More discussions

[bpieck]

Since ruby unconf I am totally enthusiastic about this Fishbowl discussion format. And since the most productive and exciting part of last ruby usergroup meeting was the discussion afterwards (at least in my opinion - although the presentation itself was great of course): Wouldn't it be great to always end a ruby usergroup with such a discussion format?
When I thought last time about it, I came up nearly instantly with around 10 topics I would suppose to be interesting.

So my proposal how to implement such a format in kind of a traditional always coming up thing would be:
Collecting possible topics in some issue here in github. Preselect 5 of these before next meetup (as organizers). Start a usergroup by adding to the introduction a vote, which of the 5 topics (maybe including topics of the talk(s)) will be discussed at the end. Then have standard talk(s). And end up with a fish bowl discussion (moderated by whoever thinks has already some expiriences in the topic).

[phoet]

thanks for the feedback. unfortunately i was not present for the unconf, but i've participated in some openspace meetups where very interesting discussions have been held. so i can sympathize with that idea.

i would suggest that we add this to the mix, similar to lightning-talks and such.

@halfbyte any thoughts on this?

[bpieck]

Since you did not attend ruby unconf: The fishbowl discussion I attended was about estimate/no-estimate. I think about the topic I loved, that this is such a standard issue I never saw resolved best. I even could not really imagine a talk about. Just to collect opinions about it and maybe see others struggle about that topic in a similar manner as oneself - that felt quite productive and reasuring. Although there was no solution about some topics.

And I have the feeling, there are quite very many interesting topics we maybe will not want to prepare a talk about - but that easily just could be discussed about.

If you don't know fishbowl discussion - I did not before unconf: there is one moderator, some (on unconf: four) free seats around her/him and whoever wants to say something, will sit on one of the free spaces, while one seat is intended to be always free. So if another one will sit on the free space - one who sit longest will leave the discussion. It may not be necessary to be implemented as discussion format in a smaller round - but on the other hand it felt to be like a game. So maybe adding kind of fun to the discussion itself :)

[halfbyte]

@phoet I would love to do more of these as well, the fishbowls really were my highlight of the conf as well.

It would be good to have these pre-announced so that people know what they're getting themselves into, I think.

[alster-wasser]

@bpieck I opened an issue for collection suggestions, you can post your suggestions here :) #122