SlideShare una empresa de Scribd logo
1 de 26
Stuff You
Don’t Need
Who am I?
I am Taylor Barnett
Currently a Developer Evangelist
at Keen IO, Organized HackTX for
3 years, Thrown dozens of 25-650
people events
You can find me at @taylor_atx
I am not telling
you how to run
your event.
I’m not saying this
because…
This is talk is
because…
“
It’s a direct reflection of the
character of the leadership of
the event. Organizers care
about what the attendees of
the event are going to care
about.
-Rob Spectre, Twilio
1
The Coolest
Venue
2
Premium Food
3
Shirts
4
BIG Keynote
Speaker
5
“Best” Hackers
6
Non-Quantifiable
Words
7
HUGE Events
8
Random
Attractions
9
Travel
Reimbursements
10
Fancy Awards
Ceremonies
FOCUS ON WHAT
MATTERS
Learning
What’s the purpose of going if
you don’t leave with more
knowledge than you came in
with?
Mentorship
Being stuck is isolating and we
don’t do enough to prevent
that.
Supportive
Hacking
Environment
Code of Conduct, Reporting
Guidelines, Tone, Space, etc
Supportive
Hacking
Environment
Code of Conduct, Reporting
Guidelines, Tone, Space, etc
Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at
@taylor_atx
taylor@keen.io
SlidesCarnival: This template is free to use under Creative Commons Attribution license.
Workshop
Sunday at 1pm
Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at
@taylor_atx
taylor@keen.io
SlidesCarnival: This template is free to use under Creative Commons Attribution license.

Más contenido relacionado

Similar a Stuff You Don't Need

Twitterverse for Coalitions
Twitterverse for CoalitionsTwitterverse for Coalitions
Twitterverse for CoalitionsLaDonna Coy
 
Village Community School Cross Cultural Communication
Village Community School Cross Cultural CommunicationVillage Community School Cross Cultural Communication
Village Community School Cross Cultural CommunicationRosetta Eun Ryong Lee
 
Surname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docx
Surname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docxSurname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docx
Surname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docxmabelf3
 
Columbus Academy Cross Cultural Communication
Columbus Academy Cross Cultural CommunicationColumbus Academy Cross Cultural Communication
Columbus Academy Cross Cultural CommunicationRosetta Eun Ryong Lee
 
Get your head out of your inbox
Get your head out of your inboxGet your head out of your inbox
Get your head out of your inboxLouis Richardson
 
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give Again
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give AgainHow to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give Again
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give AgainBloomerang
 
Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...
Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...
Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...Nigel Daly
 
How To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared Content
How To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared ContentHow To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared Content
How To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared ContentWriterAccess
 
If You Oracle Then You Should Twitter Too
If You Oracle Then You Should Twitter TooIf You Oracle Then You Should Twitter Too
If You Oracle Then You Should Twitter TooJeff Smith
 
University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...
University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...
University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
 
Find job through social networking
Find job through social networkingFind job through social networking
Find job through social networkingAli Tavanayan
 
John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018
John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018
John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
 
EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014
EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014
EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
 
John Burroughs School In-Service Day One
John Burroughs School In-Service Day OneJohn Burroughs School In-Service Day One
John Burroughs School In-Service Day OneRosetta Eun Ryong Lee
 
The Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, Copenhagen
The Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, CopenhagenThe Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, Copenhagen
The Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, CopenhagenHolger Bartel
 
BoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide Deck
BoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide DeckBoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide Deck
BoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide DeckBusiness of Software Conference
 
DSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural Communication
DSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural CommunicationDSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural Communication
DSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural CommunicationRosetta Eun Ryong Lee
 
Chimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clients
Chimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clientsChimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clients
Chimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clientsWorkplace Trends
 

Similar a Stuff You Don't Need (20)

Twitterverse for Coalitions
Twitterverse for CoalitionsTwitterverse for Coalitions
Twitterverse for Coalitions
 
Village Community School Cross Cultural Communication
Village Community School Cross Cultural CommunicationVillage Community School Cross Cultural Communication
Village Community School Cross Cultural Communication
 
Surname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docx
Surname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docxSurname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docx
Surname 1Surname 3My Ethical TheoryInstruc.docx
 
Columbus Academy Cross Cultural Communication
Columbus Academy Cross Cultural CommunicationColumbus Academy Cross Cultural Communication
Columbus Academy Cross Cultural Communication
 
Get your head out of your inbox
Get your head out of your inboxGet your head out of your inbox
Get your head out of your inbox
 
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give Again
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give AgainHow to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give Again
How to Find & Tell Stories that Cause Donors to Give Again
 
Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...
Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...
Using AI chatbots for deep learning and teaching with specific examples to en...
 
How To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared Content
How To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared ContentHow To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared Content
How To Go Viral: Lessons from the Most Shared Content
 
If You Oracle Then You Should Twitter Too
If You Oracle Then You Should Twitter TooIf You Oracle Then You Should Twitter Too
If You Oracle Then You Should Twitter Too
 
University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...
University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...
University of Washington Experimental Education Unit Cross Cultural Communica...
 
Find job through social networking
Find job through social networkingFind job through social networking
Find job through social networking
 
John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018
John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018
John Burroughs School CC Institute Day One 2018
 
EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014
EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014
EarthCorps Cross Cultural Communication 2014
 
John Burroughs School In-Service Day One
John Burroughs School In-Service Day OneJohn Burroughs School In-Service Day One
John Burroughs School In-Service Day One
 
JBS In Service 2017 Day One
JBS In Service 2017 Day OneJBS In Service 2017 Day One
JBS In Service 2017 Day One
 
The Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, Copenhagen
The Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, CopenhagenThe Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, Copenhagen
The Untold Benefits of Ethical Design - Coldfront 2018, Copenhagen
 
BoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide Deck
BoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide DeckBoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide Deck
BoS Conference USA 2019 Feedback Loop Workshop Slide Deck
 
Constructing a PLN
Constructing a PLNConstructing a PLN
Constructing a PLN
 
DSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural Communication
DSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural CommunicationDSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural Communication
DSHS HCS Washington Region 2 Cross Cultural Communication
 
Chimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clients
Chimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clientsChimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clients
Chimps and Jelly: Thoughts on influencing colleagues and clients
 

Último

GenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day PresentationGenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day PresentationMichael W. Hawkins
 
Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101
Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101
Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101Paola De la Torre
 
EIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptx
EIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptxEIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptx
EIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptxEarley Information Science
 
Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024
Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024
Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024The Digital Insurer
 
Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...
Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...
Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...apidays
 
Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine KG and Vector search for enhanced R...
Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine  KG and Vector search for  enhanced R...Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine  KG and Vector search for  enhanced R...
Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine KG and Vector search for enhanced R...Neo4j
 
Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...
Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...
Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...Miguel Araújo
 
Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...
Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...
Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...gurkirankumar98700
 
Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...
Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...
Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...Enterprise Knowledge
 
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking MenDelhi Call girls
 
Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)
Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)
Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)Allon Mureinik
 
Histor y of HAM Radio presentation slide
Histor y of HAM Radio presentation slideHistor y of HAM Radio presentation slide
Histor y of HAM Radio presentation slidevu2urc
 
[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf
[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf
[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdfhans926745
 
Scaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organization
Scaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organizationScaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organization
Scaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organizationRadu Cotescu
 
Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...
Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...
Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...Drew Madelung
 
WhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure service
WhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure serviceWhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure service
WhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure servicePooja Nehwal
 
Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...
Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...
Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...Neo4j
 
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed textsHandwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed textsMaria Levchenko
 
Unblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen Frames
Unblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen FramesUnblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen Frames
Unblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen FramesSinan KOZAK
 
IAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI Solutions
IAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI SolutionsIAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI Solutions
IAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI SolutionsEnterprise Knowledge
 

Último (20)

GenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day PresentationGenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
GenCyber Cyber Security Day Presentation
 
Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101
Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101
Salesforce Community Group Quito, Salesforce 101
 
EIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptx
EIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptxEIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptx
EIS-Webinar-Prompt-Knowledge-Eng-2024-04-08.pptx
 
Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024
Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024
Finology Group – Insurtech Innovation Award 2024
 
Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...
Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...
Apidays Singapore 2024 - Building Digital Trust in a Digital Economy by Veron...
 
Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine KG and Vector search for enhanced R...
Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine  KG and Vector search for  enhanced R...Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine  KG and Vector search for  enhanced R...
Workshop - Best of Both Worlds_ Combine KG and Vector search for enhanced R...
 
Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...
Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...
Mastering MySQL Database Architecture: Deep Dive into MySQL Shell and MySQL R...
 
Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...
Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...
Kalyanpur ) Call Girls in Lucknow Finest Escorts Service 🍸 8923113531 🎰 Avail...
 
Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...
Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...
Driving Behavioral Change for Information Management through Data-Driven Gree...
 
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
08448380779 Call Girls In Friends Colony Women Seeking Men
 
Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)
Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)
Injustice - Developers Among Us (SciFiDevCon 2024)
 
Histor y of HAM Radio presentation slide
Histor y of HAM Radio presentation slideHistor y of HAM Radio presentation slide
Histor y of HAM Radio presentation slide
 
[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf
[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf
[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf
 
Scaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organization
Scaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organizationScaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organization
Scaling API-first – The story of a global engineering organization
 
Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...
Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...
Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot...
 
WhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure service
WhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure serviceWhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure service
WhatsApp 9892124323 ✓Call Girls In Kalyan ( Mumbai ) secure service
 
Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...
Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...
Neo4j - How KGs are shaping the future of Generative AI at AWS Summit London ...
 
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed textsHandwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
Handwritten Text Recognition for manuscripts and early printed texts
 
Unblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen Frames
Unblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen FramesUnblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen Frames
Unblocking The Main Thread Solving ANRs and Frozen Frames
 
IAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI Solutions
IAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI SolutionsIAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI Solutions
IAC 2024 - IA Fast Track to Search Focused AI Solutions
 

Stuff You Don't Need

Notas del editor

  1. Not saying this because I don’t like these things or don’t think they are great Some of these things can be great, but it does not mean they are necessary for your event
  2. Observed certain trends that we are focusing too much on things that don’t really matter in the end Could be saving time, money, and other resources Allow them to focus on the more important things, like all the other things that really matter when someone looks back on your event Let’s create quality events from the start For the x amount of time that you spent on getting a sponsor to buy something you didn’t need, could you have spent that time planning a better experience for a hacker the day of the event?
  3. If the organizers care about money, that’s what the people who show up are going to care about
  4. You need a place where hackers: Have room to work on projects Aren’t sweating or freezing Have wifi, power outlets Aren’t jammed in like a can of sardines
  5. Though I am very anti-pizza It unhealthy, not filling, greasy, but you also don’t need trays and trays California, Rainbow, and Shrimp Tempura Sushi Rolls for dinner Rice and beans story… Hackers care about: Having enough food to feel full That their stomachs are not grumbling when they are trying to work on their project That their dietary and allergy needs are taken - for example… Focus on these things, not the super fancy $15 a plate food Focus on having snacks and not just meals Focus on food lines that don’t take more than 30 minutes to get fed
  6. Hackers have a ton of shirts, maybe even too many Your sponsors give them most of them You really don’t need to give them another shirt or two - it won’t make or break your event There are cheaper swag items if you want your own hackathon personalized swag, maybe even more memorable and useful things like water bottles or notebooks to write their ideas and project design onto
  7. Your opening ceremony should be for three things: Continuing to set the tone of the event: Code of Conduct Reporting Guidelines Anything hackers need to know about your event specifically Your sponsors demos Getting to why they actually showed up to your event - to hack, build, create, and design At 8pm on Friday after a week of class, homework, and life, most people don’t want to listen to the same person for 15 min when they came to a hackathon It’s not a speaker series or conference, it is a hackathon Hackers are at events to learn by doing, not by listening
  8. You don’t need the “best” hackers You need hackers, and barely even that You need people who want to build things from your local community We need to stop talking about hackers like they are a cut of super rare meat that is USDA Prime rated, sustainably raised, grass fed, whatever So what if someone is a first time hacker or has placed in 3 events, Hackathons are for learning and so many other things. Everyone can do those things, not just the “best” hackers. I know it is something you probably tell sponsors, but it means nothing if 10 other events say it too What even is the “best” hacker? It is a very unquantifiable person. Which leads us to….
  9. How many hackathons have you been to that claimed to be the “best?” I have been to at least 5 “best” hackathons. The thing about being the “best” is that there’s only one Words like: Awesomest Best Largest Biggest (don’t have much reliable data to support these in a lot of cases) Most Epic Most Premiere Most Epically Incredible Super-Premiere Really Really Big You don’t need to be Shark Hacks 5000 - don’t even waste time thinking about them
  10. From MLH’s research, they have found that 100-600 human events are the ones that are preferred the most Worry about the experience for people at your event, not how many can we get here
  11. How many people have you heard say a hackathon was “the best” because it had video games? Probably zero. You really don’t need to waste time planning spaces with random attractions When I asked the current HackTX team about stuff we don’t need, this was one of them that multiple team members brought up They are always under utilized because people are busy hacking, eating, or resting Some random attraction are: Video games Massages Random games that only 30 out of hundreds of people at the event end up playing Anything you are doing just for a WOW factor You are just better off WOWing people in other ways
  12. This one is tough I know you want people to come to your event from all over our solar system But too much of our budgets are travel reimbursements and too much of our time is spent working on them If you want to do buses, sure! Go for it! A quality event is easy brought down by travel reimbursements: If you don’t handle them in time, people never forget If you make bad decisions on who gets them, people never forget If you take too long to answer emails about them, people never forget They weigh events down - sometimes into the ground Focus more on your local community and the community you have within a 6 hour bus ride You’d be shocked how many hackers or soon to be hackers you can find in this radius if you do outreach right
  13. You know what hackers who spent the last 24+ hours awake call an amazing awards ceremony? Naptime. Just like an opening ceremony, you are standing between hackers and something they want People want three things out a awards ceremony: To see what cool projects people made Find out if they won anything For it to be over so they can go home and sleep You should not waste time during it, and please don’t have another keynote speaker Spend time trying to make it as fast as possible instead: Prepare and optimize transitions between hacks Work with sponsors and other people who need to give out prizes Work with hackers so that their demos are successful and don’t cause delays
  14. You can make up for a memorable “experience” with things that matter even more than the stuff you don’t need Could be saving time, money, and other resources, which will allow to focus on more important things
  15. Work with sponsors more to help do mentorship better Create resources, apps, creative ideas, and more to help make sure that no one leaves feeling lost After looking at survey results from past events, the thing that caused attendees to have a bad experience most often was getting lost and not knowing what to do or who to go to We don’t do enough to fix this
  16. We need to be putting more our time, energy, and resources into creating support hacking environments Code of conduct Reporting guidelines Tone of your event from the start of marketing it to months after it occurs The space and making sure everyone feels safe and comfortable in it How to make everyone feel included, not just diverse Having sponsors that believe in the same things you do as well as adding quality Organizers underestimate the amount of time it takes to create a supportive hacking environment It’s not just two or three people should work on, it is something everyone should be working on Last week I saw this tweet from the CTO of npm, the javascript package manager that some...
  17. Creating a support hacking environment is *really* hard It takes a lot of work to make two things that are mutually exclusive to be at least somewhat compatible
  18. It takes a lot of work to define your space clearly Being thoughtful takes time and organizers don’t do enough of introspective thinking about their events They want to make these cool, awesome things, but that’s isolating
  19. If you don’t have a supportive hacking environment, everything else means nothing Your random attractions, travel reimbursements, coolest venue, and shirts will be forgotten