Organize a Hackasaurus Jam

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Task Navigation 

Hosting the Event


Scout a venue and sort out the details in advance

You can run an event at home, at a restaurant, or in a classroom. All that you need are computers, an internet connection and an idea about what you want to make at your jam.

An optimal venue for a participatory event has:

  • A large room where the group can meet as a whole in a circle
  • “Break-out” spaces, where smaller sets of participants can have discussions and collaborate.
  • Wireless internet, or an ethernet jack where a wireless router can be connected.
  • No fixed-in-place furniture; design your space for participation- so that it is easy for participants to collaborative. Having modular, moveable furniture allows  participants to face each other and play in the event space.
     

Other considerations include:

  • Cost: If you're lucky, you can find a free or cheap place. 
  • Food: All that cognitive collaborative making will make people hungry!
  • Building Hours: Confirm hours of access, and verify that you can arrive 1 hour before the event start time and stay up to 1 hour after event closing time 
  • Shared Work Spaces: Ask about any potential conflicts within the space. If other people or organizations will be using space and overhearing proceedings, make sure to explore potential noise and resource conflicts (e.g. limited bathrooms or a slow internet connection for the facility).


Post a photo or a sketch of your event space and comment on at least one peers' post in the Task Discussion below.

Task Discussion


  • JeanAustinR said:

    We held our 3 Summer Code Parties in 3 different venues. The first two were in a coffee shop, the third one is in a university.

    Photos of these can be found in http://www.flickr.com/photos/mozph/tags/mozparty/

    on Oct. 31, 2012, 9:54 p.m.

  • Jess Klein said:

    I forgot to take a photo of the room when I left Mouse today, but I drew out a little floor plan of the space. The space is a bit challenging because we are essentially going to be in a common space, so people might be walking through the space.. which isn't ideal, but we will deal. We don't actually have a big wall to project, so we are going to tape up some big sheets of paper to a double door to make it work.

    on Feb. 17, 2012, 10:08 a.m.