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This year, we’re making a concerted effort to branch out at WordCamp Seattle and include more out-of-the-box types of sessions. So put your creative thinking caps on and let’s look at some other session formats you might consider\u2026
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Lightning Talk (With or Without Slides)<\/h2>\n
There are lots of short talk formats like Ignite or pecha-kucha that show how much someone can communicate in just a few minutes. A 5- or 10-minute lightning talk is\u00a0a great way to try out speaking for the first\u00a0time or\u00a0to wow folks with\u00a0one specific point or skill you’re passionate about.<\/p>\n
We hope to get enough lightning talk submissions that we can put together a few sessions of talks where the audience gets to see four or five\u00a0presentations in the time others only get one!<\/p>\n
Panel<\/h2>\n
Lots of people don’t really love being up in the front of a crowded room all by themselves. So how about dragging some buddies up there with you? Round up a couple\u00a0or three friends who love to sit around and talk about WordPress and bring your own panel to the party.<\/p>\n
Here are some off-the-top-of-my-head ways to\u00a0approach a panel:<\/p>\n
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- There\u00a0are three\u00a0ways to do everything in WordPress, right? Bring together folks that represent different ends of the spectrum on a subject like the best ways to optimize for speed on your website.<\/li>\n
- Or, sometimes a subject is so broad that one person can’t know it all. You can have different folks focus on differing aspects of a\u00a0\u00a0broad topic like membership or eCommerce sites.<\/li>\n
- One of the most memorable panels for me was a few years back on “How to Become a Better WordPress Developer<\/a>“. It was funny and entertaining and so informative to hear\u00a0about the different experiences different people had with bettering their WordPress skills over the years. (And I admittedly still have a little developer-crush on Kronda Adair from when she was a panelist at this session.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A moderator is a crucial\u00a0asset in this type of format to keep the conversation focused and moving forward, help corral questions from the audience, and\/or provide targeted questions for the panelists. If you’ve got your panelists lined up but no one to moderate, let us know. We may be able to help with this\u00a0piece.<\/p>\n
Networking Facilitation<\/h2>\n
Do you like connecting\u00a0people who have something in common? Do you like not listening to someone just talk for half an hour? Consider helping other people get to know each other and stay social during the conference!<\/p>\n
We’d love to hear pitches from people interested in facilitating more social sessions like a freelancer’s support group, connecting people with needs and those looking for work, or leading a group to brainstorm around the future of WordPress. Interactive activities and sessions that may not need slides are welcome. Get creative!<\/p>\n
Interview \/ Ask Me Anything (AMA)<\/h2>\n
Some people thrive in the hot seat. If you’ve got deep knowledge about some\u00a0WordPress-related (SEO, blogging, social media, etc.), then this might be the format for you. You’ll need a willingness to put yourself out there and the ability to think fast on your feet.<\/p>\n
For example, last year, we had a session called “There are No Dumb Questions: Beginner Q&A” \u00a0presented by the indomitable Kelli Wise. In 2015, she partnered with Leslie Stewart for a similar session<\/a>, both of which turned out to be immensely popular.<\/p>\n
Don’t worry – getting people to ask questions at WordCamp is easy. (Getting them to stop asking questions so the session can wrap up, on the other hand\u2026) But if you’re really concerned about it, you can plant some questions with folks\u00a0in the crowd\u00a0to get the ball rolling.<\/p>\n
Multi-Session Workshop<\/h2>\n
Who doesn’t love rolling up their sleeves, getting down and dirty, and actually doing<\/em> while they’re learning at WordCamp?<\/p>\n
We’re working on putting together some workshops targeted both at beginning WordPress users with a WP 101 type session as well as a developer-focused workshop track this year.<\/p>\n
If you’ve got the itch to teach and \u00a0enjoy presenting in a more hands-on format, this could be the session-type for you. Think about how you can help people learn a concrete skill with a hands-on<\/em>\u00a0training in a few hours.<\/p>\n
Something Else<\/h2>\n
Something you don’t find at every WordCamp is Zumba! But last year, one of the most intriguing sessions focused on postural ailments<\/a> those of us techies who hunch over a computer all day suffer from. And the remedy? Zumba! with Catherine Bridge. It was a fun, energetic way to kick off a full day ahead of what else, but more sitting?<\/p>\n
If not Zumba, then\u00a0yoga might be your thing.<\/p>\n
If not yoga, maybe you could do a walk ‘n talk around downtown Seattle.<\/p>\n
If not a walk ‘n talk, perhaps you have an idea\u00a0we haven’t thought of yet.<\/p>\n
\nSo what do you think? Did any of these spark an idea for you for a session you might like to present? Go ahead and…<\/p>\n