[FOSS4G2016] Tracks/Workshops/Sessions

[Jeff McKenna]

On 2015-11-06 8:54 AM, Christian Willmes wrote:
>
> This "Session-ing" makes sense and has several advantages:
> - It combines related talks into a Session (reducing the inter-session
> room switching from the audience),
> - A session chair introduces each talk/speaker, which is always nice and
> also helpful for audience and speakers alike,
> - The session chair has an eye on the time the speaker takes, and also
> the responsibility for staying in time,
> - The session chair moderates the Q&A, and maybe starts with a question
> if there are at first no questions from the audience
>
> Something also taken into account here, is that we would need a lot of
> session chair volunteers, but in Nottingham that worked out, so why not
> in Bonn.
>
This does work well, you are correct Christian.  As an example, at 
FOSS4G-Asia last year (Bangkok, December 2014) the talks were grouped 
into specific sessions, and each session had 2 chairs, who had name 
plates at the front of the room and introduced the entire session theme, 
kept talks on time / reminded speakers, drove the question period, often 
making sure a discussion happened for each talk, and also summarizing 
the session at the end.  I really liked this style, but it does take a 
little more planning in advance, and pinging related community leaders 
as possible chairs.

-jeff