Terence Edenโs BlogA love-letter to OpenDataCamp #odcamp
https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2018/11/a-love-letter-to-opendatacamp-odcap/
Last week I took an all-too-short visit to Aberdeen for Open Data Camp 6. A two-day unconference looking at Open Data from an international perspective. What works, what doesn't, how we can do better, and what exciting things are coming up.
I was mostly there for work - but managed to spend some time talking about our personal project OpenBenches. Here's a brief run down of what I loved, and what could have gone slightly better.
Love
Scotland! It is so nice to attend an event outside of London! Kudos to the team for not just falling back on yet-another Central London conference venue. Also meant I got to try the Scots delicacy known as Butteries.
Terence Eden is on Mastodon
@edent
Tried butteries for the first time. Love them! #odcamp โค๏ธ 7๐ฌ 0๐ 012:05 - Sat 03 November 2018Diversity of voices. People from all over the world came - although curiously few from Scottish government bodies. Lots of students and people new to the Open Data world. Great to hear so many new and different voices.
Quality of discussion was high - as was attendance over both days. Usually there's a substantial drop-off on the 2nd day. I suspect that's partly because lots of people were away from home.
Lots of people were interested in the OpenBenches story. We discussed how it was set up, organised, and run. Is there a future for it? Will we need funding?
Ian Watt
@watty62
Having heard about @openbenches from @edent and @summerbethat #odcamp this weekend, I have just added my first four #Aberdeen benches, including this great one:openbenches.org/bench/9621/openbenches.org
The Cloche Boys - Nov 3 1953 In Penance For A Das
The Cloche Boys - Nov 3 1953 In Penance For A Das
Beck Strickland
@BeckStrickland
Ajudication please @edent & @summerbethBench in a pub, yes or no? #openbenches #odcamp pic.x.com/3MGDmAnss3 โค๏ธ 2๐ฌ 1๐ 017:34 - Sun 04 November 2018
Room for improvement
Some of the conversation was... forthright. That's a polite way of saying that some people were over-eager to voice their displeasure at other attendee's opinions.
It is understandable that data formats arouse such passions - but it's quite intimidating if you're new to the scene, and especially off-putting if you don't know the history behind the people, their relationship, and their arguments. My wife has already written about this.
Surprisingly few women turned up. Something the team are looking into.
And, as ever, too many good conversations happening at once.
Liz Eden
@summerbeth
The problem with multi - track unconferences like #odcamp is missing great sessions due to clashes. I could have used Hermione Granger's Time Turner yesterday. โค๏ธ 6๐ฌ 0๐ 010:19 - Sun 04 November 2018Where next
Open Data Camp is marvellous because it is always somewhere interesting - and that's the best way to attract new people to the cause.
If you're interested in hosting it - visit https://www.odcamp.uk/odcamp-hosting-guidance/
A love-letter to OpenDataCamp #odcamp
Last week I took an all-too-short visit to Aberdeen for Open Data Camp 6. A two-day unconference looking at Open Data from an international perspective. What works, what doesn't, how we can do better, and what exciting things are coming up. I was mostly there for work - but managed to spend some time talking about our personal project OpenBenches. Here's a brief run down of what I loved, andโฆ
Mike Rose
James Arthur Cattell
Alaric Snell-Pym
Myles Lewando