[Foss4g2009] Workshops

[Cameron Shorter]

Ok,
Out of your recommendations, I'd like to determine the impact on our 
program and what rooms we need to secure.

I'm hearing that labs during the conference are a logistics nightmare. 
Could you please expand on why this is the case. Is it because they are 
shorter than workshops, or the presenters are less experienced, or 
because they are running at the same time as presentations?

If we decide that labs don't run in parallel with presentations, then 
should we have 2 days or workshops, followed by 2 days of presentations? 
Should we run more workshops/labs in parallel on the first day? Or 
should we just decide to reduce the number of labs/workshops.
Or do we decide that we run labs as before, however attendees need to 
bring their own laptop and run a LiveDVD (linux based) or VMWare image?


Paul Ramsey wrote:
> Thanks for all the good framing questions Dave. I'm going to go down
> and cherrypick
>
> On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 11:11 AM, Dave Patton <davep at confluence.org> wrote:
>   
>> What is the timeframe for holding Workshops?
>> How many Workshop slots should there be?
>> 3-hour slots?
>>     
>
> I agree with Jeff, let the Labs die. Instead, go for two days of
> 3-hour workshops, Mon/Tues, so you can get as much bang for the
> logistical buck as possible.
>
>   
>> How many simultaneous slots?(e.g. 6 at once, like
>> Victoria, making for a total of 12 Workshops)?
>>     
>
> Decide post-facto when you've got your roster. Probable more than 4
> and no more than 6.
>
>   
>> Any specific restrictions?
>>     
>
> No, let the committee decide.
>
>   
>> Audience balance for the Workshops?
>> How many aimed at "beginners"?
>> How many aimed at "intermediate"?
>> How many aimed at "advanced"?
>> How many aimed at "developers"?
>>     
>
> Lots of beginner workshops and try to find topics of interest. Do not
> be afraid to schedule a beginner topic twice, if we're doing two days.
>  Intro to PostGIS or Intro to OpenLayers or Intro to Mapserver could
> all probably run twice and still fill up.
>
>   
>> Incremental Registration Cost for Workshop attendance?
>> Aim to break even?
>> Aim to make X profit?
>>     
>
> Figure out the fixed expenses now (rooms, hardware, food) now and then
> see how "reasonable" various pricings above that number look.
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>   


-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Systems Architect
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Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

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