How to Survive An Unconference

Last Saturday, months of planning and anticipation came together for one very special unconference. I had the privilege of co-organizing and marketing NetSquared Camp, a full day event combining social change and technology in one undeniably powerful combination. With just over two weeks to spread the word about the very first NetSquared in Canada, this Ninja embarked on a furious journey of media sponsorship, press releases, and social media. And, as I’m happy to report, the first NetSquared Camp Vancouver sold out and hit the blogs and twitterwaves with resounding success– so much that a followup event is in the works.

The questions that came up the most were ones pertaining to the unconference structure itself and what to expect on the day. With this in mind, I want to share a general guide of unconference survival tips and how to make the most of your unconventional day of learning and networking.

Spread The Word (Unofficially, Of Course)

Unconferences thrive on a diverse gathering of people from different backgrounds and experiences. For NetSquared Camp, I representatives from non-profits, social ventures, business associations, students,  entrepreneurs, developers, designers, marketers, and so on. Backgrounds ranged from small, local startups to international organizations. Consequently, session topics ranged from the beginner and general to the specific and geek-worthy. And most of it was due to individuals sharing the information with their spheres of influence: retweeting announcements, writing blog posts, and forwarding emails to friends and colleagues. All of NetSquared Camp’s media sponsors pitched in generously to provide coverage across their networks, and the variety of organizations I got on board ensured that NetSquared was talked about among a wide variety of representatives.

Come Prepared

The loosely organized model of unconferences make them universally appealing and easier to organize than speaker-based events. That being said, however, you will need to do some prep work before attending the big day. Find the event hastag or subscribe for updates from the blog. Bookmark wiki pages and pitch a session topic in advance. Keep an eye out for emails a few days before the event with last-minute details. Come up with a few questions you’d love answered, and define why you’re going to the event and who you want to meet. Unconferences may release an advance list of attendees, so if there’s an important person you’d like to network with, make sure you keep an eye out or, better yet, connect with the individual before the event to ensure the connection is made.

Participation Is Key

Compared to other (un)conferences and networking events in my recent memory, NetSquared Camp attendees stood out by embodying an important unconference rule: participation. Some offered to facilitate sessions without  prior preparation or guidance. Others took notes and shared them on NetSquared’s event wiki, or live-tweeted session highlights for others to follow along virtually. Still more were quick to ask questions and share insights, creating that well-known unconference atmosphere of informal conversation and self-taught learning.

Go Home But Don’t Go Away

So you’ve successfully survived your first unconference. In order to fully capitalize on your hard day’s work of learning, sharing, and making connections, make sure you keep the conversation going online. Use social media and emails to keep in touch with all of the wonderful people you’ve met. Contribute your notes to the wiki and read over the sessions that you could not attend. Write articles, thank the organizers, and consider getting involved next time by volunteering your time and expertise.

So folks, unconferences are all about attendees being responsible for their own learning and the event’s success. The age of passive listening is dead, and friendly, active engagement is in.