I do really like having these kinds of introductions - I am always amazed by the breadth and variety of interests that people have and it is a good lesson for me about my stereotypes and assumptions about women I haven't overcome yet. It's also a great way to find people you want to meet.
But I agree it took too long. That introduction format worked really well at AdaCamp DC - for a variety of reasons that didn't apply at that lunch and I wasn't even aware of during the AdaCamp intros. You can get through 125 introductions of that form very quickly if you have: * Good models to start the introductions off by adhering strictly to the (very short) format * Strict reinforcement of the format whenever people start to get wordy * Two microphones so you don't have mike-passing time in between intros I first saw this style of introduction at FOOCamp, which has it down to a science, but it's harder than it looks, as we found. :) My two cents is that the lunch should be longer! I like to schedule at least an hour and half. :) Overall, I was thrilled with the whole lunch. -VAL On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 6:00 PM, Gillian White <whiteghost....@gmail.com> wrote: > I agree that 125 introductions is not a productive or fun way to use a short > amount of time. In this instance, the process halted all conversation and > created a no-win situation for members of the audience - either try to > concentrate on an impossible-to-remember roll-call, or ignore the speakers. > Neither is good and leaving the room would be even more impolite. However, > it is good to have a problem that results from success! > > A solution depends on what the purpose of the meeting is. If the purpose > changes from a lunch meeting, different approaches could be used but > multiple meetings or more scheduled talks should probably become strands of > the conference. The trick is to balance structure and lack of structure in > line with the principles and purpose. > > Assuming the meeting continues to be a lunch meeting, I think the principles > that need to be remembered for such an event involving such a number of > people are: > - there is not much time and that time has to allow for eating (IMHO that > does not mean wandering around trying to hold food and talk at the same > time); > - anything repetitive is bound to be tedious; > - since there is a major conference in session, anything formal, other than > a welcome from Sue, would either not be a lunch meeting or should be added > to the conference agenda itself; > - flexibility and a degree of spontaneity are necessary. > > So, one suggestion for a Wikimania Wiki Women's lunch meeting (and I am sure > there are other possibilities that will be considered between now and the > next conference) is to print up multiple copies of some theme labels for > people to grab and put on their table as they go into the lunch room. For > example, there could be labels for tables for women who want to: > - meet new people/conference participants; > - talk about the conference sessions; > - NOT talk about the conference sessions; > - continue an unfinished earlier discussion; > - plan some women's meetings to be held during pre-allocated times during > the conference (eg the women's edit-a-thon suggested above). > There are many more possible but you get the drift. > > If multiple rooms are available the same procedure could be applied in > advance and rooms allocated for lots of smaller lunch groups. That sort of > thing depends on the venue but breaking it up means missing the opportunity > for a gathering of everyone together. Also, requiring a forced choice for > women who have a range of interests and commitments is something to avoid. > > Whiteghost.ink > > > On 26 July 2012 07:01, Orsolya Gyenes <gyenes.orso...@wiki.media.hu> wrote: >> >> Yes, we really didn't expect over 120 women (double as much as last year) >> and I think it was right to get to know each other and learn where we all >> coming from and what we are interested in. Usually that doesn't happen on >> this list. >> >> Maybe we could organize a female edithaton during the Hacking Days in HK, >> if there's a need for it. >> >> ~Orsolya >> Deputy Program Chair >> >> >> 2012/7/25 Carol Moore DC <carolmoor...@verizon.net> >>> >>> From >>> http://wikimania2012.wikimedia.org/wiki/Feedback#Other_meetups_and_meetings >>> >>> The Women's Luncheon on Saturday was something I was very much looking >>> forward to, but it fell short of my expectations. I was enjoying bonding >>> with the women at my table, asking the speakers about their presentations >>> and hoping to form some more solid relationships with veteran and new >>> Wikipedians alike. Being required to sit back quietly while 125+ women each >>> stood up to introduce themselves felt like a waste of an opportunity to >>> build a stronger female editing community. Knowing that the women are >>> passionate about sharing was good, but wouldn't have been more to the >>> purpose to encourage networking so all the women in attendance would be more >>> inclined to stay active and recruit knowing there was a pool of support they >>> could personally draw upon? [[User:Samarista|Samarista]] ([[User >>> talk:Samarista|talk]]) 17 July 2012 (UTC) >>> >>> I personally liked the intros. Perhaps suggest a common topic or two >>> people can discuss at tables? >>> >>> Or have a separate meetups - a couple at different times, perhaps with >>> different themes. That might answer her concerns ? >>> >>> Note that in the feedback section two of us mentioned that annoucements >>> of meetups needed to be better. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Gendergap mailing list >>> Gendergap@lists.wikimedia.org >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/gendergap >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Gendergap mailing list >> Gendergap@lists.wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/gendergap >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Gendergap mailing list > Gendergap@lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/gendergap > -- Increasing the participation of women in open technology and culture http://adainitiative.org _______________________________________________ Gendergap mailing list Gendergap@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/gendergap