Jobs-temp

DebConf Jobs 14aug15

This page is very wordy, I'm just writing as things come to me. As this is hopefully a team effort, we can clean it up as we go along and decide on stuff.

[todo] The 'local' team, 'global' team distinctions are misleading. I am not clear on the real issue yet, but it sounds that the local team is 'general', as in they need a fair amount of knowledge about everything involved to pull the event off. 'Global' team is actually a collection of many teams, each with a more specialised focus. The challenge also seem to be about information flow between all these teams, complicated by having to go through a local team that may be inexperienced. Lastly, the challenge is also compounded by decision-making between all these specialised teams, which may be more appropriate to be the local team's responsibility, except that they often don't have the experience to make an informed decision. So this understanding will affect how this page is revised.

Instructions and README

Following a sprint on 13aug15, during DebCamp, it was noted that not *all* the jobs in e.g. venue allocation goes to local team, or *every* decision about the budget goes to global team. It is a cascading function, with some jobs going to global, some to local and even some going to subteams within local, that's not micromanaged by the team leader. The Jobs page needs to reviewed to reflect this. This is an attempt at doing that.

This is written from the view and experiences of organising DebConf16 in Cape Town, South Africa. At time of writing we have won the bid, and attending DebConf15. So there is a lot we don't know yet.

Additions and editing and stuff can take place on this page, as it is temporary and informal. It is anticipated that the Jobs page will be updated from these discussions, after section by section discussion and approval on the debconf-team mailing list.

First, I want to change the format from the current split of entire jobs to local/global to a cascading system.

Definition of cascade levels

While everyone is welcome at every level, when it comes to committing to a decision, it is more efficient to have someone assigned with a clear final responsibility. These distinctions are aimed at creating a final responsibility, it is not an initial exclusion! Jobs should be subdivided into these three levels, each subdivided job having its own deadline. So after each deadline, the capacity for discussion decreases, but the discussion does not stop all at once. We'll have to see if this makes sense. What I'm trying to do here is create a focus on "option spaces" rather than explicit solutions, to allow playing with scenarios before those scenarios are committed as the only option available ('if we choose this option, what would it look like further down the line?' without making the final decision, or by making the decision in stages), to lower the amplitude if decisions (one decision is final and has immediate final implications) and increase the frequency of decision-making (by in effect tripling the decisions but lowering by a third the immediate implications), and lastly, facilitating early interventions, more often. This is from a book on complexity which I blogged about.

I visualise it as a web. With each thread woven (= each decision taken) the web is woven tighter and more stable, but it happens over time, not all at once. Some threads are woven, but are loose until they are adjusted by the narrowest cascade. (e.g. times that are decided in a range, with an executive decision pinning the final dates down. Budget that starts with order of magnitude, then gets tweaked, and then gets committed).

'Within local team'

This is the 'widest' cascade level - aka most people involved in decision making and/or taking action.

The wish to organise a debconf arose from a few friends residing in Cape Town. While submitting the bid process, this motley crew had some dreams and ideas, however vague, of what a DebConf in Cape Town would look like. These ideas may not be feasible when the experience of previous DebConfs are considered, but they may also be bringing fresh ideas. At this level, many micro decisions may be considered, but none are in the final stages of implementation. Which of these ideas make it depends on their impact on the final DebConf result, how well they were explained to the wider team, and how long in advance they were fully fleshed out. The jobs executed at this level either does not need input from the global team (e.g. what colour is the water bottles), or is a multitude of small decisions that follows a macro guidance from higher up (e.g. 'Stay within budget', 'be free and open-source') etc.

'Local team with some advice from global team'

This is the 'medium' cascade level - aka some people involved from the wider level, and some from the narrowest level, in decision making and/or taking action. It's the in-between, almost final decisions.

Jobs that require the local team to manage the outcome, but has an impact on the global organisation, and/or which has a large effect on the reputation of DebConf, also needs global team, or experienced DebConfers' input (e.g. Chairs). Things like the venue contract, accommodation contract, and large budget items.

'Global team in executive position'

This is the 'narrowest' cascade level - it involves the least number of people. The decision makers here take into account the advice and discussion given by the medium cascade people, and make an executive decision. I almost want to say at this level there is no more discussion.

Jobs that have a make-or-break impact on DebConfN happening, needs global executive input. Signing the venue contract and approving the budget are examples of actions that need to be taken at global level, even if the input and development jobs (which are wider cascade jobs, and is listed separately) are also by local teams.

Preparing and submitting the Bid

General description

The location for the next DebConf is won through a bid. This is a stressful process, full of hard work, but lays foundations and does much of the work required already. Even if the bid is not won, valuable information is gain, for example, if a bid at a later stage is a good idea (and then much of the work for that would be done) and there is often much information that turns out to be useful to the people involved, in their private capacity.

Within local team

• Research previous DebConfs
• Read all the final reports
• Assist with the current DebConf organisation
• Prepare the bid

Local team with some advice from global team

• Ensure that the bid teams are on the right track, look over the communication channels - mainly IRC and wiki pages.
• Ensure that the integrity of the bid team is in line with Debian and DebConf goals
• Ensure that the bid process is well documented, catch any poorly documented bits in time. This is easy when bid teams have lots of questions - either point the team to where the answer is and make sure that it is easy to find in future, or document the answer if it did not exist.

Global team in executive position

• Have a clearly documented bid process approved. If the bid process is poorly organised, the global executive did not do their job well.
• Give some sort of indication of the feasibility of the bid early on in the process
• Prepare questions and raise them with the bid teams a month before the bid decision is taken, with two weeks or so for the bid teams to respond.
• Decide on who wins the bid, and let them know.

Venue arrangements

General description

• We need rooms for talks, rooms for hacking, and somewhere for attendees to eat reasonable food
• If possible, they should be in the same building, or otherwise as close together as possible
• Wheelchair access is needed to all talk/hacking areas,
• All at the lowest price possible

Within local team

• Initial wishlist for venues, with guidance from Venue wishlist [link]

• Make sure enough chairs and tables will be available in the relevant rooms
• Make sure enough power will be available in the hacking areas (so we don't blow the fuses/cause a power-cut in the building)
• Find out what audiovisual equipment is available in the talk rooms, and what we need to provide externally

Local team with some advice from global team

The venues prefer dealing with one person all the way. Once a final venue decision has been made, and if possible, before that, assign one person to that venue. Assign a shadow-liaison (but personally I prefer to have an archive of all communication that is public and well known to the local team)

• Negotiating venue contract
• Liaise with venue over conference and hacking room arrangements, meal arrangements
• Arrange projectors/projection screens/audio equipment from the venue, or arrange with the venue to bring it in ourselves, and arrange separate hire of the equipment

Global team in executive position

• Sign venue contract (I don't know how the local legal entity works - this definitely needs documentation)

Accommodation arrangements

General description

• Accommodation for people to sleep in, as close as possible to the talks, hacks and dining place(s).
• Accessibility needs to meet special requirements for disabled attendees
• Lowest price possible

Within local team

• Scope accommodation options, decide if they can sleep enough people
• Evaluate each option in terms of accessibility.

Local team with some advice from global team

• Negotiate accommodation contract
• Allocate rooms to attendees

Global team in executive position

• Sign accommodation contract (or assist in the case of a local entity)

Travel information and visa assistance

Within local team

• Provide information to attendees as early as possible about the best way to reach the venue, including international and local travel advice
• Provide information about visa requirements

Local team with some advice from global team

• Ensure that those who need visas apply for them on time, in the best way to maximise their chance of obtaining a visa
• Align the visa assistance with sponsorship timelines.

Inventory trackers

Within local team

• Keep track of incoming items as they are delivered to/lent to DebConf (often items arrive by courier before the conference starts)
• Label items with their ownership to avoid confusion at the end of the conference
• Keep track of items as they are returned to their owners after DebConf

Local team with some advice from global team

• Insurance?

Conference volunteers

Within local team

• If possible meet attendees when they arrive at the airport and help them find their onward travel
• Make sure talks start and stop on time
• Find the people giving talks if they don't appear
• Work for the video team
• Ensure that the venue is used safely and kept clean. (And in general that we don't upset the venue staff/owners.)

Local team with some advice from global team

• Staff the registration/information desk at the venue

Debian Day

Within local team

• Explore the dreams and wishes about hosting a Debian Day / Open Weekend, REGARDLESS of previous DebConfs. In other words, don't decide to do something based on what has gone before. Decide on your own requirements and needs.
• Recruit attendees. It is necessary that the person in charge of this should be someone with few other DebConf responsibilities.

Local team with some advice from global team

• Decide whether to run a Debian Day / DebConf Open Day / equivalent event. The best case for this is if the conference dates coincide with the main Debian Day. In that case, we should focus on organising some events for video streaming to other worldwide Debian Day events.
• Typical events include "Introduction to Debian" type talks, case studies of Debian use in different organisations, and presentations of interesting work recently incorporated into Debian.

Day trip

• The trip should be possible for disabled attendees (e.g. in wheelchairs) -- this may require special arrangements, though it's preferable if they can travel with everyone else
• Depending on the funds available, it may be necessary to ask attendees to pay for the day trip themselves

Within local team

• Arrange a day trip to somewhere that will interest the attendees

Conference dinner

• The main requirement is that everyone can eat at the same time, which often isn't possible under the food arrangements used during the rest of DebConf

Within local team

• Consider possible arrangements for a conference dinner
• Collect detailed pricing quotations, so that the overall DebConf team can decide whether or not a conference dinner is affordable

Sponsorship

Within local team

• Draft sponsor brochure
• Identify sponsors local to the conference venue (e.g. from that city or country)

Local team with some advice from global team

• Finalise sponsor brochure
• Identify and confirm sponsors who will provide the funds needs to pay for DebConf

Treasury

Within local team

• Keep track of incoming and outgoing money

Local team with some advice from global team

• Keep track of what countries/currencies money is in, and where it needs to go
• Establish and manage a bank account belonging to a registered organisation, local to the venue

Printing/conference bag

Within local team

• Print paper copies of the conference proceedings
• Print paper copies of the talk schedule
• If appropriate, obtain paper copies of local information -- e.g. maps, tourist information -- for attendees (can usually be obtained free from local tourist information)

Local team with some advice from global team

• Print conference t-shirts with high-quality sponsor logos
• Make sure that enough bags (and their contents) are kept aside and later sent to conference sponsors

Press

Within local team

• Make contact with the local and international press

Local team with some advice from global team

• Keep track of existing contacts and feed them information they will find interesting
• Generate press coverage that is positive for Debian and for DebConf's sponsors
• Establish appropriate press release strategy
• Get content and strategy approved by chairs

Global team in executive position

• Approve local team's press content, strategy.

Website

Within local team

• Manage content on the conference website
• Including e.g. information about the conference dates and venue

Local team with some advice from global team

• Decide on style and back-end of website (e.g. wafer, summit...)

Site IT infrastructure

Within local team

• Arrange for use of a reliable high-bandwidth connection to the conference venue (should be able to cope with hundreds of simultaneous users, as well as live streaming of conference talks)
• Set up a wireless and wired network to deal with hundreds of simultaneous users reliably
• Provide servers for use by the video team, and by attendees
• If possible, provide desktop machines or laptops that can be used by any attendees who can't bring their own computer

Video

Within local team

• Liase with global and/or past video teams to share experiences and requirements at least three months in advance

Local team with some advice from global team

In this case there is probably an independent team formed for this purpose, which becomes the middle cascade level.

• Film as many of the talks as possible, for those who can't attend the conference physically
• Upload initial video files as soon as possible
• If possible, provide live streams of the talks

Final report

Within local team

• Work on getting the final report written and published quickly after DebConf
• Assist previous Debconf team with their final report, if possible at or shortly after that DebConf.

Talks

I suspect there may be an independent talks team. In that case, the local team should liase with them at least six months before the event, to share experiences and establish requirements. (Best case is if this sharing happens at the previous Debconf).

Within local team

• Gather talk submissions (through the conference management system)
• Gather papers relating to talks from those who wish to submit them

Local team with some advice from global team

• Rank the talk submissions and choose a final list of approved talks

Talk scheduling

Local team with some advice from global team

• Schedule the approved talks, to fit the rooms available at the conference venue
• Try to put talks in rooms where all those interested will have space to sit
• Try to avoid putting talks with a high overlap in audience at the same time

Travel sponsorship

Within local team

• Gather information about attendees' sponsorship requirements for travel
• And potentially also for food/accommodation, but we've been able to be generous with these in recent years, just granting them to everyone who asked in time

Local team with some advice from global team

• Rank the requests from attendees
• Allocate money for travel sponsorship as it becomes available

Room allocation in accommodation

Within local team

• Gather room preferences and arrival/departure from attendees (should be done through the conference registration system)
• Allocate rooms to attendees, trying to minimise what DebConf has to pay (and also minimising room changes for attendees)

Local team with some advice from global team

• Discuss and agree on strategy of minimising room changes(and charges) for attendees

debconf.org admin

Local team with some advice from global team

• Manage debconf.org servers and services

list admin

Global team in executive position

• Manage debconf.org email lists -- usually only requires moderating a few messages