What is an unconference?
"A loosely structured conference emphasising the informal exchange of information and ideas between participants, rather than following a conventionally structured programme of events."
A better way to put it would be organised from the bottom up, not top down.
Imagine going to a typical conference. You arrive, you register, you get your name badge and goody bag. You're told what the programme is, and so off you go to the first presentation, with a speaker up on stage, reading out their PowerPoint slides, and a hundred or so delegates sitting up straight and taking notes (or playing on their phones). Then you go to another session in the same format... and another... and another.
With an unconference, you arrive, you get your name badge (re-used from previous conferences), but you don't get the goody bag you probably don't need (to make things more affordable and sustainable). Then the first thing that happens is everyone decides on the programme - together, as a group - based on all the ideas that attendees gave when registering. And because the formats of the sessions differ, an unconference is much more varied than a classic conference. We're also not afraid to change the format of the session if attendees don't feel it's working. Or to keep a discussion going, if everyone is benefiting from it, rather than cut it short because the programme says we have to.
The idea that underpins an unconference is that the audience has more collective expertise than a few people on a stage. Active participation of as many people as possible is what unlocks that expertise and shares it.
This can happen through:
Mission statement
What the Cardiff Translation Unconference is all about:
1. Bottom-up not top-down
2. Content determined by participants
3. Shorter presentations and sessions using innovative, participatory formats
4. Inclusive to ensure everyone is involved and at their ease
5. Low threshold, low cost
6. Sustainability: low carbon, low waste
How does it work in practice?
Before the event
When you register, we will ask you to complete a short survey about your areas of interest and any challenges you are currently facing. At this stage, we require you to provide a topic for discussion to ensure that everyone participates on an equal level. We will also ask for ways you can contribute and in what format, any areas of expertise or specific experiences you have for example. This gives us an idea of what attendees might like to discuss and we will use that as a basis to put the potential sessions together.
On the day
The first thing we will ask you to do when you arrive is to vote for the topics you would like to feature on the day's programme. The organising team will have already prepared the list of topics, based on all the information that attendees provided upon registration. Then we'll draw up an outline for the day. There will be a choice of at least three topic sessions running at a time.
But before we head off to the sessions, we'll have an ice-breaker to break down barriers and encourage free and open discussion and experience-sharing.
The idea throughout the day is to keep things flexible. Want to ask someone something? Feel free. Want more time to continue the discussion? No problem. The less formal structure of an unconference means anything is possible.
A better way to put it would be organised from the bottom up, not top down.
Imagine going to a typical conference. You arrive, you register, you get your name badge and goody bag. You're told what the programme is, and so off you go to the first presentation, with a speaker up on stage, reading out their PowerPoint slides, and a hundred or so delegates sitting up straight and taking notes (or playing on their phones). Then you go to another session in the same format... and another... and another.
With an unconference, you arrive, you get your name badge (re-used from previous conferences), but you don't get the goody bag you probably don't need (to make things more affordable and sustainable). Then the first thing that happens is everyone decides on the programme - together, as a group - based on all the ideas that attendees gave when registering. And because the formats of the sessions differ, an unconference is much more varied than a classic conference. We're also not afraid to change the format of the session if attendees don't feel it's working. Or to keep a discussion going, if everyone is benefiting from it, rather than cut it short because the programme says we have to.
The idea that underpins an unconference is that the audience has more collective expertise than a few people on a stage. Active participation of as many people as possible is what unlocks that expertise and shares it.
This can happen through:
- Asking questions
- Post-it note walls
- Group discussions
- Encouraging others to speak up
- Sparking enthusiasm
- Pair activities
- Supported networking
Mission statement
What the Cardiff Translation Unconference is all about:
1. Bottom-up not top-down
2. Content determined by participants
3. Shorter presentations and sessions using innovative, participatory formats
4. Inclusive to ensure everyone is involved and at their ease
5. Low threshold, low cost
6. Sustainability: low carbon, low waste
How does it work in practice?
Before the event
When you register, we will ask you to complete a short survey about your areas of interest and any challenges you are currently facing. At this stage, we require you to provide a topic for discussion to ensure that everyone participates on an equal level. We will also ask for ways you can contribute and in what format, any areas of expertise or specific experiences you have for example. This gives us an idea of what attendees might like to discuss and we will use that as a basis to put the potential sessions together.
On the day
The first thing we will ask you to do when you arrive is to vote for the topics you would like to feature on the day's programme. The organising team will have already prepared the list of topics, based on all the information that attendees provided upon registration. Then we'll draw up an outline for the day. There will be a choice of at least three topic sessions running at a time.
But before we head off to the sessions, we'll have an ice-breaker to break down barriers and encourage free and open discussion and experience-sharing.
The idea throughout the day is to keep things flexible. Want to ask someone something? Feel free. Want more time to continue the discussion? No problem. The less formal structure of an unconference means anything is possible.