virtual open space conference 5.09

Real-time Virtual Collaboration

Global Conference May 9, 2009

Overview

2 © 2009 Radical Inclusion Redefining Collaboration for Organizations and Communities in a Connected World

•  Total Conference Registration: 153 •  Country Representation: 30

•  4-Hour Virtual Global Conference •  7 Web Collaboration Tool-Platform •  Conference Sign-ons: 53

•  Country Representation: 19 •  Participant cost – free •  Time to design, plan and implement: 4 weeks

Mind Map Links Activities Before, During and After


Conference Design •  Convening method: adaptation of Open Space Technology

–  Low structure facilitation method: good for convening highly diverse interest groups, scales to any size gathering

•  Theme What tools and principles do we need to help change unfold?

Social and technological development means better organizations and a better world.

•  Opening and closing sessions convene in Skype Chat –  Opening facilitated introductions, support topic contributions,

establish basic online conventions for communications –  Closing facilitate to gather feedback and share experiences and

learning from break-out sessions –  Break-out sessions facilitated by participants


Conference Flow


Conference Operations Chat Back Channels: Due to the fact that the conference is virtual, it provides the opportunity to incorporate asynchronous communications channels both before, during and after the conference. This changes the dynamics of interaction and makes the virtual experience unique. We are still analyzing the implications of this, and the best way to take advantage of this fact. We ran two Back Channels:

1. RTVC Steering Group: the organizers ran a separate Skype Chat allowing them to interact with each other in real-time. 2. Help Desk: we ran a Skype Chat for those that had technical difficulties and needed our assistance.

VOIP Back Channels: The steering group used Team Speak VOIP in order to stay in touch during the conference.

Facilitation/Interaction Protocols: • ALL CAPS: In order to get peoples’ attention • PLEASE STOP CHAT NOW: we used TO request people pay attention in advance of general announcements to the group. • #: use # after one is finished typing to indicate completion in collaborative space.

General Session Facilitation Techniques: Opening and Closing facilitators prepared material tin advance, previously typed into a text editor or other tool.


Track 1 Sessions Time Topic Tools

Session1.1 (14.30 - 15.30)

Collaborative Intelligence in the Workplace Yuuguu, Skype, Mindmeister

Session 1.2 (14.30 - 15.30)

Communication tools for the Manager 2.0 Skype, Etherpad, Bluekiwi

Session 1.3 (14.30 - 15.30)

Interdependence between collaboration and technology

teamspeak and mindmeister

Session 1.4 (14.30 - 15.30)

OpenMoney: connecting social entrepreneurs with new currencies

Twitter, Skype, if needed

Session 1.5 (14.30 - 15.30)

Global Skills Etherpad (meeting place)

Session 1.6 (14.30 - 15.30)

Introducing Social Media to large organisations Twitter (via TinyChat) --you do not need to have a twitter account to use it


Track 2 Sessions

Time Topic Tools

Session 2.1 (15.45- 16.45)

Community owned communications infrastructure

Skype

Session 2.2 (15.45 - 16.45)

New Change Management Approach in 21st Century

Dimdim

Session 2.3 (15.45 - 16.45)

Collective action vs. follow the leader vs. just hanging out together

Twitter and TinyChat http://tinychat.com/bed7j#


Discussion Forums & Marketplace Before and During Conference : An online discussion forum served as a marketplace for conveners to post session descriptions, early reading and reference information. For participants the marketplace served as a place to connect and begin early conversations.

Online Real-time Conference Programming: Google docs was used to a break-out table which listed sessions by track # and time.

Post Conference: The same discussion forums continued to connect participants, extend conversations, and provided a place to outcomes on the sessions as well as feedback on conference sessions and experience.


Back Channel

Skype Chat

Team Speak

Open Collaboration Platform

12

Mind Meister

Dimdim

Tiny Chat

Etherppad

Team Speak

Twitter

© 2009 Radical Inclusion Redefining Collaboration for Organizations and Communities in a Connected World

Opening & Closing Skype Chat

Blue Kiwi

Yuuguu

Collaboration Tool Features Used Tools VOIP Chat White

Board Mind Map

Notes

Blue Kiwi Enterprise Social Networking

Dimdim ??

EtherPad Collaborative Note-taking

MindMeister Visual Mapping

Skype Monitor Chat Activity

TeamSpeak

TinyChat

Twitter Real Time Micro Blogging

YuuGuu Secure Screen Sharing


Preparing to Convene

Prepare by Writing: This is especially important for session conveners, but important for participants as well. Questions, arguments etc. can be captured in advance of a session making interaction more effective and efficient during all sessions.

Technology Orientation: Allow time in advance of the conference, as well as at the beginning of break-out sessions to familiarize participants with the tools being used. This is particularly important case when different sessions utilize different tools.


Use of Real-time Micro Blogging

Twitter Volume: Shortly after the conference closing?, there were roughly 300 tweets referencing our hashtag: the #rtvc.

Twitter Strategy: For some it was difficult to participate in conference and participate on Twitter simultaneously.

It may be advantageous to have people dedicated to twittering. • User twitter to share headlines, i.e. short impressions of what is happeing and what participants feel is important. • Retweet as: all #rtvc (session name) hashtag and encourage retweeting.


Early Conclusions Run Multiple Channels: Operating in virtual space involves running parallel channels simultaneously, some are synchronous (real- time) and others are asynchronous.

Facilitation and Virtual Skills: As in the physical world, skillful facilitation assists in communications, meaning-making and the ability to act and make progress. The virtual environment, new conventions and specific skills are needed to take advantage of online power to connect as well as skills needed to connect interest groups and cultures.

Cost Effective: A lot can be done with free tools – one can run global real-time conferences effectively and efficiently. This conference was designed and implemented in 4 weeks.

Initially, Content Discussions Can Be Limited: The learning curve associated with using virtual online technology varies by person. For those lacking experience and skill, the depth and breadth at which they can engage may be more limited than in real-world conferences.


Early Conclusions continued Customization: Specific tool choice, conference/meeting design, skills training and logistics can be customized to meet the mission of event hosts and needs of participants.

Fragmentation of Collaboration Tools Market: Provides many innovative opportunities for online collaboration, but dizzy array of choices can be overwhelming; need for multiple sign-ons are problematic.


References •  VOIP- voice over internet protocol – allows voice

conversations over the web •  Chat – allows real time text conversations over the web •  Forum – online discussion spaces •  Open Space – meeting facilitation technique developed by

Harrison Owen, often used to convene groups with diverse backgrounds and interests.

•  Mindmap – visual mapping technique often used for brainstorming


virtual open space conference 5.09

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