also sprach Bernelle Verster <bernellev@gmail.com> [2015-08-27 21:52 +1200]:
> I've adapted the thread onto our Timeline [1], and copied relevant
> bits below.
[…]
Hey,
I missed the original e-mail, sorry about this. I think the general
timeline you propose looks good.
There are a few comments, questions, suggestions, inline below:
> January (-6 months):
> EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION: Expression of intent opens 18 January 2016
I don't think we need to wait once we have a system that's ready to
handle the influx. Maybe I am overseeing something obvious, but
what'd be the purpose/benefit of fixing a date for this?
> * Email required/have an (Alioth?) account: Join mailing list to
> get notified when registration opens.
I sincerely hope we won't impose alioth accounts on everyone again.
Pre-registering needs to be done after authentication, so whatever
system we're using, by the time people pre-register, we have all we
need. It'd be useful to ensure e-mail addresses submitted are
verified, for this purpose.
We don't need a mailing list as we can mass-mail using database
data.
> (I don't know what the best way to do this is, considering that
> the registration system may not be 100% functional at this stage
> yet, and might not really be needed at this stage)
Hopefully the system will be ready to query these data at the time.
Gathering them through another means and then migrating later is
asking for trouble, IMHO.
> EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION: Registration opens Saturday 2 April 2016
[…]
> INTERNAL BIG DEADLINE: Bursaries, Content team make decisions by 17
> April 2016 (May need date adjustment for easter...)
Why open registration before bursaries and preliminary schedule?
We could instead give off the impression that time slots are limited
and we will only reserve a few slots for later changes, so as to
encourage people not to wait too long
Yes, people are known to leave things to the last minute, so let's
move the last minute forward.
Nobody is going to complain about later changes to the schedule (as
those sometimes just need to happen and people know this…), but
having more time for the scheduling will make things easier for us
(less stress, more time to make arrangements and correspond with
speakers.
Announcing the schedule and opening registration is a great way to
reach out to the public (and could be "the one press release"),
whereas just opening registration is a bit weak in terms of impact,
and might not be worth the extra mail. Also, for many people, the
schedule of knowledge of acceptance of their submissions will be
a prerequisite to registration.
> EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION: Official registration closes 9 May 2016.
> After this date, there are no guaranteed swag bags, T-shirts or
> printed name badges. Attendees can no longer be sponsored, except in
> extreme cases. (Wording...)
The deadline for sponsorship applications has passed. Presumably, in
May, we'll have some funds left over, which we can put to use, but
I wouldn't even mention this.
also sprach Bernelle Verster <bernellev@gmail.com> [2015-10-21 00:58 +1300]:
> * Accepted talks, and bursaries announced end April 2016
This is workable given our schedule and situation, but means we'll
miss the low-price air travel window that exists 3–4 months prior to
departure. Not much we can do (unless wafer is ready soon enough for
us to move the schedule by 1–2 months), but something to keep in
mind for the future.
> * Official registration closes mid May 2016
I am not sure about the use of the word "official" here.
Registrations close, period. After that, people are late registrants
or day guests or whatever. Please don't pave the road towards
"inofficial registrations", which everyone will interpret their own
way.
> * Scheduled events submission deadline: early June (not sure about
> the purpose of this one?)
Historical reasons from the days when DebConf was a lot more about
the "official schedule" than it's become in the last couple of
years.
In my opinion — and I know some people disagree with this — we
should strive towards a DebConf with a few tracks filled with
the sort of talks that attract people to the conference, i.e.
essentials, interesting topics, good speakers, and leave a lot of
room on the side for everyone to self-organise. We've been going
this direction at least for two years, but we still need to improve
on the scheduling of resources, and communication about it.
> My proposal would be to use the dates I've listed above, as
> a rough aim that the website and T-shirt and swag and what not
> aims for. If we spill by a week on a known deadline, that is
> better than flailing blindly by not having a deadline at all. Your
> thoughts?
Even in the most rigid setting, deadlines can't always be met.
However, everyone in the team benefits from the understanding that
they are as good as they get and not just some soft indication of
what we once imagined.
So in fact, instead of calling them "rough aims", I'd say that we
should declare them final (once decided), and in the event of us
missing one or the other, we figure out a communication strategy
which will mostly be along the lines of us generously extending the
deadlines! ;)
--
.''`. martin f. krafft <madduck@debconf.org> @martinkrafft
: :' : DebConf orga team
`. `'`
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