Idea#3/10: My 2 Words/Unusual + Conference = Unconference

Everyday you need new ideas to help solve problems.  Currently, we are working at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center @ZSEM to create a meaningful gathering for Female Entrepreneurs to exchange skills, talents, abilities and experiences.  Many times conferences are planned around speakers rather than on the more numerous participants.  I needed to come up with new ideas for an Unusual Conference.  Blending these two words together, I discovered a new trend called the "Unconference".

The Unconference was probably influenced by the Ted Talk format where even the most groundbreaking "ideas worth spreading" must be condensed to less than 20 minutes.  The emphasis has been gravitating to getting to the point and conveying ideas in a condensed format that leaves audiences wanting more not less.  As conference attendees crave interaction and networking opportunities, events that encourage and facilitate connections before, during and after a gathering are highly valued.  A gathering in Halifax called Growing Inclusive Markets in 2008, the TEDxZagreb in 2010 and Ashoka University in 2011 and 2013 really shaped my view that this is the way forward.

The traditional layout of the room is often organized with a distinct head table as opposed to the Unconference which may still have speakers but then offers channels for creating subthemes and breakout sessions that can be carried on further throughout the day.  One style of room setup for the unconference is called the "fishbowl" which features a center and participants radiate out.  There is usually a facilitator in the center who then can have speakers share as well as leave room for audience members interested in coming into the center to join in on the conversation while others watch on but also engage with questions and answers.  

Another feature of the unconference is that it often utilizes principles of the open space technology.  This open space technology has been developed over 30 years but continues as an alternative to the more usual conference setups.  I will continue to study the approach so that we can facilitate our gathering for our upcoming Invest for the Future#Talent: Mine, Yours and Ours in an unconference style.