A peek into programming a conference
by Elisa Camahort

Last year I wrote some posts about how we found speakers and how programming decisions for the conference got made, and there is definitely a group of BlogHers who like getting the "inside scoop." Now I've written a couple of posts over on my Worker Bees blog and my personal blog about my broader feelings about post-conference feedback, but I thought I would write here about conference content.

This year there has been some feedback that people felt that conference content was skewed in certain directions. Some people felt it was skewed toward MommyBlogging; some felt it was skewed toward those who want to commercialize their blogs. Some people who only attended Day One said they wondered where the "conversation and community" was, and some people who could only attend Day Two wondered where the technical content was.

So, it brings up a couple of issues that we will be contemplating for next year.

The first is: splitting the "technical" day from the "community" day.

Why we did it: we thought more people might only care about one day or the other, and we figured splitting the content and offering single day passes would let people customize their experience.

Perhaps that perspective was perfectly valid...the mistake was in projecting that fewer people would be interested in the technical day than the community day. That projection impacted our space planning, affected our capacity, and artificially kept many folks out of Day One who wanted to be there.

I've been quoted saying that blogging is the gateway drug of technology. This is something I learned from the very capacity problem described above. I learned that I was not an anomaly. I knew not a lick of code when I started blogging, but as I got more and more into blogging, I also got more and more into wanting to be a self-serve blogger...I wanted to make my blogs look better and function better, and I ended up learning html, and am still hoping to learn more.

So, is it splitting the content that is problematic, or is splitting it perfectly fine...but for goodness sake, let everyone have the same opportunity to geek out?

The second issue to contemplate is: to define or not define content "tracks".

Last year we actually started out with themed tracks and got pushback. Some of it was purely solvable confusion. No, you didn't have to go only to sessions within a particular track. but some of it was the basic individualism of the blogging mentality...don't tell me I only care about one track or another. Don't put me in a thematic box. I can build my own conference experience, thank you very much.

The truth is that this year, on Day Two particularly, we actually did have track themes in mind, but given last year's feedback, we didn't ever publish such themes. Maybe this year, given the sheer growth in number of attendees, naming the tracks would have helped set proper expectations...a piece of constructive feedback that Adrianna Montague-Gray, here in this video from JD Lasica gave us.

How so?

Well, here are the three tracks we actually had in mind with Day Two content:

-The Identity track
-The Blogs as Opportunity track
-The Outreach and Activism track

The Identity track was:
MommyBlogging is a Radical Act
Identity & Obligations
Next Level Naked

The Blogs as Opportunity track was:
Is the Next Martha Stewart a Blogger?
From Here to Autonomy
Is Your Blog a Gallery or a Canvas?

The Activism & Outreach track:
Outreach Blogging
Political Blogging
Community Assistance

So, would having such themes associated with sessions have helped attendees plan their day? It might have given the Martha Stewart session attendees more of an expectation that the use of blogs to further a business was a key part of the session...more than the brief 20 word description online. It might have given more of a clue that the point of the Politics panel wasn't to argue politics itself, but about how and whether to be a political activist. It might have helped the Gallery/Canvas attendees get a sense of one driving force behind this pretty broad topic.

Of course the Room of Your Own tracks were all over the place. The common theme could simply have named these track the "this is what I'm really passionate about" track.

Similar consideration was applied to Day One content.

For example: what if someone who really isn't that into technical instruction still bought a ticket to Day One..what would be there for them?

That's how we ended up with:

So You Have This Crazy Idea...
and 10 Types of Web Writing

Not strictly techie.

What if someone was into multimedia?

Audio
Video
Photography

What if someone was into the technology that supports making money?

Audience Building
$$$ Generation

And so on...we tried to put on different blogger hats and see if we could build a worthwhile day (on Day One and Two.)

The question is: would identify high level themes or tracks help attendees, or stifle them?

I think BlogHer Business in March will have to tackle that issue head on.

Not only will we have Newbies vs. Veterans, we will have small business or entrepreneurs vs. corporate or agency representatives. It'd be nice to envision a track that could appeal to all, but that seems somewhat unrealistic.

So, slicing and dicing the BlogHer Business content...how would you do it?

And slicing and dicing the BlogHer '07 content...is it time to define and schedule specific tracks?

And maybe include a track, Learning from Each Other, which could have sessions addressing head on some of the Us vs. Them themes we've seen in post-conference feedback.

Thoughts?

Submitted by Elisa Camahort (view blog) on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 10:44am

Comments

 

There's no pleasing everyone...

...and that is never more apparent than when you are planning an event for 700 people.

I'm a believer in giving everyone more information. A lot of the negative comments I've read were from people who may not have been aware of the history of the program (many who were not fortunate enough to attend next year).

Of course, each event is a learning experience -- for the planners and the attendees. I am expecting wonderful things in '07!

Submitted by SocalMom on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 12:32
 

Agreed

I agree with Donna - there really is no way to make everyone happy. I thought that the split was actually pretty clear, but a bit more description on some of the sessions would have helped. I missed two very good groups, due to the fact that I really didn't understand what the topic was all about. What can I say, I'm dense sometimes.

I really do think, though, that you did an awesome job. And I'm looking forward to next year.

Submitted by Carmen S on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 16:19
 

BlogHer '06 Recap and Reality

Here on Surfette. I spend some time reaching back to our roots and talking about what I think we as conference organizers can take credit for - and what we can't.

I also talk about why I blog and what I hope we can develop as a conference culture (hate v. love), as well as sponsors and what BlogHer's long-term vision is.

To your point, I think the Learning from Each Other track is a great idea, but I need to noodle on the name and the how-to more...

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Submitted by Lisa Stone on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 16:29
 

What a relief to read that

What a relief to read that Elisa didn't know a word of code when she started! Sometimes I feel like it's only me. Little by little I'm learning more and more and becoming more techie. I didn't attend this year, but fully intend to attend '07.

As for me, I want it all. I need the techie stuff. I need to build an audience. I need to know what basics I'm supposed to be doing to get me where I want to be. Should I be pinging all over the place? What about feeds? How can I be more efficient? Can I really get paid? Is anyone making money from the links and buttons or do you have to sell your space? There's so, so much!

To me, I think it would be nice to have "community" and "techie" stuff on both days. Perhaps survey your attendees and future attendees as to what they would like to see and hear. Instead of the tracks being the labels put people put on their blogss, the tracks can be more of where people see themselves on the road. Beginners, Vets, etc.
Blogging for fun, for profit, as a springboard for something else. (Mmm...all the above for me. I'd like to be the Erma Bombeck of the internet...)

If I have to buy a plane ticket - which I do - I'm in for both days, but a ton of choices on specific topics would be great. I'm not sure I would want to spend my time learning code there, or other "drier" things. Just give the resources to hit. The best ones around based on your experiences. Tell me where to go for what I need. Tell me what I need that I didn't even know I needed.

I hope this is helpful. I also hope I get on. I keep getting flagged as spam!

It's a tough job you ladies have! Good luck!

Submitted by Joanne Viskup on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 18:14
 

My thoughts

I wasn't there last year, so I don't have a lot to compare this year with, but I'm glad that you did provide thematic tracks, but didn't name them as such.

Looking though the tracks you designed, I didn't follow a single one the entire time. My interests were all over the place (mommyblgging, money generation, coding), and so I bounced around to a lot of interesting panels.

If people felt they didn't understand what the panels were about ahead of time, maybe a larger program is needed for next year at check-in, detailing in more than 20 words what each topic is covering. That way people can browse the topics more thouroughly to make their decisions.

I didn't feel like the conference was tilted one way or another. Yes, there were a lot of mommybloggers there, but I got to meet some lovely women who don't blog about kids, too. I would love to see a Learning From Each Other panel, too. There's been a lot of talk lately about how the mommybloggers are the new "media darlings", and I think it would be interesting to look at why that came about and how those who blog on other topics can tap into that media frenzy.

Christina
A Mommy Story

Submitted by amommystory on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 19:09
 

I agree with Christina that

I agree with Christina that a more in-depth description of the topics to be covered at each session would be helpful. For example, I went to "Primp Your Blog", and although the speakers had a lot of great information, it wasn't quite what I was looking for.

I thought you did a great job of having a wide variety of session topics available. But I think you'll get a better balance of people over the two days if you mix up the technology and community, instead of separating it.

Submitted by Elizabeth@Table for Five on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 20:56
 

In-depth descriptions would

I think what BlogHer needs is a deeply geeky technical track. Maybe it's an all day drop-in type of deal where from 8-10a.m. someone is teaching HTML basics, from 10-noon it's intermediate HTML, and from 1-3pm it's basic CSS and from 3-5 advanced CSS.

I'd love to see a session that teaches bloggers how to migrate from TypePad or Blogger to their own web site with a WordPress installation.

I'd love to see a session about search engine optimization.

In my session with Mir, we even had a few folks who didn't know what an H1 tag was. So there's a basic level of knowledge that I think many BlogHers are missing, but that they really want.

Submitted by tiffanybbrown on Sat, 08/05/2006 - 22:07
 

problem with labels

While I agree about most of the topics you indicated above, I think it's important to note that a lot of deeply geeky people would not consider those things very basic, while a lot of beginner people would consider them deeply geeky.

For instance, and just speaking for myself of course, I would consider the four HTML and CSS slots you used in your example as "basic blog design info" and would put them in a getting started or design track rather than a deeply geeky track. But Joan Newbie Blogger, intimidated by markup languages and stylesheet language, and let's not even talk about client-side programming or lo! server-side programming, might consider these subject areas to be overwhelmingly technical.

I think that brings us back around to the original issue of specifically naming tracks. Upthread, it was noted that the groupings were clear, and I personally agree. I also agree there could have been more info about the sessions in the conf handouts, so last-minute people could decide where they wanted to be, even though I think plenty of info was given on the web site when the sessions were announced. People don't often remember things like that, not everyone had their laptops or connectivity there to access a reminder, so yeah -- I'd add a sponsorship category for "compeletely low-tech printed conference schedule." :)

- Julie
No Fancy Name
Blogger in a Snap

Submitted by jcmeloni on Sun, 08/06/2006 - 05:31
 

I'm with Tiff

An hour on CSS really doesn't do it justice, and I think with code it's pretty dry unless you can get your hands dirty.

Also in my opinion the Deeply Geeky session really tapped into a group of passionate and engaged techie women who come to Blogher hoping to meet like-minded folk.

It might be nice to offer a stream called "Get your Geek on", that includes discussion panels such as the one on Day two and more in depth stuff for practical hands-on geekery.

I know I am completely biased, but I did see a need for more of both; geek community building, and geek-as-practice sessions.

Ps; Did you know the historical roots of the word "geek" is the summer student with no job and no scruples who got a gig at the carnivals each summer biting the heads of live chickens. How "geek" turned into people who love fiddling with computers I'll never know.

Miriam
The Flink
"like harnessing a unicorn to harvest potatoes"

Submitted by mir on Mon, 08/07/2006 - 08:09
 

Ah, but Julie...

If those sessions tiffany mentioned were called "getting to deeply geeky"... that would indicate a course or course line for those of us who REALLY WANT some help in travelling down the geeky path while making it clear that the "already geeky" might find the class below their knowledge level. If they attended, they would likely be "drafted" to assist.

The real problem with a full-day track like this, is all the other workshops you would have to choose to skip. I keep hoping that our local community college would offer these kinds of classes during the day.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Deb's Daily Distractions

Submitted by debra roby on Sun, 08/06/2006 - 06:12
 

misunderstood

I wasn't negating the value of such sessions. I write books geared _specifically_ to the beginner crowd in various technologies, because I feel the path _to_ "getting geeky" is very much ignored.

I was simply noting the problem with picking names for things. One person's geeky is another person's basic skill. That's all. No value judgement one way or the other.

- Julie
No Fancy Name
Blogger in a Snap

Submitted by jcmeloni on Sun, 08/06/2006 - 06:30
 

The self-taught geeks

In the Deeply Geeky session, which had a packed room full of programmers, tech CEOs, IT folks, CTOs and oodles of entrepreneurs, two questions we asked were:

"How many of you are self-taught?" Everybody's hand went up.

"How many of you were mentored?" Just a few hands went up.

Your comment touches on a challenge that runs very deep for women in any sort of technology -- and blogs fall into that category, since they are largely about self-publication -- and that is mentoring. It seems (though I have no scientific evidence to suport this impression) that most women in technology had to find their own ways around the system to learn and get ahead. It was especially interesting to me to hear about the few women who are succeeding in technology within the corporate world, and how they found ways to establish themselves and their credibility. I can say I have not heard many of those stories.

And we had only an hour and a half. But I valued that kind of discussion more than we might have had trying to jam some sort of crash course in advanced tech (even though I could have learned a lot from any of the women there on that score).

"The path to 'getting geeky'" is well-worn. Unfortunately, for most of us, we had to blaze that trail individually, over and over again. How we might start to change that was, I believe, the right conversation to begin.

Laura Scott
design, snap, blog ... admin

Submitted by Laura Scott on Sun, 08/06/2006 - 07:17
 

So much great feedback!

Thanks everyone.

I posted on my personal blog that I found my favorite quote here from Lady M.:

Momma to LG, a teacher, said last week that her husband referred to BlogHer as her "geeky conference." In our intrinsically geeky household, it was considered my "girly conference."

We'll just keep trying to hit on the perfect formula to be both, but Julie hits on an obvious problem with labeling.

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

Submitted by Elisa Camahort on Sun, 08/06/2006 - 06:54
 

Thanks

First, let me say that in my previous life (as a teacher's union president and member of the NEA Board of Directors) I planned and attended a lot of conferences. Blogher 06 was as well planned and organized as anything I ever attended during my years doing the NEA conference thing, so kudos to Elisa, Lisa, and Jory for that. There's no question I'll be coming next year.

I did a series of posts on my food blog as a "countdown to Blogher" and also reported on the food blog each day about my impressions of the conference. I've been thrilled with the number of my food blog "friends" who have expressed an interest in attending next year. Since food bloggers who cook and write a blog have to shop, cook, photograph, eat, and clean-up before they actually blog, and then they have to learn the techie stuff too, food bloggers tend to be a pretty committed group. I'd love to talk about the possibility of having a few sessions next year specific to food bloggers (food photography and food writing come to mind quickly).

Thanks for a wonderful experience.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Mon, 08/07/2006 - 05:14
 

Physical Layout and Impact on Conference
Experience / Some Ideas

I've said this a couple of other places, but I think it bears repeating.

At BlogHer05, the space was physically very compact. I had the experience of literally bumping into people. You kept seeing the same faces over and over again, as the day went on. The Birds of a Feather meetups were all right there in the atrium -- I could look over to the next table, see who was talking about subject X, and make a note to go find one of those people later to talk about X.

BlogHer06 was much more spread out, with the trek from the keynote space over to the session space. The BOAF weren't labelled -- I circumnavigated the entire space before I found my group. The session rooms too were more distant from each other. The swimming pool took up the space where milling and meeting and greeting could have gone on more casually.

What I am trying to say is that the layout impeded some of the mixing and meeting that was a feature of BlogHer05.

What was missing was the physical equivalent of a hyperlink or the comment field -- some way of getting strangers talking about topics of interest.

The ideas:
*find some way to label the BOAF groups--one idea would be balloons at the tables, with the topic written on the balloon.

*have all-day "topic tables" -- kind of ad-hoc, ongoing BOAF opportunities. As in, "sit here if you want to talk about X"

*Provide some means, like name tags or bumper stickers, that people could passively announce the topics they hope to discuss with others. "Ask me about X" or "I want to meet people who are interested in X".

Liz Ditz
I Speak of Dreams
lizditz@gmail.com

Submitted by lizditz on Mon, 08/07/2006 - 07:27