I couldn't agree more with Risker. I'm afraid that such a huge preparedness would damage the option that less experienced speakers can present too. I also wouldn't be in favor of a lot of plenary sessions - my experience tells me that at least *I* have been more often disappointed by a keynote speaker than positively surprised. This year's Charles Mok was a very positive exception on that. But maybe that is simply because I've attended too many Wikimania's :)
On the other hand what I always liked so much about Wikimania /was/ exactly the amount of choice. What I questioned was that the sessions basically continue through the breaks - I'm simply afraid that this is very exhausting (which everybody so far seems to confirm). Something what I *would* like to see changed about the schedule is more discussions with experienced discussion leaders. Not like this year when it was basically a run-out-time for the session before, but a dedicated track, with a dedicated discussion coordinator that puts together the discussion track only a few days in advance to ensure that the most recent topics are covered too. In that way I hope that you also have an improved experience - that track could be somewhat run like you suggested (with someone preparing the discussion etc) and should indeed of course be documented! I just don't think the whole schedule should be like that. Lodewijk 2013/8/15 Risker <risker...@gmail.com> > > > > On 15 August 2013 00:03, Samuel Klein <meta...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> >> Wikimania should have less parallel sessions, >> >< longer sessions with more time between the sessions >> >> and an "open space" as an additional track. >> <> >> >> We implemented this idea last year at the WikiCon... >> <> I am a strong believer that less is actually more. I would like to have >> >> a less stressful but more effictive Wikimania. >> > >> > Your ideas are welcomed by me :) I've been wanting fewer sessions at >> > Wikimania for a long time. >> >> I agree totally. We can rethink the traditional program entirely. >> >> Imagine a Wikimania where >> * the only "talks" or presentations are Plenary sessions >> * all other sessions >> ** have their documents/drawings/slides/tools published 2 weeks in >> advance, for others to read / comment / link >> ** have Q&A handled online in advance of the event (via comments and >> discussion) >> ** are group discussions or collaborations around a topic, not one-way >> presentations >> ** are moderated by someone who is good at moderation (this may or may >> not be the primary author of works being discussed) >> ** update the latest documentation about those ideas/projects/tools >> live, during the session (via a designated facilitator/editor) >> >> > > I dunno. That sounds fundamentally unwiki, and an awful lot like the > professional annual meetings that everyone hates attending. It weighs > heavily in favour of "professional" presenters and those who think that the > powerpoint is more important than the presentation. I wouldn't spring for a > plane ticket for something like this. > > As it is, I know for a fact that most of the sessions presented this year > were finalized no more than a week before their presentation, and quite a > few included "up to the minute" information and data. This is particularly > important in an environment that is constantly changing. > > What I'd like to see is live-streaming of sessions with moderation that > could include online questions for the sessions. > > Wikimania is primarily a social event - and that includes the "developer > days" at the beginning. Some sessions are of professional quality, some > others gain their energy from the presentation itself or the perceived > importance of the topic, and others simply by being presented by sincere > and caring community members. The best session I saw this year was one > that would never meet the bars described above - it was about the Javanese > Wikipedia, and it was the one that was so full of hope and joy at the > prospect of sharing knowledge freely that the few of us who were in the > room walked away with a refreshed sense of what our movement is all about. > > You can't capture that with slides or plenary sessions or expert > moderation. You need to be in the room. > > Risker > > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > >
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