SDN and Future Service Design Network Conferences

11 Comments

  • Arne van Oosterom - 14 years ago

    Adam!

    I agree. It's a big job organizing a conference and the SDN team deserves a lot of credit for delivering another Service Design conference. I was part of the sdnc10 team, but was unable to get things moving another direction without causing major problems for the team. And I was not willing to do so. The ship had sailed. I (still) am a SDN member but, like you said, it's not my baby either.

    Maybe #sdnc11

    Let's get together soon to talk about The Other Thing :-))

    Best,
    Arne

  • Adam Lawrence - 14 years ago

    Arne!

    I agree that a service design conference should be a great service in itself. And I agree that sdnc10 seems rather traditional in form. On the other hand, this is not "my baby". Birgit and her crew have done the hard leg work, and while I - as a customer - am happy to chip in with suggestions, ideas and even the odd (ahem!) complaint, I don't feel I have the right to turn it on its head. I'm not even an SDN member...

    On the other hand - if you want to work on another conference, or on the whole concept of conferences, I'm right on board and I've got some very concrete ideas. Or if you get the mandate to design sdnc11, call me and I'll be there helping out.

    But sdnc10 is already well on it's way, and only a few minor course corrections are possible. All I can do there is voice my input, cross my fingers, wish the team well, do my part wherever I can, and enjoy the conference. :)

    All the best and thanks for the discussion!

    Adam

    PS we still need to talk about the Other Thing. :)

  • Arne van Oosterom - 14 years ago

    Adam!

    I think we should rethink the whole conference model. It's and 'old world' solution.
    And if one community can re-design the conference model it is this community. I'm sure you yourself are full of brilliant ideas to change it, SDN should have the balls to use this energy.

    Let's get rid of this stupid and pointless "Look at us! We are important. We have our own conference" nonsense.

    Why does SDN wants to become the new DMI...?!?! We already have so many of them as it is.
    Lets at least try and be original, inspirational and exiting!!

    Arne

  • Adam Lawrence - 14 years ago

    Arne!
    What about a middle option which I have seen at several conferences: discounts for presenters?
    Adam

  • Arne van Oosterom - 14 years ago

    Hi Martin,

    I agree. I added this to the poll.
    I think in future these discussions should be held in the open and a lot sooner. This way we can solve any financial issues and other problems together.

    Best,
    Arne

  • Martin Beyerle - 14 years ago

    Dear all, Birgit and Arne,

    happy to see there is this interesting and open discussion going on. One thing i would like to add. Great that Keynote Speakers don´t have to pay entrance. But why isn´t there at least a reduction for the people putting a lot of effort in making the conference interactive and successful, as other speakers, people giving workshops and doing interventions? This is a common thing in other conferences.
    I am wondering why there is this huge discrepancy between keynote speakers and other speakers/contributors- paying nothing vs. full price.

    Cheers,
    Martin

  • Arne van Oosterom - 14 years ago

    Birgit,

    So Keynote speakers do not have to pay the entrance fee?
    Than that has been a big an misunderstanding indeed!!! But very good news I would say :-))

    I do think you are mistaken about the influence of Touchpoint and The Guardian and the long term value of those (costly) activities. I think we have a fundamental disagreement about such matters.
    But maybe my goals, as an business owner, are simply different than yours being from the academic world. I realize I might be mixing up these things a bit...

    But I do think SDN should use the "new marketing" route and focus on 'community building' and co-creating value with the members. And I don't just mean a community for current SDN members.
    There are lots of other opportunities.

    Cheers,
    Arne

  • Birgit Mager - 14 years ago

    Arne,

    I do absolutly agree on the Keynotes - they should not have to pay. If there were misunderstandings I am sorry about it.
    Regarding the benefit you get out of the network... there is sure more then then the logo, I just mention Touchpoint, The Guardian supplement or the conferences that raised a lot of attention for Service Design in the last year. We could do more and we are working hard - and we will continue.

  • Arne van Oosterom - 14 years ago

    Hi Birgit,

    This poll is set up after a lot of discussion online. I thought it would be good to make it more visible, so you and SDN knows it is taking place. This way there is something to build on.

    My personal opinion: SDNC Berlin should have been very accessible and cheap. The prices are way too high, Keynotes should never pay and members should more for their 500 euro annual fee. Now we just get our logo on a website.

    Cheers,
    Arne

  • Birgit Mager - 14 years ago

    Dear all.
    The conference planning board is an international group of 6 great Service Designers from all over Europe. Arne was part of it and withdrew without naming any specific reasons.
    The program has been put together from the group, after we had opend many blogs and discussions on wenowsky, on the sdn-site and we had a call for papers. We had amazing 90 contributions to our call.
    Regarding Arnes Poll: The members day is for free, just as the Service Design Reception on Wednesday evening and the Members receptions on Thursday evening.
    Students registration will be opened today or tomorrow, the 2-day preconference student workshop will open registration on Monday. The prices are really low.
    The finance of SDN is transparent. At the Madeira Members Day it was presented and the presentation can be found with the other confeerence persentations on our web site. On the Berlin Members Day the financial report will of course be given again.
    Arne, I really respect your engagement - and I am also engaged and moving things for Service Design Community. There are different ways to do things - and they have their benefits. SO I am looking forward to another great conference in Berlin. By the way - Boston on 29th of October is also an option!

  • Arne van Oosterom - 14 years ago

    MANIFESTO

    We are an amazing community with wonderful and talented people. We owe it to ourselves to try and be the best damn service design organisation around.

    So I thought we could start this Poll as the next iteration of our ongoing conversation and use it to create some kind of organically growing manifesto.

    But basically I think we need to practice what we preach. This might not always be easy, but there is no excuse not to try and keep trying.

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