It’s all changing again. After two years or so with only one face-to-face session with real people in a real room, suddenly the diary increasingly features in-person events.
I’m suddenly reminded how much time and energy has to be devoted to organising transport and accommodation.
Is it worth it? Well, that depends. Probably not, if it’s a return to sequences of monologues, with speaker after speaker enslaved to notes which they’re showing us on powerpoint slides.
And probably Yes, if there’s a design (and a facilitator) allowing for fresh conversations. Perhaps these are stimulated by a speaker’s provocative remarks. Perhaps by allowing participants a choice of topic to discuss and new ideas to emerge – with rules that offer fair turn-taking.
I have my rail ticket and look forward to adventures, whether in transit or during the conference itself.
What makes in-person events worthwhile for you?
