At the weekend I attended Kiwi Foo Camp. It was damn interesting on several counts:
- The people there were all fascinating in their own right
- The format meant that people could hold sessions on their passions. Those that were also passionate contributed in such a way that added value
- The venue was a standard school, with no fancy trappings or dressing up. It was proof that of that old photography adage I like “the last thing you should add to a great photo is a sunset.” (However the same adage does not always apply to nudist beaches – especially ones frequented by overweight European tourists – where there are definitely some things that need dressing up)
- People camped. Literally. I took my tent. People who have bank accounts which require calculators with extra wide screens also camped.
- It was casual. Being a New Zealand summer, shorts, t-shirts and bare feet were often the order of the day.
- Invite only increases the quality of the event immensely.
There’s pages you could write on the implications for innovation events, but I’ll leave it at that. Next time you are planning an event, consider the above list.
By the way, raving about the weekend seems to be par for the course…