An unconference is like a normal conference but with no predefined agenda, no predefined list of speakers, no slides, and…er… actually it’s not very much like a normal conference at all! It’s more like an alternative to a conference. If the purpose of a conference is to collaborate and communicate, then an unconference will often fulfill the same purpose in a more simple, fun, and effective way!
There’s lots of ways of running unconferences. I’ve written a short book (or long article) about one specific format that I’ve been experimenting with over the past 5 years, mostly at companies like Crisp and Spotify.
By now it is well tested and works especially well for 1-2 day internal conferences with 20-80 participants. In fact, participants often say things like “all conferences should be like this!” or “best conference I’ve ever been to!”. Even the most rabid meeting-haters seem to like (or at least not hate…) this collaboration format 🙂
Hi Henrik, thanks for sharing your way of doing unconferences with this well written minibook. Downloaded it 2h ago and just finished/eat it nearly.
It helped me really to get the basic principle. And with all the examples I really feel comfortable to host my first session too. Let’s see were I can find a good location in Munich … will be the toughest part I guess. Themes I’m having enough.
Well done!!! Thanks a lot
Glad you enjoyed it! You were fast, I’m guessing you were the first reader since I published the minibook. Should earn a prize of some sort 🙂
/Henrik