Unconferencing
Sometimes collaboration works best without a plan. These unscripted, unplanned session opportunities at RootsTech should be very attractive to serious users of family history-related technology, genealogy enthusiasts, and technology creators:
Saturday Sessions
| Time | Room | Title | Facilitator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | 1 | Collaborating with family on private digital photo albums | Katy Beloof |
| 2 | Celebrating family history: turn your passion into a career! | Holly Hansen | |
| 3 | Building a better dashboard: Come dissect what works and innovate new ways to get back to work faster | Tim Robinson | |
| 12:50 | 1 | Tree Share Panel | Gordon Clarke |
| 2 | Online collections updates and news : create a one-stop shop for major and minor websites | Janell Vasquez | |
| 3 | How can I share my research without losing control of it? Open discussion of problems and solutions | Bob Meyers |
What is an Unconference Session?
Unconferencing is an opportunity for RootsTech attendees to create impromptu discussion sessions on topics of their choice. Unconference sessions provide a casual forum where attendees collaborate, discuss new ideas, come in contact with others who have common interests, and participate in the innovative thought process.
How does an Unconference Session get started?
A white board outside of the Unconferencing rooms will enable any RootsTech attendee to sign up to facilitate a topic to be discussed at a specific time slot for that day. Anyone interested in that topic may attend the Unconferencing session to engage in a collaborative discussion. Everyone is encouraged to participate. Time slots will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Rooms will have a coordinator to set the time and open space for discussions.
How will attendees know what is happening in the Unconference Sessions?
Unconference sessions will be posted on white boards outside the Unconference room and in the Exhibit Hall.
Unconference Panel Discussions
Discussion panels are moderated sessions designed to share the varied expertise of select panelists. These sessions are already scheduled around certain topics. The moderator and audience ask intriguing questions. Discussions are designed to build consensus and action with genealogists and technologists.
Unconference Lightning Talks
Participants are given five minutes to speak about their ideas and personal or professional passions, accompanied by at least three slides the presenter has ready on the presenter’s laptop with RGB-out connector. Signups happen ten minutes before noon each day. There is expected to be nine 5-minute talks. The presentations are meant to “spark” the audience on a subject, to generate awareness, and to stimulate thought and action on the subjects presented.