# Unconference  URL:: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference Author:: wikipedia.org ## AI-Generated Summary An unconference is a participant-driven meeting that aims to avoid the hierarchical aspects of a traditional conference. It originated from gatherings in the 1800s that emphasized informal connections over formal speeches. The term "unconference" was first used in 1998 and has since been popularized by events like FooCamp and BarCamp. At an unconference, the agenda is created by the attendees, who can initiate discussions on topics of interest. Unconferences are particularly useful when participants have a high level of expertise in the field being discussed. Various facilitation styles can be used, such as open space technology and lightning talks. ## Highlights > An **unconference** is a participant-driven meeting. The term "unconference" has been applied, or self-applied, to a wide range of gatherings that try to avoid hierarchical aspects of a conventional [conference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference), such as sponsored presentations and [top-down](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/top-down) organization.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference#cite_note-Atk-1)[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference#cite_note-2) ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977cas6vbmag4qhw8tkstj)) > Unconferences often use variations on [Open Space Technology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology), the format/method developed by Harrison Owen in 1985. Owen's 1993 book *Open Space Technology: a User's Guide* discussed many of the techniques now associated with unconferences, although his book does not use that term. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977h9e7z06weqbkc3qa49r)) > Typically at an unconference, the agenda is created by the attendees at the beginning of the meeting. Anyone who wants to initiate a discussion on a topic can claim a time and a space. Some unconference sessions (for example at FooCamp or BarCamp) are led by the participant who suggested its topic; other unconference sessions are basically open discussions of the session topic. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977tq2dqp36hdk2s407k3x)) > An "unconference" is particularly useful when participants generally have a high level of expertise or knowledge in the field the conference convenes to discuss. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977vz31brbg1q6dp03x40j)) > Facilitation styles > An unconference can be conducted using a number of facilitation styles. Some of these are: > • [Birds of a feather](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birds_of_a_feather_(computing)) > • [Dotmocracy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dotmocracy) > • [Fishbowl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishbowl_(conversation)) > • [Ignite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignite_(event)) > • [Lightning talks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_talk) > • [Open Space Technology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology) > • [PechaKucha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PechaKucha) > • [Speed geeking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_geeking) > • [World café (conversation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_caf%C3%A9_(conversation)) ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn9780xzhxdvz3e688s6c046)) --- Title: Unconference Author: wikipedia.org Tags: readwise, articles date: 2024-01-30 --- # Unconference  URL:: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference Author:: wikipedia.org ## AI-Generated Summary An unconference is a participant-driven meeting that aims to avoid the hierarchical aspects of a traditional conference. It originated from gatherings in the 1800s that emphasized informal connections over formal speeches. The term "unconference" was first used in 1998 and has since been popularized by events like FooCamp and BarCamp. At an unconference, the agenda is created by the attendees, who can initiate discussions on topics of interest. Unconferences are particularly useful when participants have a high level of expertise in the field being discussed. Various facilitation styles can be used, such as open space technology and lightning talks. ## Highlights > An **unconference** is a participant-driven meeting. The term "unconference" has been applied, or self-applied, to a wide range of gatherings that try to avoid hierarchical aspects of a conventional [conference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference), such as sponsored presentations and [top-down](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/top-down) organization.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference#cite_note-Atk-1)[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference#cite_note-2) ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977cas6vbmag4qhw8tkstj)) > Unconferences often use variations on [Open Space Technology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology), the format/method developed by Harrison Owen in 1985. Owen's 1993 book *Open Space Technology: a User's Guide* discussed many of the techniques now associated with unconferences, although his book does not use that term. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977h9e7z06weqbkc3qa49r)) > Typically at an unconference, the agenda is created by the attendees at the beginning of the meeting. Anyone who wants to initiate a discussion on a topic can claim a time and a space. Some unconference sessions (for example at FooCamp or BarCamp) are led by the participant who suggested its topic; other unconference sessions are basically open discussions of the session topic. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977tq2dqp36hdk2s407k3x)) > An "unconference" is particularly useful when participants generally have a high level of expertise or knowledge in the field the conference convenes to discuss. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn977vz31brbg1q6dp03x40j)) > Facilitation styles > An unconference can be conducted using a number of facilitation styles. Some of these are: > • [Birds of a feather](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birds_of_a_feather_(computing)) > • [Dotmocracy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dotmocracy) > • [Fishbowl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishbowl_(conversation)) > • [Ignite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignite_(event)) > • [Lightning talks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_talk) > • [Open Space Technology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology) > • [PechaKucha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PechaKucha) > • [Speed geeking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_geeking) > • [World café (conversation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_caf%C3%A9_(conversation)) ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hn9780xzhxdvz3e688s6c046))