Do we actually need the unconference?
Posted on August 28, 2008
At some point near the end of the discussion on the live stream, I heard someone mention that they really only attended these conferences and expos to hang out with people they only regularly interact with online. I wasn’t really paying much attention to the discussion at the time, but this statement struck a chord with me. I’ve heard the question many times, in one form or another, over the past few months. It got me thinking: Do we really need these “unconferences” and expos and official social media meetings?
For those unfamiliar with the ‘unconference‘ concept, they are mashups of traditional conferences - where sessions on certain topics are held around a central theme - and the impromptu gatherings in the hallways at those conferences where people network and chat informally. The main theory behind the unconference is that they are (usually) free or charge a nominal fee, and are participant driven, so that you as a participant can get up at any time from a session and move to another without hurting anyone’s feelings. Any person can hold a session, and impromptu sessions are encouraged.
The unconference is a great concept. It enables people to attend who otherwise might not have the opportunity to get to a conference of this sort. In terms of social media, however, I’ve noticed that the unconference has also become an excuse for meeting in real life friends we’ve only known in our online worlds.
The upcoming Podcamp Montreal will be a turning point for me. I’ve attended several podcamps (unconferences centered around podcasting and new media) in New York and Boston, and have found that I’m just not getting out of them what I used to. The sessions are great for beginners and marketers, but I’ve grown past that. Granted, after Boston, several attendees (including myself) were motivated to create workshops for podcamps so that there was more going on than someone claiming to be an expert lecturing at me. These would be more of a lab type session, where we actually get to create something. Podcamps will still serve their purpose. Yet I’m finding that I just attend these events because many of my friends, who I rarely get to see in person, will be there.
Now, since I’m going just to see friends and tour the lovely city of Montreal, and NOT primarily to attend Podcamp, a question popped into my head: Do we really need these unconferences?
At first, my kneejerk reaction to the question was “Hell no! Let’s just get together and have fun!” After thinking about it, the unconference serves a great purpose, and of course should continue on. The podcamps and expos certainly need to evolve to match the needs of an ever expanding audience, not to mention the core group of users whose skills, needs, and wants have grown over the years.
I suppose some people use the unconference as an excuse to get their companies to send them, or as a tax write off. For that, I suppose there is no alternative. But for those of us who just want to hang out with our international crew of friends, perhaps something different is in order. If we’re going to spend the money on a plane ticket, hotel, food & drink, but spend most of our time at the event socializing, why not make it a truly social event?
Photos courtesy: Brad P. From NJ, Rick Weiss, and Camp Tweet, respectively.
Technorati Tags: unconference, podcamp, social media, social networking, camping, hiking, barbecue, socializing, touring, tourist, friends
Filed Under New/Social Media, Ramblings |
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Thanks for this, Chris.
I’ve attended my share of Podcamps, as well as the PMNE (before it became the NME), and the one thing I always take away are the relationships.
I can certainly see the need for the educational aspect, but it becomes a bit repetitive and superfluous for those of us already familiar with the trends and technology. That’s not to say that the presenters lack their charisma and insight.
The opportunity to meet our online friends is the biggest benefit, but I’d also rather have another context — after all, after you’ve met folks and bonded with them in person once, you can probably consider them RL friends. So why not travel and have your own reunions, outside of these formalized, informal events?