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ChangeCamp Canada > ChangeCamp Toronto > Event Design > ChangeCampTO ChangeLAB
ChangeCampTO ChangeLABFrom $1Table of contentsNo headersWhile ChangeCamp is based on an Open Space Technology platform, it has been suggested that there is an opportunity to do more at ChangeCamp and actually make some things. I'm passionate about getting real work done in these events. I'm equally passionate that Conversation=Action, but we can debate that another time. We are proposing a slight modification of the Open Space Technology framework and want to introduce ChangeCamp: ChangeLab (CC:CL). As of right now there are 3 sessions planned for the afternoon at ChangeCamp and we are suggesting a new concept that will see one person "own" 3 consecutive sessions in a single workspace that will focus on building a specific something that would normally take longer than an hour or 90 minutes. For example, all of the ChangeCamp in a Box documentation or a widget or a new website. We're proposing a rough framework that might look something like this: Hour 1:
What does changecamp.ca look to accomplish? What problem does it solve?
What is the overarching value of it? What is the strategy for the site?
What is the target audience? Hour 2: What tools/technology
would best suit the development of the site? What
skills/money/resources required? What are the measures of success? Hour 3: Build as much as possible. Produce wireframes, look and feel, project plan, next steps, financial model, etc. The reason for building a bit of structure into each hour is that it provides a bit of design thinking around the project where people are encouraged to think about the "customer" rather than just diving right into code. As well, it gives other people in the event a chance to contribute in the areas that they're excited about. For example, the strategists know that in "Hour 1" the discussion will be about their area of expertise and they can help lead discussion in that area. At the beginning of Hour 2 the project management types can jump in there and review the work from Hour 1 and make their recommendations before the coders/UX folks dive in for the final session and create something based on lots of input from the previous couple of hours. At ChangeCamp there will be 2 Lab sessions going on while the rest of the event is unfolding in a more traditional Open Space method with hour long sessions on a multitude of topics.
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As someone who was advocating for more action out of this, I think this is a great format to combine the conversation and action components. Daniel, I don't disagree with you necessarily on your conversation=action viewpoint, but I do know that politically minded people tend to enter events like this ready to talk a lot, but not necessarily ready to do. By having both sides, we should be able to produce more possible outcomes from this event and ultimately more results, long-term. edited 08:43, 21 Jan 2009
Hey Dan,
Awesome idea and nice work. I love the idea of a ChangeLab and I like the thinking you put into helping structure it to allow it to occur in a 3 hour window.
My one comment would be that while the structure will prove helpful, it might make sense to provide it as a framework and allow the "team" to define their approach in the first 10-15 minutes. ie: They may choose to break into two teams in the first hour and accomplish the hour 1 & 2 things in two tracks. Then synthesize and move into step 3 with more like 2 hours to work.
My only other comment would be that Hour 1 could be simplified due to time to something like the following: Who? (Who are we looking to serve?) What? (What is the problem this solves for that person) and Why? (What is the value to that audience?) edited 08:44, 21 Jan 2009
I like it all. By providing structure even as simple as the Who, What, Why it gives people a place to launch from. And yes, they'll hive off into smaller groups (or not). It will depend on how many people are attracted to a particular ChangeLab group. Could be groups of 5 or 15. You never know. And people like Sean Howard might find themselves in groups to suggest the parallel process and that's awesome. People will definitely modify.
And good point from Dan H...people often come to talk. Talking is action, but that's only the first step. If we can facilitate the next steps too, we're in great shape. Hopefully ChangeLab will help.
I put a rough sketch of the changelab model in the "files" section. (The sketch is attached to this page: see the Images tab. -Rohan) edited 08:50, 21 Jan 2009
Another possibility - some people may come to ChangeCamp with a specific project they want to enlist support or feedback on. It may be too much to ask to get people to think and talk all day and suddenly segue into a production mode in the same day, but you can certainly get a lot done in a short burst of activity if some advance conceptualization has already taken place.
Perhaps there can be a "talk" stream and a "do" stream running concurrently, with the "do" stream populated by those wanting to get work done on specific projects vs. proposing a topic for discussion. These projects can be offered up at various stages of underdevelopment for advice and feedback. The group would break at the next module, leaving a quick swarm intelligence attack on a provided topic and the potential for future action if that transpires.
People could alternate as they see fit throughout the day, with perhaps a strong encouragement that everyone try to both talk and do at some point, if only to reinforce that both are essential.
Just a thought - love the action orientation though. Too many conferences are all talk, no action. This one in particular likely won't be all talk even if you forced it to try to be - so might as well give the action component a stage and see what happens.