This was started as a subtopic of this headtopic.
It contains more ideas and questions for the future of the OSCEdays event, platform and community.
#1 What is the event/are the events for?
The work of a foundation will expand to other time scales than a simple event – like support for the development of a consortium around open materials or policy work.
It is also important to consider, that a hackathon or rapid prototyping sessions are great formats. But their power or practicability is limited given the complexity of physical goods and infrastructures we have to develop for a circular economy. This makes more longlasting projects in the context of the OSCEdays necessary. It is worth asking, what the future role and structure of the events is then. To make sure they play an active and constructive part in the building of an OSCE community and an OSCE in general.
- A Fair or Show & Tell. Presenting what happened during the year
- The event brings content to the forum. Usually projects will run their own websites etc. But the events motivate them to bring at least links to external resources to the forum. This helps to connect to others.
- The event can work explorative – asking questions and bring people people, projects, companies & NGOs together for first discussions and maybe future collaboration. Brainstorming sessions are something that works great during events.
- Putting Problems, People and Projects into spotlight. (To build a community identity and a reward structure). “You need to create heroes” – I have been at a talk of Freerich Bäthge from Symfony. At their annually events they have prizes for community members. “You need to heroes” said Freerich. To inspire and build community identity. Not sure if this is the OSCEdays way.
- Marketing Boost for the idea of an OSCE and projects and companies working in that field – Events help to get media attention
- Entry point for new people. People attend events to learn new things.
- plus …
Next to the obvious things a lot of other and experimental formats are possible, like “Theater” session, of course still Hackathons or Hands-on-Workshops, Installations etc. See also here.
#2 Everyone can create an Event! Events throughout the Year.
The idea was discussed before. Instead of one annually OSCEdays event – why not to open up the brand and allow everybody to create OSCEdays event throughout the year. The foundation and platform could facilitate this process.
“Become an Event Creator”
If someone is interested in creating an event he gets in touch with the foundation. The foundation checks the intention and sets up everything for this new event. Every month could be one or two OSCEdays events. Event creators chose a date e.g. September 11-13. This gets announced. And other cities can jump in – as local organizers – and do an event in their city. The job of the foundation is to develop and provide infrastructure and support for it: Announcements, Webpages for Cities, Global Reporting possibilities, Designs to adapt etc.
The different events get stored at the webpage with different subdomains for example 2016-1.oscedays.org; 2016-2.oscedays.org …
#3 Platform & Community Building - Roles
How to foster and build the OSCEdays as a community? We can learn from other communities that they provide roles. Ouishare for example has OuiShare-Connectors. To some extend the OSCEdays have already roles in place: Local Organizers & Node Connectors.
###LOCAL ORGANIZER (+ maybe EVENT CREATORS)
Local organizers create local events. The idea above in 2 sketches also the roles of “Event Creators”. Maybe the difference between “Event Creators” and “Local Organizers” could be, that the Event Creator takes on some more tasks like coordinating global reporting etc.
###NODE CONNECTORS
We already have Node-Connectors. But I think, we could extend their roles a bit. A Node Connector could research and bring resources to the forum like lists with open companies etc.
###CITY CONNECTOR
It is a new possible role and not really fledged out. A city connector could research companies and projects in a city or certain geographic area. And connect them to the OSCEdays. While the Node Connector works internationally on a specific subject the City Connector focuses on a city or area.
For all roles we need to provide resources and “incentives” – we need a clear idea, what motivations could drive people to do this?
#A Side note on: Motivation
What motivates a community? It is critical to understand, that an event or events have a “simple” motivation structure. It is a project with a defined time frame and ending. And everyone has been at events. But noone has been in an OSCE. This is important to understand. The motivation-structure of the event does not work for everything – not for the Node Connectors or City Connectors necessarily or more complex infrastructure projects.
But maybe we can use the events to at least trigger some motivation or support for complex and longer projects?
Motivations?
For one thing: The OSCEdays can teach Openness!!! Everyone who gets in touch with the OSCEdays gets in touch with open processes. Maybe we can trigger ideas or motivations that way, whatever people do, they start to think: “When I do it openly I can make faster/better progress or …”