FOSS4G'13

 Present: SF, BR, JC, AP, BK, AS, SA, IE, JM, CG, IH (Thur)


Shape of Programme

• Programme framework reviewed and revamped
• Papers: 192 including 20 academic programme, + workshops

Proposed Programme Framework
Day 1
From 8.30: Reg, coffee etc (check with EMCC whether we can start that early)
10:00 - 11:30 Opening Plenaries
11:30 - 12:15 Break
12:15 - 1:15 2 Sessions
1:15 - 2:30 Lunch + 1 session staggered
2:30 - 4:00 3 Sessions
4:00 - 4:30 Break
4:30 - 6:00 Plenaries (e.g. high interest sessions) + half session

Total: 60 papers

Day 2
7:30 - 9:00 Breakfast Birds of a Feather
9:00 - 10:00 2 sessions
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 11:30 Plenary
11:30 - 11:45 Transit
11:45 - 13:15 2.5 sessions
12:45 - 2:30 Lunch + half session
2:30 - 4:00 3 sessions
4:00 - 4:30 Break
4:30 - 6:00 Plenary (high interest sessions) + half session

Total: 76 papers

Day 3
7:30 - 9:00 Breakfast Birds of a Feather
9:00 - 10:30 3 sessions
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:30 3 sessions
12:30 - 2:00 Lunch +  2 half sessions
2:00 - 4:00 Final plenary

Total: 56 papers

NB Lunch timings tbc, but the goal is to stagger lunch, with one paper running into lunch at beginning and one at the end, so delegates can take 1.5 hours, 1 hour or half hour. This should help us deal with numbers and allow people choice between session time and lunch/networking time.

Academic Papers
21 certainties, 10 mixed certainties, 10 probable rejections
So - aiming for 20 papers

Workshops

Workshop team (Ian, Matt, Mark) to report on which workshops selected, and whether to run or rerun workshops in parallel with programme, particularly on Day 1 for GeoComm crossover.
Computer labs - Jeremy to check when we have these as vague in contract. We should have:
1 Green Library computer room
2 big lab in Clive granger (this can be split in 2)
3 Small postgrad comp lab
4 Hall of the library
Each is classrooms full of computers which will be ghosted with osgeo live - these can be used for hands-on sessions/workshops
Workshop organisers would potentially be resposible for bringing USB sticks to run OSGeo on.
How much would a usb stick with OSGeo Live and prog cost?  Ian E to investigate making available to all delegates on DVD.

Programme Selection
Stage 1: Selection
Cut 1: Community. Select c 110  based on community rankings. Review those with big disparity with LOC rankings, highlight any candidates for replacement, if low LOC ranking and not strong community ranking (c. 10?)
Cut 2: LOC. Select a further c. 60 based on LOC rankings. Review those with big disparity with community rankings, highlight any candidates for replacement, if low community ranking and not strong LOC ranking (c. 10?)
Cut 3: Community. Review remainder in community ranking order. Highlight any candidates for inclusion based on high community ranking. (c. 10?)
Cut 4: Review duplicate organisations - limit numbers if over-represented or overlapping, taking into account scope of company and likely level of interest. Candidates for replacement (if any) taken out where appropriate. If overlapping, ask company to consider merging or choosing from a pair of papers.
Cut 5: Review duplicate authors (including single author with multiple organisation) - no more than 2 or max 3 per author. Limit number if over-represented or overlapping. If overlapping, ask company to consider merging or choosing from a pair of papers.

Result: 173 papers, down to 169 when merge/choose requests are taken into account.

Stage 2: Classification
Add up to four tags per paper, based on extendible list. Tags should reflect delegate profiles (eg developer, user, newbie, business).

Tagged version of programme is here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmwShPAd7pU4dF9acXRCbFNMNWpJamFuZ3R1UHFzeFE

Stage 3: Late submissions
Consider and include any strong candidates in programme or on reserve list.

Stage 4: Applause and coffee

Stage 5: Contact authors
Accepted/rejected: let them know
Reserves: let them know, and ask them to let us know if they don't want to be on list.

Stage 6: Streaming (to be done)
Using the tags, derive streams/themes, balance and rebalance programme. Publish classified programme on website (format to be decided, not necessarily yet in final programme format, ie with days and timings).

Stage 7: Programme (to be done)
Finalise programme, with streams, themes, slots.

Legacy
Legacy discussion - documented on separate page [link]

• pledges - log on website?
  
• gathering (early in conference) for UK chapter
• future of OSGIS UK
• talk to OSGeo board
• percentage of surplus to be retained to support future conferences
• 2014 conference in Nottingham, but run by OSGeo UK?

Academic Track
Selection/notification should be completed by 1 May. Expected to be around 20 papers.

Workshops
Matt, Ian, Mark have reviewed and scored workshops (60 proposals). 4 or 5 rooms. 1 or 2 days? Decision needed by Monday at the latest (hopefully Friday). Could run or re-run workshops on conference day 1 (Thursday), but not during the plenary.

Entertainment
Weds night - Ice breaker. On site, 200-300, in halls. Registered. Addy/Jo
EMCC are holding the Atrium for drinks for ~150. Could also use the theatre with the seats back, have a rolling buffet. But


Thurs night - Gala night - Nerds: in GeoCamp included in price, 800. Drinks tickets in delegate pack, 1 or 2 drinks. £35 per head.  Barry/Antony/Matt

Friday night - 2 or three optional events with sign-up system, no financial commitment, some provision in halls for those not going out. No registration. Caves? Dogs? Jeremy/Mark

Saturday Closing Party - 200-300? GeoCamp (or smaller depending on numbers). Registered. Mark/Ian H

Plan needed for each evening by 31 May (for team call) - incl catering, budget proposals, logistics (stage, PA etc).

Hackathon
Eventbrite up to date - 10 Tue to 4 Wed. Wifi etc looking good. Planning in Met Office is in early stages, but should move quicker completion of Met Office hackathon last weekend.
Themes - hackathon team getting involved, themes need to be agreed. It will be important to reconcile Met Office and FOSS4G objectives, and to describe theme in such a way as to be acceptable to all parties. Something around ecosystems, climate change. Problem statements can be developed later.
NB Design/presentation skills also needed.
Website and Eventbrite to be updated asap - we can now declare Met Office sponsorship (but note it's a FOSS4G hack sponsored by the Met Office).
Numbers are very open, but 100 - 200 would be realistic.
Meeting with Met Office 4pm to discuss.

Code Sprints
On Sunday.
Assign organisation to Matt - decide what is needed, update wiki with sign up page, post on lists etc etc.

Lightning Talks
Suggest that we have 'unconference' sessions as alternative. Maybe alongside 'semi-plenary' sessions, or as separate stream. Look for volunteers outside LOC to organise.

Birds of a Feather
We make available space, minimal low-tech proposing and sign up system.
Breakfast time Friday and Sat (7.30 - 9), in halls only.
Evenings Friday and Sat (6-7), in GeoCamp?

Chapters
Space needed for chapters to self-organise. Then pick up on Twitter, website, etc etc.
Timeslot needed for 'Meet the Local Chapters' event, as early in programme as possible. Ian E to reach out to local chapters, and also ask them to publicise the event.

Other Programme Stuff
We need slots for the following - and agree these with the relevant people who will fill them:

• AGM
• Sol Katz award (Jo to follow up)
  
• WFS shootout (Jo to follow up)
  
• Met Office hackathon award
• Pledges
• Naomi of the logo - will she be there? Prize needed. Barry to contact. [done - and?}
  
• Credits to open source projects used in conference, eg WordPress etc.
• Final plenary roundup conference highlights - Steven? Stream Chairs?
• Recruit photographers and video people to document for background - Nottingham Uni students? Mark/Suchith? eg time lapse on tent erection, delegates arriving, etc etc. Create video for final sessions, together with soundtrack on 'free/freedom'.
  

Stream Chairs

• Must be delegates.
• Room monitoring - policing start and end, handovers, presentations on machines, manage questions etc.
• Ask each chair to send 5 key takeaway points at end of session for wrap up session
• c. 48 needed
  

Marketing Material - Venue

• Outside 'whippy' banners would be good - eg one for FOSS4G, one for OSGeo, eg http://www.thebannerflagpeople.co.uk/
• Popup banners with sponsors
• Can be bought cheaply (eg http://www.banners.oriengroup.co.uk/)
  
• Popups for stages (mostly to be supplied by sponsors)
  
• Most signage can be printed out. Suchith or Claire to see if they can  organise printer.
• AGI should have laminator
• Discussion with OSGeo needed to discuss whether generic reusable material can be commissioned - raise with Peter B (Steven)

Conference Printed Programme

• Programme with titles, presenters and QR codes linking to website
  
• Sponsors
• Maps (rooms, sites, Nottingham)
  
• Help needed with design and layout, printing commissioning etc. William Allbrook? Steven to contact to get an idea of price
  
• Otherwise Barend/Ian might tackle
  
• Printing should be less than £1k, see eg http://www.saxoprint.co.uk/ (£440 for 16 pages), or Lulu
  

Conference Clipboard

• Instead of a conference bag
• Sponsors printed on the back
• Comms Group to investigate

Badges

• Lanyards with plastic envelopes, prob larger than credit card
• Badges can be printed with colour coding

Memory Sticks/DVDs

• No memory sticks required
• OSGeo Live DVDs will be provided (sleeve in clipboard)
  

FOSS4G Presentation Templates

• Needed for LOC presentations

• Screen saver
• Include logo, sponsors, etc
• Multiple formats
  
• Steven needs slides with LOC photos and company logos
  

• Comms group to produce
  

Advertising

• AGI will do mailshot - Antony to give HTML email to Claire
• Give copy to Steven to send to sponsors to send to their clients

T Shirts

• Free to delegates
• Design needed
• Competition on website/lists - only three colours, simple design, light colours: really? Don't we have a competition winner for the Logo?
  
• Comms Group to organise
• Small number of Maptember T shirts too - for prizes (eg to be given out in final roundup plenary) etc Barry to organise printing
  

Logistics

• Assume people will use their own laptops
• Can send presentation (by deadline) for use on our machine
  
• Stack of adaptors needed in each room
• Volunteers in each room (including eg bursary holders), c. 48
• Registration volunteers needed too, and 'helpers'
• Conference office needed Claire

Volunteer Recruitment

• Call for volunteers - on website and include original pledgers - ie non-students. This can go out now.
  
• Include bursary holders
• Student volunteers - give day pass in return for half day miking. Wait until after early bird to issue call. Addy has list of all MSc GIS courses.

LOC Attendance

• Sign up sheet for LOC attendance before/during conference (all to sign up to Doodle from Steven)

Charities

• No delegate discount
• No sponsor discount
• MapAction - OK to keep table, commitment needed to provide volunteers. Antony to talk to MapAction