Hello All,
After Denver we were able to take time to reflect on the improvements we can make now that the PTG will occur immediately following the summit for the near future. While Shanghai will have its own set of variables, it's still good to reevaluate how we allocate time for groups and how we structure the week overall.
tldr;
- No BoFs, try to focus more specific discussions into topics for the Forum and follow up with PTG slot for more general conversations - PTG slots can be as short as 1/4 of a day - More shared space at the Shanghai venue, less dedicated space - New breakdown: 1.5 days of Forum and 3.5 days of PTG - Survey will be out in a few weeks for requesting PTG space
For many of you (and myself as FC SIG Chair) there were a lot of different ways to get time to talk about topics. There was the forum, there were BoF sessions you could request, and there was also the option of having PTG sessions. Using the FC SIG as an example, we had two forum sessions (I think?), a BoF, and a half day at the PTG. This was WAY too much time for us. We didn't realize it when we were asking for space all the different ways, but we ended up with a lot of redundant discussions and time in which we didn't do much but just chat (which was great, but not the best use of the time/space since we could have done that in a hallway and not a dedicated room).
To account for this duplication, we are going to get rid of the BoF mechanism for asking for space since largely the topics discussed there could be more cleanly divided into feedback focused Forum sessions and PTG team discussion time. The tentative plan is to try to condense as many of the SIG/WGs PTG slots towards the start of the PTG as we can so that they will more or less immediately follow the forum so that you can focus on making action items out of the conversations had and the feedback received at the Forum.
We will also offer a smaller granularity of time that you can request at the PTG. Previously, a half day slot was as small as you could request; this time we will be offering 1/4 day slots (we found with more than one SIG/WG that even at a half day they were done in an hour and a half with all that they needed to talk about).
The venue itself (similar to Denver) will have a few large rooms for bigger teams to meet, however, most teams will meet in shared space. That being said, we will add to the PTGbot more clearly defined locations in the shared space so its easier to find groups in shared spaces.
I regret to inform you that, again, projection will be a very limited commodity. Yeah.. please don't shoot the messenger. Due to using mainly shared space, projection is just something we are not able to offer.
The other change I haven't already mentioned is that we are going to have the PTG start a half day early. Instead of only being 3 days like in Denver, we are going to add more time to the PTG and subtract a half day from the Forum. Basically the breakdown will be 1.5 Forum and 3.5 PTG with the Summit overlapping the first two days.
I will be sending the PTG survey out to SIG Chairs/ WG Leads in a couple weeks with a few changes.
-Kendall Nelson (diablo_rojo)