
| Hearing loss/disbility
| Just fine - no loss
|-
| Must fix hearing
| No need to fix hearing
|-
| Hearing school settings
| Mainstreamed OK, or Deaf School
|-
| Speechreading=important
| Speech training not important
|-
| Paternalistic - decide for you, take care of you, "hearing knows best" more of oppression
|
|}

===Culturally sensitive terminology===
* '''Disrespectful''' - Hearing impaired, Deaf-Mute, Deaf and Dumb
* '''Respectful''' - Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened.
: "Hard of Hearing" often signals that someone doesn't know ASL, will need other support, such as FM or CART.

[[Category:Cultures]] [[Category:Unique_Needs]]

Facilitation:Spectrogram Facilitator Notes

2016-01-12T19:58:05Z

Miriam:

The following notes detail how to facilitate a [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]].

== Before the event ==

We prefer to [[Facilitation:Crowdsourcing Spectrogram Statements|Crowdsource Spectrogram Statements]]. But if that is not practical or desirable, decide on the spectrogram statements before you start the event. Each statement should be:

* Clear: Short and easy to remember
* Inclusive: Everyone participating should be able to relate to the statement and have an opinion
* Extreme: Make strong and emphatic statements, rather than vague or general ones

Then test the statements:

* Make sure you can imagine what types of participant would agree, disagree, or be confused
* Share the statements with event organizers to get feedback, improve and refine them.

== At the event, before the spectrogram ==

* Lay down the tape on the floor, with cross-marks. You don't need to label the ends unless you want to.
* Find 3 people who will serve as a "demo" team to show other participants how the session format works
** Decide who will completely agree with the sample statement, who will completely disagree, and who will be confused.

== Facilitating the spectrogram ==

Introduce the Session:

* Explain the basics:
** This is an "interactive opinion spectrum": Point to the tape, explain that it represents the full range of opinions on "controversial" matters, from "completely agree" (Point to that end) to "completely disagree" (point to the other end)
** All participants will be invited to react to statements by standing at the appropriate point on the line for their own opinion
** There are no spectators
** Explain that there will be a demo to clarify the process

* Do the demo
** As the demo team to come forward
** Push back necessary chairs to make room for people to move on the line
** Explain that you are going to make a "very controversial statement", and participants will react
** Make the statement and have the demo team move to their positions
** Ask each to explain why they are standing where they are standing
** Try to keep it light and funny
** Ask everyone if they now understand the idea

* Give additional instructions to the participants
** You should interpret each statement any way you want
** When you speak, make exactly one point, not several
** Speak to the whole group, not in response to individuals
** Please refrain from side conversations, honor the speaker
*** Please don't interrupt someone speaking to make a counter point
** If someone says something that makes you change your thinking, move towards them to indicate that your are evolving your opinion to agree (or away if you're disagreeing more :^)
** If you want to agree with someone in a silent fashion, wiggle your fingers to "twinkle" agreement.

To start the actual session:

* Invite everyone to stand up
** Push back chairs fully to clear room around the line.
** Remind participants tthere are no spectators

* Facilitate the spectrogram
** Make the spectrogram statement
*** Emphasize each word,
** Start at the extremes, move to one end and take 1 or 2 statements
*** Tell others you'll come back for their opinions
** Move to the other extreme end and ask for 1 or 2 statements.
*** Play these comments off the earlier ones
** Don't let individual participants debate each other too much

* Do the second spectrogram. Only do a third if one of the first two was short or weak

To finish the session:

* Announce you'll take 1 or 2 more statements
** Try to get them from folks who haven't spoken very much yet

* Bring things to a close and thank everyone for playing

* Announce what the next session will be
** Tell participants there will be a 5-minute break before the next session.

* Finally, point out that folks are standing next to allies of thought which they may not have realized they had, and invite them to introduce themselves to a stranger

Agenda:Philosophy

2016-01-12T19:50:40Z

Miriam:

Aspiration events are convened with a bias in the agenda towards focused break-outs and small-group discussions rather than larger groups sessions. The larger the session, the less each participant gets to contribute to the exchange, and the less value each individual gains from the broader and sometimes haphazard course of the session. Smaller groups enable more focused discussion and a better opportunity for each participant to voice their perspective. No one knows everything, and each person knows something useful to offer to the mix; small sessions allow for more serendipitous discovery when the airtime is shared evenly among all present.

In particular, we discourage panel models where experts sit at the front of a room and make a series short presentations or small discussions, followed by audience questions. While certainly useful and traditional, such formats stifle dynamic conversation and exchange while perpetuating the real and perceived differences between those who know and those who don't.

Logistics:Materials Shopping List

2016-01-12T19:30:37Z

Miriam:

The following are recommended supplies for Aspiration-style events. We do not love or endorse Staples, we just find their links easy to copy/paste :^)

== Brainstorm and [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] facilitation supplies ==

* 3"x5" (Index card size) Post-it notes, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Ultra-Colors-Notes-5-Pack/product_470401
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-3-x-5-Pastel-Notes-5-Pack/product_490614
* Sharpie Pens for stickie-note markup
** http://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Fine-Point-Permanent-Markers-Black-Dozen/product_125328
* 1/4" color dots for voting
** http://www.staples.com/Avery-Round-1-4-Diameter-Color-Coding-Labels-Assorted-Colors-760-Pack/product_298182

== [[Facilitation:Sessions|Session facilitation]] supplies ==

* 30"x25" Post-it easel pads, unruled
** http://www.staples.com/Post-it-Super-Sticky-30-x-25-Easel-Pad-White-2-pk/product_506790
* Colored Markers (permanent)
** http://www.staples.com/Staples-Duramark-Permanent-Markers-Chisel-Tip-Assorted-Dozen/product_932675
* Dry Erase Markers
** http://www.staples.com/Expo-reg-Chisel-Tip-Dry-Erase-Markers-Black-12-pk-83001-/product_124511

== [[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrogram]] Supplies ==

* Painters Tape
** http://www.staples.com/FrogTape-Multi-Surface-Professional-Painters-Tape-094-x-45-yds/product_324828

== Participant supplies ==

* Miniature Legal Note Pads
** http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-By-Staples-5-inch-x-8-inch-White-Perforated-Writing/product_886428

* Note-taking pens
** http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Eagle-Ball-Point-Pen-12-mm-Medium-Black-Dozen/product_PAP70613
** http://www.staples.com/uni-ball-Onyx-Rollerball-Pens-Micro-Point-Black-Dozen/product_206151

== Name tags ==

Planning:Index

2016-01-12T19:25:28Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

Event planning is an ongoing learning process at Aspiration; the following are key areas where we focus and seek to document what we learn.

Identifying [[Planning:Event Goals|Event Goals]] and priorities is essential to creating an event where participants know why they're there and what they hope to get out of their invested time.

In planning an event, it is important to bear in mind the different [[Planning:Event Roles|Event Roles]], both for proper delegation of responsibilities as well as facilitating communication between the various stakeholders.

[[Planning:Pre-Event|Pre-Event]] planning falls into several important categories, including defining event details, establishing a web site or page, implementing a registration process, confirming venue logistics, and verifying international travel requirements.

In addition, the following are critical areas of focus:

* [[Planning:Facilitator Outreach|Facilitator Outreach]] is essential to securing a set of passionate, collaborative individuals who can both steer and catalyze conversations.
* The importance of [[Planning:Participant Outreach|Participant Outreach]] goes almost without saying; great events happen when a great mix of passionate and collaborative participants are present.
* Planning of the [[Agenda:Index|Agenda]] should engage all participants and facilitators, with the ultimate goal being to manifest the passions and needs of the participants in the structure and content of the gathering.

See also http://wiki.aspirationtech.org/index.php/Aspiration_Event_Guide#Logistics

Facilitation:SpeedGeeking

2016-01-12T18:54:11Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

SpeedGeeking first saw the light of day at the [http://wiki.advocacydev.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?AdvocacyDevSpeedGeekingSession AdvocacyDev I SpeedGeeking Session].

A tongue-in-cheek rip off of the speed dating concept, SpeedGeeking offers a fully immersive, invigorating and hilarious approach to meeting people ... and learning about the cool projects, software tools and crazy ideas that they have been working on. At a SpeedGeek, one group of participants sets up at stations around a room to give 5 minute presentations while the rest of the group migrates in a circle around the room to hear these high-speed raps. The result is an obscene amount of fun, all tied up with a good dose of learning about how technology is being used for social change.

=== Learning objectives ===

At the end of a SpeedGeeking session participants will:

* See and touch some of the world's best activist web sites and tools
* Watch social change and technology converge before their very eyes
* Laugh. Giggle. Smile. Catch breath. Repeat.

=== What do SpeedGeekers need to do? ===

All participants are encouraged to present at the SpeedGeek. If you are interested in presenting your site, software or idea at the SpeedGeek, you need to:

* Sign up on the sheet provided by the organizers
* Prepare a five-minute demo or pitch. This is not a lot of time, so make sure your presentation is tight and informative.
** Visual aids are good: a few slides or screen captures (safer) or a live web demo (risky in terms of connectivity).
** You can expect to make at most four (4) major points. Suggested talking points include:
*** 1) Why should listeners care about your TYPE of technology or project? How does it benefit the listener?
*** 2) Why should listeners care about your PARTICULAR technology or project?
*** 3) What distinguishes you from other offerings or models, from the user's perspective?
*** 4) High-level demo of the product. Screen shots are often excellent and adequate. Deep technical demos are probably too much.
* Be ready to answer questions and enter into discussion for one minute.
* Be loud and be lively.

=== Facilitation Process ===

One person needs to serve as Facilitator (aka "Manager of Mayhem"), tracking the 5 minute periods and blowing a whistle or ringing a bell to rotate listeners to the next station.

The facilitator takes the following steps:

* Identify how many demos will run in parallel. 10 or so demos (50-60 minutes) is a practical limit; participant brain overload usually occurs with higher numbers, as does SpeedGeeker vocal cord stress.
* Place the SpeedGeek presenters at stations around the room so that those viewing the demos can move in something resembling a circular path as they go from station to station.
** Number the SpeekGeek stations from 1 to N, for use in assigning groups later
** The larger the room, the better, as things get loud and space allows folks to reduce their yelling
* Take the number of people who will be viewing the demos and divide into small groups, one group for each demo station.
** For 30 people to see 10 stations, you would create 10 groups of 3 people.
*** For N stations, have participants count off in cycles 1..N, 1..N
** Assign each small group to an initial demo station
*** Send group #X to table #X, etc.
*** This has nice randomizing effect on groups as well
** The groups should as small as possible. Higher group sizes should be addressed by encouraging more folks to demo something; it's fine for folks to demo things they use and/or like as well as develop and/or support.

* Make sure everyone understands the process
* Blow the whistle / ring the bell to start the demo
* Track time. Shout out a "1 minute warning" after 4 minutes, and then count down the final 10 seconds loudly, as if you were narrating a rocket launch.
* When the 5 minutes are up, blow the whistle / ring the bell and actively force participants to move to the next station. Interrupt conversations, move folks along, get the next set of demos started
* Lather, rinse, repeat until each small group has viewed each demo station

One drawback to this facilitation model is that those doing the demos don't get to see each other's demos. Multiple rounds of SpeedGeeking can partially mitigate this, but it remains an unsolved problem in the model described above.

One other drawback is that this model is relatively speaking a uni-directional approach: speed-geekers spend a lot of time talking, but very little time receiving feedback.

Future experiments in speed-geeking with smaller groups might allow for RapidFeedback, in which a bi-directional exchange is created. Just like in speed-dating, the geekers speaks first while the participants listen. After the first five minutes, the tables are turned, and the participants give their immediate feedback to the speed-geeker, in possibly another 5 minute interval. Obviously you'd need fewer geekers to get this done, but it might add a lot of value to projects looking for big-picture ideas from users.

=== Speedgeeking goes Europe ===

Where else to test the limits of speedgeeking than during a 2,500 person outdoor hacker event? Probably the first appearance outside North America, and perhaps the 'world record': 13 parallel presentations at [http://wiki.whatthehack.org/index.php/Speedgeek_Soiree_tonite,_20:30 What The Hack] in The Netherlands, July 2005 ([http://wiki.whatthehack.org/index.php/Speedgeek_Overview reported here])

Please add your comments and suggestions to this process!

=== Plone Community Innovates ===

The Plone community appears to be exploring the cutting edge of speed "geekery" ;-)

http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/archives/2007/03/19/pinitifcation-a-new-speed-geeking-technique/

Best, Jon Stahl, Program Manager

Facilitation:SpeedGeeking

2016-01-12T18:53:34Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

SpeedGeeking first saw the light of day at the [http://wiki.advocacydev.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?AdvocacyDevSpeedGeekingSession AdvocacyDev I SpeedGeeking Session].

A tongue-in-cheek rip off of the speed dating concept, SpeedGeeking offers a fully immersive, invigorating and hilarious approach to meeting people ... and learning about the cool projects, software tools and crazy ideas that they have been working on. At a SpeedGeek, one group of participants sets up at stations around a room to give 5 minute presentations while the rest of the group migrates in a circle around the room to hear these high-speed raps. The result is an obscene amount of fun, all tied up with a good dose of learning about how technology is being used for social change.

=== Learning objectives ===

At the end of a SpeedGeeking session participants will:

* See and touch some of the world's best activist web sites and tools
* Watch social change and technology converge before their very eyes
* Laugh. Giggle. Smile. Catch breath. Repeat.

=== What do SpeedGeekers need to do? ===

All participants are encouraged to present at the SpeedGeek. If you are interested in presenting your site, software or idea at the SpeedGeek, you need to:

* Sign up on the sheet provided by the organizers
* Prepare a five-minute demo or pitch. This is not a lot of time, so make sure your presentation is tight and informative.
** Visual aids are good: a few slides or screen captures (safer) or a live web demo (risky in terms of connectivity).
** You can expect to make at most four (4) major points. Suggested talking points include:
*** 1) Why should listeners care about your TYPE of technology or project? How does it benefit the listener?
*** 2) Why should listeners care about your PARTICULAR technology or project?
*** 3) What distinguishes you from other offerings or models, from the user's perspective?
*** 4) High-level demo of the product. Screen shots are often excellent and adequate. Deep technical demos are probably too much.
* Be ready to answer questions and enter into discussion for one minute.
* Be loud and be lively.

=== Facilitation Process ===

One person needs to serve as Facilitator (aka "Manager of Mayhem"), tracking the 5 minute periods and blowing a whistle or ringing a bell to rotate listeners to the next station.

The facilitator takes the following steps:

* Identify how many demos will run in parallel. 10 or so demos (50-60 minutes) is a practical limit; participant brain overload usually occurs with higher numbers, as does SpeedGeeker vocal cord stress.
* Place the SpeedGeek presenters at stations around the room so that those viewing the demos can move in something resembling a circular path as they go from station to station.
** Number the SpeekGeek stations from 1 to N, for use in assigning groups later
** The larger the room, the better, as things get loud and space allows folks to reduce their yelling
* Take the number of people who will be viewing the demos and divide into small groups, one group for each demo station.
** For 30 people to see 10 stations, you would create 10 groups of 3 people.
*** For N stations, have participants count off in cycles 1..N, 1..N
** Assign each small group to an initial demo station
*** Send group #X to table #X, etc.
*** This has nice randomizing effect on groups as well
** The groups should as small as possible. Higher group sizes should be addressed by encouraging more folks to demo something; it's fine for folks to demo things they use and/or like as well as develop and/or support.

* Make sure everyone understands the process
* Blow the whistle / ring the bell to start the demo
* Track time. Shout out a "1 minute warning" after 4 minutes, and then count down the final 10 seconds loudly, as if you were narrating a rocket launch.
* When the 5 minutes are up, blow the whistle / ring the bell and actively force participants to move to the next station. Interrupt conversations, move folks along, get the next set of demos started
* Lather, rinse, repeat until each small group has viewed each demo station

One drawback to this facilitation model is that those doing the demos don't get to see each other's demos. Multiple rounds of SpeedGeeking can partially mitigate this, but it remains an unsolved problem in the model described above.

One other drawback is that this model is relatively speaking a uni-directional approach: speed-geekers spend a lot of time talking, but very little time receiving feedback.

Future experiments in speed-geeking with smaller groups might allow for RapidFeedback, in which a bi-directional exchange is created. Just like in speed-dating, the geekers speaks first while the participants listen. After the first five minutes, the tables are turned, and the participants give their immediate feedback to the speed-geeker, in possibly another 5 minute interval. Obviously you'd need fewer geekers to get this done, but it might add a lot of value to projects looking for big-picture ideas from users.

=== Speedgeeking goes Europe ===

Where else to test the limits of speedgeeking than during a 2,500 person outdoor hacker event? Probably the first appearance outside North America, and perhaps the 'world record': 13 parallel presentations at [http://wiki.whatthehack.org/index.php/Speedgeek_Soiree_tonite,_20:30 What The Hack] in The Netherlands, July 2005 ([http://wiki.whatthehack.org/index.php/Speedgeek_Overview reported here])

Please add your comments and suggestions to this process!

=== Plone Community Innovates ===

The Plone community appears to be exploring the cutting edge of speed geekery. ;-)

http://blogs.onenw.org/jon/archives/2007/03/19/pinitifcation-a-new-speed-geeking-technique/

Best, Jon Stahl, Program Manager

Facilitation:Sessions

2016-01-12T18:52:27Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

This section offers session facilitators a range of considerations, advices and opinions for structuring and running their workshops. These are based on extensive feedback from a broad sampling of nonprofit/NGO technology events; the following are reflections and elaborations on facilitating the various session formats. These comments are based on extensive experience and feedback from a broad sampling of nonprofit/NGO technology events in the US, Europe and Africa.

[[Facilitation:Break-Outs|Break-Out Sessions]] are the heart of event sharing and interaction. Once an initial sense of community has been established by morning circle and other group exercises, break-out sessions allow for rich collaboration between specific participants.

[[Facilitation:Lectures and Presentations|Lectures and Presentations]] It is not the intent of this guide to document lecture and panel techniques and best practices. That said, suggestions are provided based on experiences organizing nonprofit technology events, in order to maximize value for participants.

To Do

2016-01-11T23:41:25Z

Miriam:

=== Planning ===

* Communications (media, etc)
* Pre-event: Implement Registration Process
* Pre-event: Confirm Venue Logistics
* Pre-event: Verify International Travel Requirements

=== Agenda ===

* Design process

=== Participants ===

* Outreach and Recruiting

=== Facilitation ===

* Event: Facilitating the agenda
* Event: Pacing for Multi-Day Events
* Event: follow-up and other momentum dynamics addressed
* Event: followup tasks: listserv, wiki gardening, sharing of evaluation summary, engagement in planning future events or hosting their own
* Cameras and Recording: Recording
* Evaluation: Sample form
* Comments on aggregating and using evaluation data, including posting to list
* Group Exercises: Mapping Exercises
* Sessions:Panels

=== Collaboration ===

* Listservs
* Post-event

=== General Issues ===

* Need a clearer delineation of content between Agenda and Facilitation

Planning:Event Goals

2016-01-11T23:40:06Z

Miriam:

Aspiration events are convened with two primary goals in mind: to allow people doing technology work in the non-profit and NGO sectors to discuss their work, and to grow and strengthen the social and knowledge networks of those interested and involved in related topics.

While much technical information gets shared at such gatherings, keeping discussion focused on technology needs and "pains" of non-profits tends to yield the most substantial outcomes. When participants discover allies and available resources, they put themselves in a position to ask questions and get answers long after the event is over. A primary philosophy of Aspiration events is that those who identify as "experts" or "experienced" should refrain from driving the dialog. Too often at technical events, an implicit celebration of expertise and seniority shifts focus from needs to knowledge, with those who have the latter holding forth and those who lack it unable to steer the conversation to adequately meet their needs. Aspiration events have been designed as an inversion of that dynamic.

At a more conceptual level, this philosophy addresses power and how it moves in the non-profit technology realm; those with technological knowledge wield a disproportionate amount of influence in nonprofit technology decision-making, while the non-technical stakeholders sit at a disadvantage and must depend on the vision and translation of others. Aspiration events are a place where those who identify as curious, confused or needing guidance can drive the discourse and set the tone. Those who are accustomed to presenting, speaking and sharing their expertise are encouraged to listen actively, then listen actively more, and then share information concisely and without distracting digression or excessive detail. Knowledge overload is of little benefit at events, while teaching where answers may be searched and found is always priceless.

At their core, events work best when participants are inspired to talk to a broad range of other people whom they haven't yet met. The agenda and suggested facilitation techniques listed in this guide are designed to create a rich range of opportunities and reasons for participants to compare notes and begin dialogs which can last far beyond the event.

Collaboration:Index

2016-01-11T23:31:04Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

There can be substantial benefit in using online collaborative tools to enhance and document proceedings during events; so much of what is said can be relevant to people who could not attend the event, as well as to participants who want to track sessions in which they did not participate.

The use of online tools at events is predicated on two assumptions which must not be taken for granted:

# The presence of ubiquitous and robust wireless network access, as well as hardwired ethernet access. If there are limited connections to the network and thus to the online venues, the use of online tools is not as advisable.
# The ability of all participants to have access to devices for viewing and contributing to the online venues. If only a minority of participants have the capacity to access such resources, a de facto and counter-productive "digital divide" is manifested. While not everyone has a computer they can bring to the event, encourage participants who can to bring laptop computers if online tools will be used in the proceedings. In addition, make sure there are adequate numbers of "public" computers for those without laptops, as well as adequate power outlets for laptop users.

=== Collaboration ===

[[Collaboration:Pre-Event|Pre-Event]] Collaboration offers the potential to make optimal use of "face time" at events, but organizers should be mindful of the trade-offs and issues in depending on pre-event collaboration.

[[Collaboration:At-Event|At the Event]], collaborative tools provide a powerful additional dimension to the proceedings.

* [[Collaboration:Wikis|Wikis]] are superb for logging notes from sessions, allowing participants to introduce themselves, ask questions and share resources, and generally recording the proceedings of the day as well as subsequent outcomes. By allowing participants to post transcripts of conversations and ideas in progress, wikis offer all participants visibility into a range of discussions, and allow those not initially present to contribute their thoughts later.
* Some participants may want to utilize [[Collaboration:IRC|IRC]] to talk to other participants during the day, especially when wireless internet is available. This establishes a "back channel" where not all participants have visibility into what is being said.
* A rich compendium of collaborative tools can be found at http://idrc.aspirationtech.org/index.php/Collaborative_Tools
* Bellanet produced a "decision making grid" that outlines some of the collaborative tools that are available. It's a concise and useful summary of what's out there: http://www.opendevelopment.net/6

[[Collaboration:Remote Access|Remote Access]] allows those who can not be present, as well as those who have participated in previous events, to read and contribute to the wiki and listserv, and to offer comments on any IRC channel that was active.

Planning:Pre-Event

2016-01-11T23:25:52Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

Planning and organizing for an event includes the following tasks:

=== Define event details ===

Finalize the date, times, location and participant costs of the event as early as possible, as this aids in all other facets of planning.

It is strongly recommended that any participant costs be "sliding scale" for the sake of inclusion, allowing unaffiliated participants and those from under-resourced organizations able to participate equally.

=== Establish Web Site ===

Before broadly announcing the event, have a web site or page with event details live and ready.

This site should ideally include a form for registering, as well as a way for those who can't attend to submit email addresses to be notified of future events.

=== Implement Registration Process ===

TBD

=== Confirm Venue Logistics ===

TBD

=== Verify International Travel Requirements ===

TBD

Facilitation:Evaluation

2016-01-11T23:17:06Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

This section discusses how to assess the success of the event, providing a sample evaluation form and suggestion for maintaining momentum and collaboration after the conclusion of the event.

=== Evaluations ===

An important component of a successful event is soliciting participant feedback. Aspiration events are an ongoing experiment in how to effectively expose nonprofits and NGOs to technology and inspire them to explore further. Realizing such goals requires a "customer-focused" model where feedback is used to inform planning and design of future events.

Closing circle is usually an appropriate place to hand out evaluation forms. It is recommended this be done before or after the circle, so that people are not filling them out while others are talking and closure is being established. After the closing circle is an intuitive time for evaluations, but the down side of waiting is that participants may be inclined to hurry their responses or unable to finish before they must leave. An alternative is to allot 10 or 15 minutes before closing circle for evaluations; this also helps participants to focus their thoughts before final go-rounds and comments.

A sample Evaluation Form is provided as a separate document.

Planning:Event Roles

2016-01-11T23:09:48Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

Aspiration events generally operate with attendees falling into one of three general roles that include Participant, Facilitator, and Host/Organizer.

The goal of this guide to help both facilitators and hosts create a rich peer-to-peer participatory event.

=== Participant ===

The vast majority of folks come seeking answers or an opportunity to share their knowledge and experience. These are the people for whom events are primarily designed, and whose needs should be addressed throughout the gathering.

=== Facilitator ===

In a perfect world, events could be fully self-organized and self-facilitated by participants, mirroring decentralized ideals of community-driven software development and support. Non-profits do not operate in a perfect world, and neither do the events held for their benefit. Aspiration event facilitators are individuals selected and invited to help lead discussions and steer the course of dialog and discovery. These facilitators are not the "stars" or focal point of the gathering, but rather those with experience, expertise and perspective to inform and catalyze dialogs while making sure balanced exchange and sharing take precedence over monologuing and excessive debate.

=== Host/Organizer ===

Event organizers help to select and recruit participants and facilitators, drive the agenda design, and take care of financial and logistical details before, during and after the event. Organizers serve as a resource provider for participants and facilitators during the actual gathering and focus on the overall experience, identifying barriers to collaboration and interaction, and creating appropriate solutions.

=== Other Roles ===

Also note that depending on the technology infrastructure of an event, there may also be roles for:

* Technical support personnel
* Facilitators/maintainers of any online collaborative spaces used in conjunction with the event.

Facilitation:Strong Wind Blows

2016-01-11T23:04:43Z

Miriam:

"Strong Wind Blows" is a game that allows individuals to assert their identity in a group discovery model. Playing one at a time, participants make statements which are true about themselves and learn how many others share the same characteristic.

The game rules are simple; the dynamic resembles "musical chairs", where players compete to sit in chairs. To set up the game, get all participants sitting in a circle with no empty chairs. The facilitator, who is standing and has no chair, is the first to play.

The person standing makes a statement that begins with the phrase "Strong wind blows for", followed by a statement that is true about themselves. For example:

* A guitarist might say "Strong wind blows for anyone who plays guitar"
* A parent might say "Strong wind blows for anyone with children"
* A connoisseur of adult beverages might say "Strong wind blows for anyone who loves beer"

Statements might also be tailored to the topics of the event at hand; for [http://www.penguinday.org Penguin Day], which focuses on open source software for nonprofits, these might include:

* "Strong wind blows for anyone who uses Open Office"
* "Strong wind blows for anyone who loves Linux"
* "Strong wind blows for anyone who has been to sourceforge.net"

As soon as the statement has been made, every person for whom the statement is true must jump out of their seat and find a new available seat. The person who made the statement is almost always able to grab a seat, which leaves a new person standing once all seats are filled. That person must then make a "strong wind blows" statement to continue the game.

An additional rule is provided for amusement and chaos, as well as for anyone unable to fashion a "strong wind" statement: the person standing may yell "Hurricane", which compels all participants to scramble for a new seat.

When the session facilitator is ready to bring the game to a close (after perhaps 5 or 10 minutes), they simply stand and refrain from grabbing a seat when other participants are changing positions.

This game receives high praise from most participants, and some spend the rest of the day proposing "Strong wind" statements they would have liked to make. The exercise allows people to find kindred souls and like minds, while giving everyone a better idea of "who's in the room".

Facilitation:Spectrogram

2016-01-11T22:35:45Z

Miriam:

A group exercise which has proven quite effective at a range of events around the globe is the "spectrogram". In a spectrogram, colored tape is laid out across an open floor. Ideally the tape stretches 15-20 yards/meters. One end of the tape is marked as "Strongly Agree", and the opposite end is labeled as "Strongly Disagree". Cross-marks are made at the 25%, 50%, and 75% points along the line.

Participants are then read a short, controversial or extreme statement. Those who agree with the statement are invited to move toward the "Strongly Agree" end of the line, positioning themselves closer to the end if their agreement is complete and towards the center if their agreement is mixed. Those who disagree with the statement are invited to do the same in the opposite direction.

The facilitator then "interviews people along the line, asking them why they are standing where they are. Passion is encouraged in describing positioning, and listeners are encouraged to shift their position on the spectrogram as points are made which alter their thinking and perspective on the question.

Examples of "short, controversial or extreme statements" from Aspiration's [http://www.penguinday.org Penguin Day] events have included:

* Wikileaks is good for humanity
* "It is never OK to use proprietary software"
* "Non-profits should never use Free and Open Source Software"
* "Information should always be free"
* "User input is more important than developer talent to assure successful non-profit software projects"

Such statements are deliberately structured to be vague and ambiguous, and participants are encouraged to interpret the statements in whatever way they see fit. The result is often a brisk emergence of community and conversation amongst the participants and a good 'mapping' of the topics and opinions that people want to explore and discuss. Spectrograms can also result in a lot of spontaneous laughter, which is an excellent way to build the energy of the day.

See:

* [[Facilitation:Spectrogram Facilitator Notes|Spectrogram Facilitator Notes]]
* [[Facilitation:Crowdsourcing Spectrogram Statements|Crowdsourcing Spectrogram Statements]]

Collaboration:Remote Access

2016-01-11T19:28:25Z

Miriam:

=== Remote Access to Events ===

To date, remote access has not been a regular component of Aspiration events. Such access allows those who can not be present, as well as those who have participated in previous events, to read and contribute to the wiki and offer comments on any IRC channel that was active.

There are significant concerns in supporting remote access to events:

* Establishing community at an event is always a challenge; the added chemistry of faceless remote participants only complicates this task
* While managing in-person attendees is relatively straightforward, there is potential for distraction in dealing with remote participants who don't "play nice", polluting the wiki or acting as provocateur on IRC rooms. While somewhat unlikely, it must be considered.
* It is challenging enough to generate a coherent wiki in real-time with live attendees; adding input from remote participants certainly doesn't simplify this task. A constructive counter-scenario is that a remote "wiki gnome" or "wiki gardener" can provide a valuable service that allows those on the ground at the event to focus more fully on the human energy at hand.

We are experimenting with limited remote access at events, in no small part to try and build bridges across different event communities. In such a scenario, we do not generally publicize or publicly announce the addresses of the online venues, but invite specific groups and individuals to engage and contribute. We encourage organizers of other events to offer their input and feedback on this dimension of event facilitation.

Collaboration:IRC

2016-01-11T19:26:11Z

Miriam:

== Using Internet Relay Chat (IRC) to Create Back Channels ==

IRC is a text-based internet communication standard that allows users to chat online. For complete information on the use of IRC, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRC.

Some participants may want to utilize IRC to talk to other participants during the day, especially when wireless internet is available. This establishes a back channel where not all participants have visibility into what is being said. While it is difficult and unpopular to discourage use of such tools, they can become a distraction, especially if something funny or noteworthy happens on such a chat channel and random participants laugh or disengage from the group. Such online tools take whoever is using them "out of the moment", fragmenting the group energy and reducing the participation of the tool users. It is recommended to discourage use of IRC, at least during sessions and in other group settings.

In situations where IRC use can not be avoided (e.g., highly technical events), it is advisable to create a "dedicated" IRC channel (e.g., #eventname) on a well-known IRC server, such that access to conversations can be made uniformly available to all participants, and then encourage all participants to use that channel. If compelled to establish an IRC channel, two reliable free sites which enjoy geek credibility are irc.freenode.net and irc.oftc.net.

Collaboration:Wikis

2016-01-11T19:24:05Z

Miriam:

=== Using Wikis to Document the Event ===

Wikis are free-form web sites which allow collective editing of page content by all users. For a complete introduction to wikis, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki.

Wikis are superb for logging notes from sessions, allowing participants to introduce themselves, ask questions and share resources, and generally recording the proceedings of the day as well as subsequent outcomes.

The process which has been followed to date at Aspiration events is based on the following policies:

* "Everything" goes on the wiki. Organizers should populate the initial wiki with an agenda skeleton and some pre-fab pages for participants to populate; see the associated wiki page templates provided with this guide for more detail
* [need more here]

It is recommended the wiki used at most events be a "clean" wiki with minimal pre-existing content. This creates both a blank slate to capture the energy and creativity of the proceedings, and avoids any constraints imposed by existing structure and terms. It also provides a 'safe space' where people don't feel they are putting themselves on the line to an audience larger than those participating in the event. That said, existing wikis are an excellent resource; one way to mitigate concerns about their inclusion is to link to them prominently from the event wiki home page.

Several things are essential to acknowledge and factor in to the use of wikis:

* First, wikis are not the most user-friendly web tool; the syntax for editing wiki pages is usually rather arcane and varies from wiki to wiki, and even when editing toolbars are provided, they often offer limited support.
* In addition, many participants are not familiar with wikis, their use, and the conventions associated with editing pages.
* Finally, using and contributing to wikis is not an intuitive "next task", especially for those immersed in stimulating dialog and busy making new friends.

Event and session facilitators must be diligent in reminding and encouraging participants to contribute, and in particular frequently reiterate the message if you are confused or hesitant about using the wiki, many are glad to help and you only need to ask. This can be done in conjunction with asking those who feel able to help to raise their hands for easy identification; such pairings of participants offer additional opportunities for collaboration, shared learning and collective output.

Another particular subtlety involves anonymous access to wikis; some wikis require login before pages can be edited. It is strongly recommended that anonymous access be the norm during events, as that presents one less barrier to participation, and the distraction of administrating passwords is hard to justify. The larger the event and the more public the wiki access, the more likely it is that logins become advisable as a requirement for editing content.

We are still relatively new to incorporating wikis into events, and encourage those using this guide in conjunction with wiki-enabled events to innovate, experiment and share their learnings and observations.

A collection of sample wiki page templates is provided as a separate document.

Collaboration:At-Event

2016-01-11T19:08:44Z

Miriam:

=== Online Collaborative Tools At Events ===

There can be substantial benefit in using collaborative tools to enhance and document proceedings during events; so much of what is said can be relevant to people who could not attend the event, as well as to participants who want to track sessions in which they did not participate. One of the stated goals of Aspiration events is to develop highly reusable methods for running self-documenting events. Too often, technical events in the nonprofit sector are conceived in a "start from scratch" fashion and subsequent proceedings and outcomes are not documented. Aspiration events and these facilitation materials exist in part to fix this. If you develop or extend approaches to self documentation described here, please take the time to share the process you used with others.

The use of online tools at events is predicated on two assumptions which must not be taken for granted:

# The presence of ubiquitous and robust wireless network access, as well as hardwired ethernet access. If there are limited connections to the network and thus to the online venues, the use of online tools is not as advisable.
# The ability of all participants to have access to devices for viewing and contributing to the online venues. If only a minority of participants have the capacity to access such resources, a de facto and counter-productive "digital divide" is manifested. While not everyone has a computer they can bring to the event, encourage participants who can to bring laptop computers if online tools will be used in the proceedings. In addition, make sure there are adequate numbers of "public" computers for those without laptops, as well as adequate power outlets for laptop users.

While online collaboration tools can greatly enhance the outcomes of events, they can also serve as a major distraction. Establish specific guidelines for when it is appropriate to be using computers and online, and in particular discourage everyone but note-takers from using laptops during sessions.

Facilitation:Lectures and Presentations

2016-01-11T18:54:42Z

Miriam:

=== Lectures and Presentations ===

It is not the intent of this guide to document lecture and panel techniques and best practices. That said, the following suggestions are provided based on experiences organizing nonprofit technology events, in order to maximize value for participants.

Ask participants what they want out of the session: For lectures in particular, it is strongly recommended that the facilitator start the session by doing a quick go-round to ask each participant what they hope to get out of the presentation. This helps to both establish the level and range of knowledge in the room, as well as inform and focus the presentation content.

Lose the slideware: We live in a television-dominated culture; facilitators who utilize projected slides invite their listeners to disengage and stare at a screen. While there is undeniable value in summary of key points and presentation of illustrative diagrams and images, facilitators who can manage to present their topic without the aid of slideware will likely enjoy a more engaged and interactive audience. Slides can put speakers on autopilot, where the delivery amounts to reading bullet points instead of speaking with a group of human beings. Slides also invite an additional form of disengagement; participants will often presume they can download the slides and read them later, and then proceed to listen on auto-pilot themselves.

A strong counter-argument in favor of projected slides can be made when there is range of language skills and oral comprehension in the room; listeners who don't count themselves entirely fluent in the language of the presentation can benefit immensely from reading key points and concepts in addition to parsing the spoken word.

Facilitation:Cameras and Recording

2016-01-11T18:45:33Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

Another dynamic to call out and establish guidelines involves cameras and their use. Several points should be considered:

=== Cameras ===

* If cameras are in use, it is always important to establish whether there are any participants who do not wish to be photographed, and define a process by which the photographers understand who should not be recorded.
* Cameras and photography are a major distraction, especially while those who are not used to speaking address a group. Consider asking participants to refrain from photographing until later in the day. Photographers moving around to achieve good photo angles are also a significant distraction to both participants and facilitators.
* Cameras work against the notion of being "fully present"; when participants are aware of being "on camera", group dynamics change, and rarely for the better.
* Videographers will often assert that the proceedings should be filmed for the benefit of others later. While this is a valid and noble objective, it should be weighed against the inconvenience and occasional annoyance incurred in the course of filming; the primary focus of events should be the people in the room and the quality of their experience. In addition, it useful to assess the likelihood that the recordings will enjoy any kind of actual production and distribution; sound quality is almost certain to be poor, the time and cost involved in turning raw footage into useful video is substantial, and deliverables are unlikely to occur without additional funding and management. Any videotaping that does occur should be agreed upon and well planned in advance of the event.
* It is important to clarify the intended use and destination of photos and video taken at events. If they are going to posted to the internet, make sure to call out a process whereby those who do not wish their images posted can say so, as well as a method to request that posted content be taken down.
* Ownership and intellectual property rights of photographs can be a point of contention, especially when not agreed upon on advance. Make sure such ownership, licensing and permitted re-use is clearly defined before the event.

=== Recording ===

TBD

Facilitation:Closing Circle

2016-01-11T18:40:28Z

Miriam:

=== Concluding the Day or Event: Closing Circle ===

=== Overview ===

Just as an opening circle can set a tone of community and collaboration for an event, a closing circle serves summarize what has been learned and what is possible moving forward.

=== Facilitation ===

An excellent way to start the closing circle is with another go-round. In this go-round, it works well to invite participants to share one of the following:

* Something they learned, especially an "ah-ha" or revelation
* An opinion or attitude that was changed
* A way in which they plan to apply their experiences from the event in their own organization.

It may be appropriate to hold a short brainstorming session on how to continue collaboration and momentum of the event; inviting participants to consider closing circle not as a conclusion but as a transition into future collaboration is an excellent metaphor.

It is also advisable to open the floor for several "popcorn"-style observations:

* Additional comments about the event and sessions
* Remaining questions or issues not resolved during the day
* Brief comments and quick announcements by participants (care should be taken to avoid "sales pitches" or other overly self-serving announcements)

Event organizers should be very sure offer extensive thank-you's while everyone is together at closing circle:

* Thank venue host and other providers of logistic support.
* Thank facilitators for their wisdom, efforts and contributions
* Thank the participants for taking the time to be present, remain present, and give so much to the event.
* Thank anyone else you can think of early and often.

At some point before or after closing circle, participants should fill out evaluation forms. See the section "Event Evaluation and Follow-up" for more information.

Closing circles are best when kept short and sweet; try to finish closing circle in a timely fashion and then directly adjourn to a post-event venue for beverages and extended socializing.

Facilitation:Break-Outs

2016-01-11T18:02:44Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

Break-outs sessions are the heart of event sharing and interaction. Once an initial sense of community has been established by morning circle and other group exercises, break-out sessions allow for rich collaboration between specific participants. It is presumed that each break-out session has one or more facilitators to guide the dialog, but these individuals should see themselves not as presenters but rather catalysts of constructive exchange and discovery. If the person leading a breakout does not have facilitation experience, you may want to offer to pair them up with a someone who does have experience to help share the load.

=== Why break out? ===

As has been stated, small groups offer more participants a chance to weigh in and be heard. Large-group lecture and panel formats often succeed in boring a broad range of attendees while offering limited in-depth value, and question/answer periods at the end of such sessions usually devolve along random vectors of inquiry.

=== How to break out ===

Depending on the nature of the agenda, there are several ways to break into smaller groups:

* Counting off: If an agenda time slot has all participants considering the same topic, then simple counting off creates nicely mixed groups: based on the number of desired small groups, the facilitator counts off participants around the circle, 1 to repeatedly until are are counted, and then assigns all the 1's to group 1, 2's to group 2 and so on. This insures that acquaintances who are sitting together won't end up in the same group, and that rich random cross sections come together for dialog in a fashion that would be unlikely given normal seating behavior.
* Self selection: If an agenda time slot has a range of session topics, participants can simply self-select into the various sessions based on personal preference. In this model, pay close attention to under-attended sessions and encourage folks from the larger sessions to consider switching. In addition, agenda planners should be careful to design relatively symmetric sessions; one "sexy" session opposite several practical workshops usually robs the latter sessions of participants and energy. Another consideration regards the nature of sessions; if some workshops will be highly technical, it is productive to offer non-technical or qualitative sections in parallel to give non-technical participants an engaging alternative to tech talk.
* Skill level: For technical and applied workshops, it can often be productive to divide participants according to their level of skill and experience. This allows those who are new or less confident to enjoy a dialog consistent with their understanding and curiosity, while letting more advanced participants consider more specific, conceptual or nuanced aspects of the topics at hand. Dividing according to skill level is often challenging in practice; there is no magic formula for such segmentation. Two useful mechanisms in this regard are "screening questions" and "section goals". With the latter, you let participants select themselves into a group based on what is intended to be discussed and learned; with the former, facilitators use questions of the form "do you know [how to] ... to route participants to appropriate groups.
* "Friendly strangers": for sessions that involve topical dialog and comparing perspectives, an interesting heuristic for breaking out is to tell each participant they can not be in a group with anyone they know or know well. While such criteria are entirely subjective, and in close-knit communities can be somewhat meaningless, compelling participants to move out their clique and comfort zone yields surprising serendipity and diverse animated dialog.

In all cases, repeatedly encourage participants to sit next to folks they have not yet met rather than their friends.

While some organizers may be tempted to get participants to pre-register for specific break-out sessions, this is rarely beneficial; any planning value afforded by this additional pre-event information is usually offset by the number of participants who change their preferences and choices at the event based on any number of logical and random factors, which they should be allowed to do in the interest of maximizing their experience. Walk-in participants are usually desirable, and can also skew session sign-up. An exception to this guideline sometimes involves sessions with limited resources; if participants will use computers or other finite hardware supplies, first-come/first-served pre-registration can preserve sanity and mitigate disappointment and resentment at the event.

=== Anatomy of a break-out session ===

A three-phase trajectory can yield excellent results. Participants come together first as a large group. This time is used to establish the goals of the time slot, set expectations, and address questions and suggestions. In addition, each break-out group facilitator can elaborate on what they will address in their section and entertain brief questions. Participants then break out into small group for focused dialog. At the end of the time slot, the group reunites as a whole, with each break-out section reporting back their key outcomes and "ah-ha's". Such report-backs can be used to drive group discussion and the merging of break-out themes and topics.

In a 1-hour time slot, the three phases might be allocated as follows: 10 minutes for whole-group meeting, 30 minutes for break-out, and 20 minutes for report-back and group discussion. It is essential to move cleanly and briskly between the phases; discourage cigarette breaks and voicemail/email checking until the whole session has completed. Especially moving into the break-out phase, it is essential that all participants be present at the outset to introduce themselves and establish group chemistry; participants slowly drifting in dissipate the energy and kill the potential for buzz.

The 1-hour format can be frustratingly short and seem rushed, and it is recommended where possible to consider 90-minute and 2-hour sessions. In the 90-minute window, the phases might run 15 minutes intro/50 minutes break-out/20 minutes report-back, with a 5-minute break before report-backs. In the 2-hour format, the phases might run 15/80/20, with a 5-minute break before reports-backs and facilitators deciding how to break up their 80-minute slots.

=== How to report back ===

A key piece of making break-outs valuable is having participants summarize the key take-aways from each break-out session to the larger group. These can sometimes be described as the "ah-ha's" of a discussion.

Each break-out facilitator should identify a note-taker for their session. In addition, the person who will report back to the larger circle should be identified as early as possible so they can visualize and prepare their report-back in real time. Whether the note-taker and the reporter are one and the same can be decided on a per-group basis; having different participants handle the two tasks engages additional brains in bringing value to the proceedings.

Report-backs should be short and sweet, and in particular should not be narrations of group dialog or summaries of proceedings. They should focus on specific learnings that participants enjoyed or shared. A good report-back is 1 or 2 paragraphs of dialog, and rarely more. Spending 5 minutes at the end of a break-out session letting group participants collectively define the report-back is an excellent closing mechanism for the break-out. Once a group has reported back, the main facilitator can invite questions and comments from other members of the same group as well as members of other groups.

Facilitation:Opening Circle

2016-01-11T17:51:19Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

In the spirit of inclusion, starting events with an opening circle is an excellent opportunity to let everyone's voice be heard and set a tone of participation for the day. Once fundamental welcomes and logistics (bathrooms, food, other essential resources) have been covered, it works quite well to immediately do a go round where each participant gets to say their name and to share a word or two.

=== Achieving Focus and Removing Distractions at the Start of the Day ===

Take early opportunity to stress the responsibility of community: everyone must engage and interact for the day to thrive. Remind attendees not to hang in comfortable groups with friends or cliques, but rather to seek out those they have not yet met and compare notes.

Discourage multi-tasking, such as trying to process email messages or Internet Relay Chat (IRC) while listening in a group. In particular, invite participants to:

* Close laptops
* Turn off cell phones or set them silent
* Generally reduce gadget distractions.

Certain bloggers and IRC addicts may complain, but the benefit to the group energy is immeasurable.

=== Room Setup ===

On circular chair layout: many events arrange chairs in rows facing a single direction, such that some sit at the front while others are in the middle or the back of the group. It is strongly recommended whenever possible to arrange chairs in a simple circle one chair deep. In this way, all participants face one another, can see everyone else present, and enjoy a sense of symmetric community. Such a layout has no "front" and no "back", and establishes a co-equal energy instead of a conventional speaker/listeners dichotomy.

=== Go-Rounds ===

It helps to explicitly invite everyone to listen actively and remain fully present during the go-round.

Go-rounds worry some participants, who fear they'll be trapped in an interminable loop of life story monologues. It is best to keep the contributions brief; the following are ideas for quick check-ins which don't eat excessive time or drain group energy:

* Your name & where you're from
* Your name & a word that describes your mood at the start of this day
* Your name & a color that describes your mood
* Your name & something you hope to achieve here today, in 1 sentence or less
* Your name & your birthday (if you get lucky and it's actually someone's birthday, don't hesitate to sing!)
* Your name & the most beautiful place in the world (subject to broad interpretation)

Event planners and facilitators are strongly encouraged to think up other go-round subjects, and add them to the list above.

The following are additional suggestions on how to probe and connect participants in a "popcorn" style go-round where anyone in the room can raise their hand and offer an answer:

* Who's in the room? A second phase of letting voices be heard is to ask participants the role or roles they play in the realm of non-profit technology. The roles are then written on a white board to create a list of the varied perspectives from which participants are approaching the day. An additional dimension involves pausing between each called-out role and asking for a show of hands of those show identify in that role.
* What do you want to get out of this? While the question doesn't scale as well for larger gatherings, going to the trouble of inviting participants to weigh in on why they're taking to time to attend and what they want to get out of the event is a great way to sharpen the focus of the day. With larger groups, this probe can be done by asking participants to place Post-it notes with their interests and desires on a wall during the first break. This allows facilitators and participants to check in to make sure everyone's needs are being met, and allows for new break-out sessions to be added on the fly if there is a gap between participant desires and the planned program.

=== Facilitation ===

Only once the go-round and other discovery exercises are complete should you move on to more traditional opening topics such as the agenda, questions and announcements:

* Review [http://facilitation.aspirationtech.org/index.php/Participants:Guidelines Participant Guidelines]: When following a set of participant guidelines such as the ones supplied on this wiki, it is important to go over them at the outset of the day. This serves multiple purposes; in addition to reinforcing and highlighting key guidelines, it allows participants to weigh in with any confusions or concerns about the guidelines.

* [http://facilitation.aspirationtech.org/index.php/Agenda:Index Agenda] overview: Narrating how the day will flow gives participants a mental map and context for subsequent discussions. Talk through the phases of the day, and invite questions, then...

* Call for general: questions Opening the floor up for questions about the agenda or in general helps to clear the air of any shared confusions.

* Quick announcements: While any general call for announcements can lead to inappropriate pitches and wasteful digressions, a call for short announcements relevant to the proceedings of the day is an excellent way to encourage a spirit of sharing and collaboration. Examples of such announcements might be "Birds of a Feather" discussions participants would like to propose over lunch, or post-event gatherings or suggestions.

Agenda:Sessions

2016-01-11T17:37:36Z

Miriam:

Events typically offer sessions which fall into one of five categories:

# Lecture/Presentation, where one speaker addresses the group
# Panel, where several panelists sit at the front of the room, offer brief presentations and observations, and answer questions from the group
# Break-out Discussion, where participants join in a facilitated dialog
# Lab/Hands-on, where participants use computers or otherwise learn by doing
# Skill-shares and demos, where one or more participants share their skills with others, or demo a project or product they're working on or supporting.

Aspiration events are strongly biased towards small discussion-oriented sessions, referred to as break-outs because the group usually starts together as whole before dividing into smaller units for focused discourse.

Labs and hands-on sessions can potentially yield rich outcomes for participants, but come with several logistical and qualitative considerations. First, such sessions require obtaining the necessary hardware and software resources. If the event facility offers such equipment, hands-on sessions may be straightforward and manageable to deliver. But given that most events are in fact single-day or several-day affairs, the effort required to obtain, install and configure equipment is likely to be an excessive distraction. More importantly, having computers present is almost certain to reduce the human interaction and the rich dialog that yield the core event value; while peer-to-peer hands-on learning is a great way to grow skills and relationships, many machines end up being utilized by single users, who focus their energy toward a screen, check email and otherwise disengage from the proceedings.

Given that Aspiration events aim primarily to build relationships and grow community ties, lectures and panels tend to work against such goals. Those two formats usually perpetuate the "tyranny of talkers", where only a small number of voices are heard, the energy and needs of the audience minimally inform the nature of the presentation, and listeners can often become disengaged. While excellent lecturers and compelling panelists are by no means unheard of, they are clearly in the minority, and the ad-hoc nature of our event agendas usually means organizers are unable to gage in advance the chemistry of lecture and panel sessions. The philosophy is not to reject such formats, but instead to treat them as spice rather than main ingredient in agenda recipes.

Many presume that events relating to technology should be about acquiring information and technical knowledge; our philosophy is that new and enhanced relationships (with their associated email addresses, phone numbers and other contact info) are the primary outcomes. While one can only obtain a finite amount of knowledge in a given day, the ability to dialog and draw on the wisdom and experience of others long after an event yields a potentially unbounded amount of knowledge, insight, and guidance. Empirical experience has led us to favor small break-out sessions as the format for agenda units, to maximize conversation, engagement and valuable outcomes.

Agenda:Philosophy

2016-01-11T17:30:59Z

Miriam:

Aspiration events are convened with a bias in the agenda towards focused break-outs and small-group discussion rather than larger groups sessions. The larger the session, the less each participant gets to contribute to the exchange, and the less value each individual gains from the broader and sometimes haphazard course of the session. Smaller groups enable more focused discussion and a better opportunity for each participant to voice their perspective. No one knows everything, and each person knows something useful to offer to the mix; small sessions allow for more serendipitous discovery when the airtime is shared evenly among all present.

In particular, we discourage panel models where experts sit at the front of a room and make a series short presentations or small discussions, followed by audience questions. While certainly useful and traditional, such formats stifle dynamic conversation and exchange while perpetuating the real and perceived differences between those who know and those who don't.

Collaboration:Pre-Event

2016-01-09T00:44:48Z

Miriam:

=== Online Collaboration Tools Pre-Event ===

While many will presume that a tool such as a listserv is a natural component of pre-event collaboration, several factors must be considered. First, many participants will resist the notion of yet another list or other source of additional data in their lives. In addition, many of those participants are extremely busy with their non-profit duties and will be unable to contribute to such a list, and perhaps not even read it. What can result is a list dominated by list warriors and other time privileged participants. This can in turn lead to skewed pre-event perceptions and expectations, especially among the less-than-totally-technical attendees for whom the event has been conceived. On the other hand, some participants will resent any hindrance to pre-event interaction; there is no correct answer.

That said, there is a strong case to be made for going in the opposite direction, providing not only a listserv but online collaboration tools like a wiki to allow participants to brainstorm and share thoughts and ideas in advance. But in all such situations a non-random subset of participants will drive and shape such resources, and that will in turn impact the perceptions and dynamics of community at the actual event.

Aspiration events have so far used a range of approaches to pre-event collaboration, with largely positive outcomes.

Collaboration:At-Event

2016-01-09T00:40:02Z

Miriam:

=== Online Collaborative Tools At Events ===

There can be substantial benefit in using collaborative tools to enhance and document proceedings during events; so much of what is said can be relevant to people who could not attend the event, as well as to participants who want to track sessions in which they did not participate. One of the stated goals of Aspiration events is to develop highly reusable methods for running self-documenting events. Too often, technical events in the nonprofit sector are conceived in a "start from scratch" fashion and subsequent proceedings and outcomes are not documented. Aspiration events and these facilitation materials exist in part to fix this. If you develop or extend approaches to self documentation described here, please take the time to share the process you used with others.

The use of online tools at events is predicated on two assumptions which must not be taken for granted:

# The presence of ubiquitous and robust wireless network access, as well as hardwired ethernet access. If there are limited connections to the network and thus to the online venues, the use of online tools is not as advisable.
# The ability of all participants to have access to devices for viewing and contributing to the online venues. If only a minority of participants have the capacity to access such resources, a de facto and counter-productive â€œdigital divideâ€ is manifested. While not everyone has a computer they can bring to the event, encourage participants who can to bring laptop computers if online tools will be used in the proceedings. In addition, make sure there are adequate numbers of â€œpublicâ€ computers for those without laptops, as well as adequate power outlets for laptop users.

While online collaboration tools can greatly enhance the outcomes of events, they can also serve as a major distraction. Establish specific guidelines for when it is appropriate to be using computers and online, and in particular discourage everyone but note-takers from using laptops during sessions.

Collaboration:At-Event

2016-01-09T00:39:31Z

Miriam:

=== Online Collaborative Tools At Events ===

There can be substantial benefit in using collaborative tools to enhance and document proceedings during events; so much of what is said can be relevant to people who could not attend the event, as well as to participants who want to track sessions in which they did not participate. One of the stated goals of Aspiration events is to develop highly reusable methods for running self-documenting events. Too often, technical events in the nonprofit sector are conceived in a â€œstart from scratchâ€ fashion and subsequent proceedings and outcomes are not documented. Aspiration events and these facilitation materials exist in part to fix this. If you develop or extend approaches to self documentation described here, please take the time to share the process you used with others.

The use of online tools at events is predicated on two assumptions which must not be taken for granted:

# The presence of ubiquitous and robust wireless network access, as well as hardwired ethernet access. If there are limited connections to the network and thus to the online venues, the use of online tools is not as advisable.
# The ability of all participants to have access to devices for viewing and contributing to the online venues. If only a minority of participants have the capacity to access such resources, a de facto and counter-productive â€œdigital divideâ€ is manifested. While not everyone has a computer they can bring to the event, encourage participants who can to bring laptop computers if online tools will be used in the proceedings. In addition, make sure there are adequate numbers of â€œpublicâ€ computers for those without laptops, as well as adequate power outlets for laptop users.

While online collaboration tools can greatly enhance the outcomes of events, they can also serve as a major distraction. Establish specific guidelines for when it is appropriate to be using computers and online, and in particular discourage everyone but note-takers from using laptops during sessions.

Agenda:Goals

2016-01-09T00:38:36Z

Miriam:

At Aspiration events, non-profit organizations explore the range of issues and options involved in applying technology in their mission and operations.

These events convene stakeholders in the development, adoption and support of technology for non-profits to frankly address the range of challenges in scaling capacity, as well as to celebrate strengths and successes of open source in the nonprofit sector.

The events aim to:

* build new and enhanced relationships between key constituencies in the nonprofit technology communities;
* serve as a venue for learning and information sharing about development processes and nonprofit software needs;
* help participants develop a clearer understanding of where there are gaps and opportunities;
* challenge developers to provide flexible and appropriate solutions for non-profit mission-critical applications;
* empower non-profit users and support providers to better communicate their needs and serve as active partners in the development and maturation of open source technology for nonprofits;
* result in increased energy and passion to fuel ongoing collaboration.

Aspiration events exist to spark and sustain conversation about technology in nonprofit organizations. Some of the specific aims of these conversations include:

* Demystifying and creating comfort
* Building networks and make friends
* Helping NGOs find 'tech buddies' who can help with questions and problems
* Introducing people to less techie ways to get involved in technology development for the sector
* Communicating philosophy and ideas of Free and Open Source software in plain language
* Helping developers find ways to support NGOs / activists
* Identifying and overcoming challenges

Of course, what really matters are the objectives of the people who are actually in the room on each event. The dialog-oriented, participant-centric approach of the day ensures that everyone gets what they came for.

Logistics:Index

2016-01-09T00:33:07Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

Aspiration events are run with old-fashioned low-budget values; the goal is to create a replicable model at minimal cost. There are several primary logistics to consider in planning for such events:

=== Venue ===

Ideally, the meeting space offers both a large room where the group can meet as a whole, as well as "break-out" spaces, where smaller sets of participants can have discussions and collaborate.

Check out our [[Logistics:Venue Checklist|Venue Checklist]] and our [[Logistics:Wireless Best Practices|Wireless Best Practices]]

=== Food and beverages ===

Though budget may limit the amount of food that can be provided by the hosts, it is always recommended to have a full range of beverage options available.
* Coffee is an industry-standard fuel for driving collaboration at live events
** N.B. - Coffee quality is the key success factor to all participatory events.
* Coupled with tasty and more inert options including water, tea (caffeinated and non-), sodas and fruit juice, a full beverages suite establishes a rich array of liquid lubricants for effective collaboration and sharing.

In terms of catering costs, in the U.S. we aim for costs in the range of $18/20 per head/day, which includes continental breakfast, lunch, and coffee all day.

=== Materials and Supplies===

Check out the updated [[Logistics:Materials Shopping List|Materials Shopping List]]

At a bare minimum, name tags are an essential mechanism for participants to get to know one another. Two suggestions:

* Consider using a specific name tag format that has high impact: for pre-printed name tags, use only the first name, make it large on the name tag, then print the organizational affiliation in smaller type below it. This immediately makes things more human, giving participants a highly visible handle to use in introducing themselves to friends they have not yet met.
* Don't make different style name tags for participants and facilitators; a single name tag style without role labels breaks down barriers and enhances community energy.

In addition, packets containing Participant Guidelines, agenda information, and feedback forms are an excellent resource when budget permits. Notepads and pens are also useful, though many participants tend to bring their own.

For group sessions and other brainstorming collaboration, the following are strongly recommended:

* "Post-it" notes, in multiple colors and sizes
* Flip-chart pads, with Post-it sticky backing if the budget permits
* Colored markers and pens
* Easels with clips to hold up flip-charts
* Masking tape (including colored tape if you plan to do spectrograms as described below)

In addition, it is strongly recommended to have on hand a good supply of blank CD-R disks to facilitate sharing of software and tools. And a dedicated CD burner is a fine resource to have if available, especially if it can burn multiple discs in parallel.

=== Registration and Scholarships ===

* Sample [[Logistics:Scholarship Offer|Scholarship Offer]]

=== Access to computers and the internet ===

Computers and internet access are not essential to successful events, and in fact may prove counterproductive. While machines provide venues for demonstration and sharing, they also create a major distraction from dialog and pure human interaction.

A format that avoids computer use in the early phases of the day but allows for hands-on learning and exploration later in the day arguably offers the best of both worlds; participants start conversations, make new friends and learn about each other's work before diving into the hands-on sharing and learning.

It is essential to let both facilitators and participants know what to expect in these regards.

And if you providing internet, make sure to know [[Logistics:Wireless Best Practices|Wireless Best Practices]].

=== Projectors ===

It is recommended that when computers are available, at least one projector also be available for group viewing of demonstrations.

Logistics:Index

2016-01-09T00:32:40Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

Aspiration events are run with old-fashioned low-budget values; the goal is to create a replicable model at minimal cost. There are several primary logistics to consider in planning for such events:

=== Venue ===

Ideally, the meeting space offers both a large room where the group can meet as a whole, as well as "break-out" spaces, where smaller sets of participants can have discussions and collaborate.

Check out our [[Logistics:Venue Checklist|Venue Checklist]] and our [[Logistics:Wireless Best Practices|Wireless Best Practices]]

=== Food and beverages ===

Though budget may limit the amount of food that can be provided by the hosts, it is always recommended to have a full range of beverage options available.
* Coffee is an industry-standard fuel for driving collaboration at live events
** N.B. - Coffee quality is the key success factor to all participatory events.
* Coupled with tasty and more inert options including water, tea (caffeinated and non-), sodas and fruit juice, a full beverages suite establishes a rich array of liquid lubricants for effective collaboration and sharing.

In terms of catering costs, in the U.S. we aim for costs in the range of $18/20 per head/day, which includes continental breakfast, lunch, and coffee all day.

=== Materials and Supplies===

Check out the updated [[Logistics:Materials Shopping List|Materials Shopping List]]

At a bare minimum, name tags are an essential mechanism for participants to get to know one another. Two suggestions:

* Consider using a specific name tag format that has high impact: for pre-printed name tags, use only the first name, make it large on the name tag, then print the organizational affiliation in smaller type below it. This immediately makes things more human, giving participants a highly visible handle to use in introducing themselves to friends they have not yet met.
* Don't make different style name tags for participants and facilitators; a single name tag style without role labels breaks down barriers and enhances community energy.

In addition, packets containing Participant Guidelines, agenda information, and feedback forms are an excellent resource when budget permits. Notepads and pens are also useful, though many participants tend to bring their own.

For group sessions and other brainstorming collaboration, the following are strongly recommended:

* "Post-it" notes, in multiple colors and sizes
* Flip-chart pads, with â€œPost-itâ€ sticky backing if the budget permits
* Colored markers and pens
* Easels with clips to hold up flip-charts
* Masking tape (including colored tape if you plan to do spectrograms as described below)

In addition, it is strongly recommended to have on hand a good supply of blank CD-R disks to facilitate sharing of software and tools. And a dedicated CD burner is a fine resource to have if available, especially if it can burn multiple discs in parallel.

=== Registration and Scholarships ===

* Sample [[Logistics:Scholarship Offer|Scholarship Offer]]

=== Access to computers and the internet ===

Computers and internet access are not essential to successful events, and in fact may prove counterproductive. While machines provide venues for demonstration and sharing, they also create a major distraction from dialog and pure human interaction.

A format that avoids computer use in the early phases of the day but allows for hands-on learning and exploration later in the day arguably offers the best of both worlds; participants start conversations, make new friends and learn about each other's work before diving into the hands-on sharing and learning.

It is essential to let both facilitators and participants know what to expect in these regards.

And if you providing internet, make sure to know [[Logistics:Wireless Best Practices|Wireless Best Practices]].

=== Projectors ===

It is recommended that when computers are available, at least one projector also be available for group viewing of demonstrations.

Collaboration:Index

2016-01-09T00:31:23Z

Miriam:

=== Overview ===

There can be substantial benefit in using online collaborative tools to enhance and document proceedings during events; so much of what is said can be relevant to people who could not attend the event, as well as to participants who want to track sessions in which they did not participate.

The use of online tools at events is predicated on two assumptions which must not be taken for granted:

# The presence of ubiquitous and robust wireless network access, as well as hardwired ethernet access. If there are limited connections to the network and thus to the online venues, the use of online tools is not as advisable.
# The ability of all participants to have access to devices for viewing and contributing to the online venues. If only a minority of participants have the capacity to access such resources, a de facto and counter-productive "digital divide" is manifested. While not everyone has a computer they can bring to the event, encourage participants who can to bring laptop computers if online tools will be used in the proceedings. In addition, make sure there are adequate numbers of "public" computers for those without laptops, as well as adequate power outlets for laptop users.

=== Collaboration ===

[[Collaboration:Pre-Event|Pre-Event]] Collaboration offers the potential to make optimal use of "face time" at events, but organizers should be mindful of the trade-offs and issues in depending on pre-event collaboration.

[[Collaboration:At-Event|At the Event]], collaborative tools provide a powerful additional dimension to the proceedings.

* [[Collaboration:Wikis|Wikis]] are superb for logging notes from sessions, allowing participants to introduce themselves, ask questions and share resources, and generally recording the proceedings of the day as well as subsequent outcomes. By allowing participants to post transcripts of conversations and ideas in progress, wikis offer all participants visibility into a range of discussions, and allow those not initially present to contribute their thoughts later.
* Some participants may want to utilize [[Collaboration:IRC|IRC]] to talk to other participants during the day, especially when wireless internet is available. This establishes a back channel where not all participants have visibility into what is being said.
* A rich compendium of collaborative tools can be found at http://idrc.aspirationtech.org/index.php/Collaborative_Tools
* Bellanet produced a "decision making grid" that outlines some of the collaborative tools that are available. It's a concise and useful summary of what's out there: http://www.opendevelopment.net/6

[[Collaboration:Remote Access|Remote Access]] allows those who can not be present, as well as those who have participated in previous events, to read and contribute to the wiki and listserv, and to offer comments on any IRC channel that was active.

Main Page

2016-01-09T00:02:53Z

Miriam:

{|
|- valign="top"
|
Welcome to the [http://aspirationtech.org Aspiration] Facilitation wiki! We invite you to have a look around, leave a comment or three, and check back soon for more content! This wiki describes processes, details, considerations, and logistics for organizing and facilitating Aspiration Style events. For more background, see [[Facilitation.aspirationtech.org:About | About This Wiki]].

You can also check out the event documentation work we are doing with [http://www.mozilla.org Mozilla] at https://wiki.mozilla.org/Drumbeat/events/kit

|
'''ALERT: Due to ongoing spam problems, we have had to disable anonymous editing and self-service account creation. We ABSOLUTELY welcome contributions to this wiki; please contact [mailto:info@aspirationtech.org info@aspirationtech.org] to request an account. We apologize for the hassle!'''
|- valign="top"
|
'''Event Design'''

[[Agenda:Index|Agenda]] addresses the various options and trade-offs extant in building structure into live events.

'''NEW''': [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] explains how to dynamically generate well-curated agenda topics. [[Agenda:Session Design|Session Design]] offers guidelines on how to design and structure individual sessions at an event.

See our paper on [http://www.aspirationtech.org/papers/creating_participatory_events Participatory Events], commissioned by the [http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/ Shuttleworth Foundation].
|
'''Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing'''

[[Collaboration:Index|Collaboration]] discusses the potential and tradeoffs of using wikis and other online tools to enhance the event and document the proceedings for posterity and those unable to attend.
|- valign="top"
|
'''Facilitation and Participant Engagement'''

[[Facilitation:Index|Facilitation]] details facilitation tools, structure of the elements of an event (group exercises, plenary sessions, break-outs) and offers guidelines to facilitation.

[[Participants:Index|Participants]] details the participant guidelines as well as [[Participants:Pre-Event Questions|Pre-Event Engagement Questions]].
|
'''Logistics and Event Planning'''

[[Logistics:Index|Logistics]] details the little things that make a big difference, including [[Logistics:Wireless Best Practices|Wireless Best Practices]].

'''Documenting at Events'''

[[Documentation:Index|Documentation]] covers how to capture the proceedings, including [[Videographer Best Practices]].
|}

== Acknowledgments ==

The foregoing facilitation and agenda ideas have been collected and developed over years of working with various organizations who convene technology gatherings for the non-profit community. Particular thanks are extended to:

* '''The Ruckus Society''' (Oakland, California US, http://www.ruckus.org), whose Action Camp model, facilitation techniques and agenda structure have inspired many of the ideas in this document, and where we learned "[[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrograms]]" and "[[Facilitation:Strong_Wind_Blows|Strong Wind Blows]]";
* '''Mozilla''' (Mountain View, California, US, http://www.mozilla.org/) and [https://commonspace.wordpress.com/ Mark Surman] whose [https://drumbeat.org/ Drumbeat] program has provided diverse new contexts and scaling opportunities for our models and techniques.
* '''The Tactical Technology Collective''' (Brighton, England, http://www.tacticaltech.org), whose [http://www.tacticaltech.org/source_events Source Camps] have served as excellent fountains of insight and experience in the facilitation of productive sessions and events, and whose wisdom in convening diverse international gatherings is unparalleled;
* '''Blue Oxen Associates''' (Menlo Park, California, US, http://www.blueoxen.org) and Eugene Eric Kim, for guidance and mentoring in the use of wikis and other collaborative tools for both live events and virtual communities;
* '''IDRC's Telecentre.org''' program (Ottawa, Ontario Canada, http://www.telecentre.org) for serving both as a primary reviewer and catalyst of these documents as well as an early and frequent contributor to the development of the Aspiration model.

----------------

This site is maintained by [http://www.aspirationtech.org Aspiration]

Main Page

2016-01-09T00:01:48Z

Miriam:

{|
|- valign="top"
|
Welcome to the [http://aspirationtech.org Aspiration] Facilitation wiki! We invite you to have a look around, leave a comment or three, and check back soon for more content! This wiki describes processes, details, considerations, and logistics for organizing and facilitating â€œAspiration Styleâ€ events. For more background, see [[Facilitation.aspirationtech.org:About | About This Wiki]].

You can also check out the event documentation work we are doing with [http://www.mozilla.org Mozilla] at https://wiki.mozilla.org/Drumbeat/events/kit

|
'''ALERT: Due to ongoing spam problems, we have had to disable anonymous editing and self-service account creation. We ABSOLUTELY welcome contributions to this wiki; please contact [mailto:info@aspirationtech.org info@aspirationtech.org] to request an account. We apologize for the hassle!'''
|- valign="top"
|
'''Event Design'''

[[Agenda:Index|Agenda]] addresses the various options and trade-offs extant in building structure into live events.

'''NEW''': [[Agenda:Hacking|Agenda Hacking]] explains how to dynamically generate well-curated agenda topics. [[Agenda:Session Design|Session Design]] offers guidelines on how to design and structure individual sessions at an event.

See our paper on [http://www.aspirationtech.org/papers/creating_participatory_events Participatory Events], commissioned by the [http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/ Shuttleworth Foundation].
|
'''Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing'''

[[Collaboration:Index|Collaboration]] discusses the potential and tradeoffs of using wikis and other online tools to enhance the event and document the proceedings for posterity and those unable to attend.
|- valign="top"
|
'''Facilitation and Participant Engagement'''

[[Facilitation:Index|Facilitation]] details facilitation tools, structure of the elements of an event (group exercises, plenary sessions, break-outs) and offers guidelines to facilitation.

[[Participants:Index|Participants]] details the participant guidelines as well as [[Participants:Pre-Event Questions|Pre-Event Engagement Questions]].
|
'''Logistics and Event Planning'''

[[Logistics:Index|Logistics]] details the little things that make a big difference, including [[Logistics:Wireless Best Practices|Wireless Best Practices]].

'''Documenting at Events'''

[[Documentation:Index|Documentation]] covers how to capture the proceedings, including [[Videographer Best Practices]].
|}

== Acknowledgments ==

The foregoing facilitation and agenda ideas have been collected and developed over years of working with various organizations who convene technology gatherings for the non-profit community. Particular thanks are extended to:

* '''The Ruckus Society''' (Oakland, California US, http://www.ruckus.org), whose Action Camp model, facilitation techniques and agenda structure have inspired many of the ideas in this document, and where we learned "[[Facilitation:Spectrogram|Spectrograms]]" and "[[Facilitation:Strong_Wind_Blows|Strong Wind Blows]]";
* '''Mozilla''' (Mountain View, California, US, http://www.mozilla.org/) and [https://commonspace.wordpress.com/ Mark Surman] whose [https://drumbeat.org/ Drumbeat] program has provided diverse new contexts and scaling opportunities for our models and techniques.
* '''The Tactical Technology Collective''' (Brighton, England, http://www.tacticaltech.org), whose [http://www.tacticaltech.org/source_events Source Camps] have served as excellent fountains of insight and experience in the facilitation of productive sessions and events, and whose wisdom in convening diverse international gatherings is unparalleled;
* '''Blue Oxen Associates''' (Menlo Park, California, US, http://www.blueoxen.org) and Eugene Eric Kim, for guidance and mentoring in the use of wikis and other collaborative tools for both live events and virtual communities;
* '''IDRC's Telecentre.org''' program (Ottawa, Ontario Canada, http://www.telecentre.org) for serving both as a primary reviewer and catalyst of these documents as well as an early and frequent contributor to the development of the Aspiration model.

----------------

This site is maintained by [http://www.aspirationtech.org Aspiration]

Main Page

2016-01-09T00:00:54Z

Miriam: 1 revision imported

<strong>MediaWiki has been successfully installed.</strong>

Consult the [//meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents User's Guide] for information on using the wiki software.

== Getting started ==
* [//www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Configuration_settings Configuration settings list]
* [//www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Manual:FAQ MediaWiki FAQ]
* [https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-announce MediaWiki release mailing list]
* [//www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Localisation#Translation_resources Localise MediaWiki for your language]

Planning:Pre-Event

2016-01-08T23:58:37Z

Miriam: 1 revision imported

=== Overview ===

Planning and organizing for an event includes the following tasks:

=== Define event details ===

Finalize the date, times, location and participant costs of the event as early as possible, as this aids in all other facets of planning.

It is strongly recommended that any participant costs be â€œsliding scaleâ€ for the sake of inclusion, allowing unaffiliated participants and those from under-resourced organizations able to participate equally.

=== Establish Web Site ===

Before broadly announcing the event, have a web site or page with event details live and ready.

This site should ideally include a form for registering, as well as a way for those who can't attend to submit email addresses to be notified of future events.

=== Implement Registration Process ===

TBD

=== Confirm Venue Logistics ===

TBD

=== Verify International Travel Requirements ===

TBD

Planning:Facilitator Outreach

2016-01-08T23:58:37Z

Miriam: 1 revision imported

=== Overview ===

Assembling a strong and diverse team of facilitators takes substantial lead time, and many participants will want a sense of who's facilitating before committing to attend the event. Facilitators should be:

* leaders by example
* good communicators who are will to guide and drive dialog rather than lecture or formally present.

It is recommended that facilitators possess strong non-profit experience more than strong tech knowledge; while the latter is important to good facilitation, the former insures a healthy and accessible focus for discussions.

Feedback

2016-01-08T23:58:37Z

Miriam: 1 revision imported

== Please, Tell Us What You Think! ==

Hi! This looks interesting, but needs links off of the index for me to find anything. That would be a nice addition :)

-- AndyWingo

Agenda:Skillshares

2016-01-08T23:58:37Z

Miriam: 1 revision imported

Though primary emphasis at events is on relationship building, it is also essential to expose participants to particular and compelling technologies and projects, both to demonstrate the tools as well as to provide them with information to share with others.

Afternoon sessions work well for small groups to learn specifics about a particular topic or watch a technology demonstrated and pose questions.

In skillshares and demos, it is useful to encourage facilitators to focus on the benefits tools, and the processes by which non-profits can select and make use of the those tools. Excessive technical detail should be discouraged, while presentations that drive dialog and curiosity should be strongly encouraged. A format that emphasizes exposure over expertise as an outcome is most advisable; no one will leave a 1- or 2-hour workshop as an expert on a new technology, but exposed to the benefits, range and potential of a given tool or technology, they will likely be inclined to investigate further and spread the word post-event, thus enriching their own understanding by exploring and by explaining it to others.

Whenever possible, encourage demo and skill-share presenters to bring their own machines already configured for use; this reduces the logistical burden on the event organizers while increasing the likelihood that the computer(s) will operate as desired. Such session almost always mandate that event organizers have at least one projector on hand, and if possible more than one, as projector conflicts are among the most difficult to resolve in real time in a satisfactory fashion. Getting clear definition of facilitator requirements, especially internet connectivity and projectors, well in advance of the event is of course advised.