VizThink Community Organizer Resources
Part 2: Planning
a VizThink Event
In this section:
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a. Getting
Started
So, where to start? As I mentioned before the first step is picking a date/time. Just get it out there and see how people respond.
Tips:
- Personally invite the people you know. It doesn't hurt to seed the event with people you know
- Start small - I'd suggest limiting the capacity of your first event to 20 or so people (or smaller if you wish). It's easier to manage a smaller group of people, especially if this is your first time trying to facilitate a group
- Promote, promote, promote - You don't have to buy Google Ads or anything but make sure you get the word out. The promotion section below has more information/resources
- Be the speaker - take something you know and teach it to the crowd. Don't sweat it if it's something basic, it's good to start out with something that is approachable for anyone who attends.
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b. Timing
Don't spend a lot of time worrying about the "best day" to have the event, but do give it some consideration. Check sites like Facebook & Upcoming to make sure there's nothing (or at least not much else) going on on the day you want to do the event. Be aware of events that may draw similar crowds. Watch the surrounding days as well i case there's an event the day before/after too.
Obviously avoid Fridays and even weekends - Midweek is a good starting point. Superbowl Sunday, Election Day, Long Weekends & the American Idol season finale etc.? not great choices.
As for a start time. Be aware that an evening event will mean most people are likely coming straight from work. Leave enough time for not just travel, but also for them to grab something to eat on the way. I'd suggest 6:30 or 7:00 make for good start times. Plan for the event to run for 90 minutes - 2 hours.
Tips:
- Midweek is a good start
- Be aware of other events & things (TV, holidays, national events) occurring on the same night that might share audiences
- Leave room for people to commute, grab something to eat before the event starts
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c. Venues
As I mentioned earlier, an event can really take place anywhere. Finding a venue seems like a daunting challenge but it's actually quite easy (at least when the group is smaller) - there are loads of places where you can find FREE space to have a VizThink.
As your event is free and not-for-profit event you shouldn't have too much trouble getting space for nothing.
Suggestions:
- Public buildings - they usually have meeting spaces that are available to be booked. These include government buildings, police stations, community centers, libraries etc.
- Bars & restaurants - Smaller bars are often happy to have the midweek traffic, ask around in your area. Many will also have private rooms, or at least secluded rooms where you can have your event. Some bars will try to charge you but many will just be glad for the extra beer sales.
- Offices - Your office probably has board or meeting rooms. Ask your boss, or ask your friends if they have space.
- Schools - Similar to public buildings you may be able to get school space for free. Especially art schools etc.
- Co-working spaces - See if there are any co-working spaces in your area. They're often open to hosting small, community oriented events.
What you need in a venue will vary depending on what is being presented/workshopped. More often than not all you need is tables & chairs. If you need to project something a flat wall would be useful (use those stick on easel pads on the wall to make a screen)
Tips:
- Don't pay for space. There is plenty of free space to be found in your city.
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d. Capacity
So how many people is "enough"?
It really depends on what is being presented, the venue, and the speaker's confidence with crowds. Early on I'd suggest starting with smaller capacities, ~15-20 people. From a practical point of view it's an easier number to manage while you get used to the process and more confident.
In Toronto we've had events with upwards of 45 people in attendance and that feels about at the point where any more would start to get more difficult to manage. You'll also find that at around 50 people your venue options start to get very limited (especially your free options).
We've had some (non-VizThink) events in Toronto grow to the point where there are almost 400 people coming out and that growth curve has been an interesting challenge in terms of venues. I would suggest that, unless your speaker is very experienced, you probably limit attendance to ~50 people.
If you get a lot of interest for a specific session and people can't get in, consider rerunning the session a couple of weeks later for the people who couldn't make the first (if your speaker is up/around for it).
Tips:
- Start Small! Limit initial events to 15-20
- Match capacity to venue, speaker's confidence & the content of the event
- Be wary of going beyond 50 people
- If you're limited by venue be sure to state a capacity on your event page
- Plan on ~10-25% being no-shows
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e. Equipment & Supplies
Like capacity, the equipment and supplies you require will change with every event depending on what is being presented/workshopped. If you have someone else facilitating be sure to ask them well in advance what they will require of the venue & attendees.
Keep in mind, it's a free event, so you don't need to go out and spend a fortune on materials etc. Beg, borrow or steal what you need, ask attendees to bring their own supplies etc.
Even if you need a projector it doesn't hurt to ask. I've had a few events that required them now, and I've never had a problem getting an attendee to bring one along.
Tips:
- Ask Attendees to bring what they need (Pens, paper, index cards, etc.)
- Bring/Buy some extra materials for the odd person who forgets
- Even things like projectors can often be found/borrowed
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f. Speakers / Format
So, what does a "VizThink" look like... good question.
VizThink's should be casual, informal affairs - it's a place where people of like minds gather to share ideas, learn, and have some fun along the way.
Sessions should be:
- Interactive - PowerPoint is okay within reason but these events should not be lectures. Get the attendees involved and drawing.
- Fun - Keep it lively, keep the people engaged...
- Approachable - Keep in mind you'll have a broad mix of people. Try to keep the sessions as approachable for most people.
Sessions should not be:
- A lecture
- A sales pitch - sure the speaker can say what he does and who he works for but the session shouldn't be primarily about their products or services.
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g. Promotion
As I've said a few times now, getting the word out is key. Personally email your friends, post it on sites like Upcoming.org & Eventful. Even if you have to put TBD for the location get the word out as soon as you have a date.
We (VizThink) also have plenty of places where we can promote your event. When you're ready to take the plunge, send me the details and I'll make sure we get the word out on our end. I'll add it as an event o Facebook as well so the other VizThink members can see it.
If you have specific questions please feel free to give me a shout
Tips:
- Start promoting as soon as you have a date/time. Update postings as information becomes available
- Personally invite your friends or people you think would find it interesting
- Let VizThink know so we can promote for you as well
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h. Logistics / Registration
So where do you consolidate all the information about your event. In the coming weeks we'll be launching our new Community site on VizThink.com. It will contain a host of resources for organizers like yourself to create a page for your event, let people register and communicate with your community.
Wiki Event Page
In the interim we do have the wiki system. Go to http://wiki.vizthink.com/cities - you'll see login information on the screen that will allow you to create new pages.
- Log in (top right sidebar) and create a new page, call it VizThinkCITY# (Where city is your city and # is the number of the event. Pobably 1 in this case)
- Choose the "Regional Session Template" - this template is setup for Community events and you'll basically just need to fill in the information.
- Save it.
City pages & Linking
- If there isn't a city page yet for your community feel free to create one (use the "City Template" instead)
- Add your event to the http://wiki.vizthink.com/cities page as well as your newly created city page.
Registration
For now, users can use the event page to register. Instructions are already in the template.
