MediaWiki developer meetings/SF Meetup Jan2012 Notes

Things to do:

• Finalize date and time for meetup
• Announce on meetup.com
• Work on program for meetup as well as speakers
• Mail admin for space reservation and logistics including food and drink
• Coordinate with recruiting
• Contact IT about tech support (A/V, recording etc.)

The Wikimedia office can be used for meetups as long as the events are cleared with the office manager well ahead of time for availability.

While each meetup is unique there are some commonalties that make running the event easier.

• Isolate your meetup to one side of the office to minimize traffic and people getting lost
• Post signs to direct traffic effectively
• Either prop or dis arm the external doors for easy bathroom access and entry.
• Pick an area to stash bicycles
• If you need a projector make sure to check one out before the day is over
• If your serving food then make sure the trash cans are clearly marked
• If your going to need white boards clean them in advance

No matter what the size of your meetup having extra staff members is a requirement. Some suggested amounts are

• 1 ~ 20 +1 staff
• 20 ~ 40 +2 staff
• 50+ +3 staff

Alongside this it is also suggested that meetup organizers ( non wmf ) keep a member at the security desk to let people in. This person should post a contact number for the organizers so that further people can be reached ever after the meetup starts.

Not a requirement but events like this are useful for educating our visitors about the Wikimedia foundation. Having annual reports, "welcome to Wikimedia cards" or something else that is easily accessible to people that come to the meet-up.

More Than a Week Prior

• At least 1 week before, the staff representative either responsible for facilitating the event, or the liaison to the outside facilitator needs to inform the Office Manager if refreshments are necessary and if so, off of which budget they should be taken. Poor planning could mean no refreshments on hand for the event or for the staff after the event.
• Identify roles. Possibilities: organizer, host (not necessarily the same person as the organizer!), cleanup

A couple days before the meeting

• Confirm what the set up should be (chairs? whiteboards?)
• Make sure someone will be at the door
• Get the organizer to ensure a guest sign in sheet to know who was here, capture names, emails and phone numbers. Whomever watches the door should make sure everyone signs in. Be prepared to tell attendees what will/will not be done with their contact info.
• An email should go out to the staff to let them know event details, time, duration, number of attendees, and ask them to clean up any stray things on their desk for both a nice looking office that will impress our guests and prevent things from walking away. This should go out 36-48 hours before the event
• Get the organizer to create agenda even if it is loosey-goosey to make sure people are engaged and excited about their time here.
• Create some form of rules sheet for attendees. Something simple that provides the wireless access information, that they should not venture to the North side (the side the Board Meeting is taking place), and that in general they should try to keep their voices at a reasonable level. I would also explain on this where the bathroom is located.
• Roll some white boards to the lobby to block off the Board meeting so there is little distraction to them the end of the day Friday.

The day of the meeting

• Make signs. (bathrooms, signs for entrance, etc)
• Signs should be printed and posted at lobby reception desk (not the window for all to see) and in the elevators. There should also be a sign welcoming them on the front door. Something along the lines of SF Wiki Meet-up This Way --> and Knock Here for the SF Wiki Meet-up.
• Do a walk-through of the office to make sure nothing inappropriate/confidential is out.
• Set up the office as needed (chairs, tables, whiteboards)

After the meeting

• Walk through and make sure the office looks decent and chairs are returned to desks.
• Be the last one out.
• Capture the guest list somehow (?)