Unconference

An unconference seeks to avoid many of the elements of traditional conferences, including fees and top-down agenda setting. Instead an open space methodology is used to set the agenda, on the day. This guarantees that those present address issues that are important and relevant to them.

Despite being an unconference, it still requires preparation and organisation of logistics much like a traditional conference (book a venue, consider how you’ll record the day, share and advertise with your network)
Someone needs to facilitate on the day and produce an outline timetable of timings, so people can pitch for sessions within this framework
If you hold an unconference be prepared for it to provide you with unexpected outcomes, but not necessarily deliver on your aims, unless your audience is interested!

Barriers

Success relies on attendees engaging and participating, while it can work incredibly well if people have a high level expertise, it can feel like an unorganised talking shop if not!

You don’t know if it will work in advance! This requires nerves of steel and skilled facilitation to maximise your chances of it being a success.

Enablers

Participants often report feeling very engaged with the issues they work on; this can result in your identifying very engaged network members to build your network (see Network Building).

If you attend and pitch a session you can discuss your research, or a thorny issue or challenge and gather input from peers.

If the unconference is advertised widely there is a high chance you will have a range of stakeholders from policy, practice and research attending.

Required Skills, Competencies or Resources

Facilitation skills that include comfort with open space methodologies

Venue with space for breakout discussions and workshops

Administrative skills to book venues, liaise with attendees and follow up afterwards

What to Measure?

New contacts or changes as a result of conversations on day (requires follow up)

Number of people attending

Number of people facilitating their own discussions and covering topics useful to them

Unconference

Barriers

Enablers

Required Skills, Competencies or Resources

What to Measure?

Can be integrated at the following stages of the research process: