[HacktionLab] The 2019 Barncamp Inquiry ENDS

Ben Green ben at bristolwireless.net
Wed Nov 6 20:21:54 UTC 2019


Is it OK to add this to the inquiry wiki page?



Quoting Michael Reinsborough <m.reinsborough at qub.ac.uk>:

> As long as there is still comments on this topic I’ll chip in.  I  
> always thought Barncamp was great fun and that brings some people-  
> but for me there are lots of techie camps so Barncamp when it  
> reaches out to more than techies is more valuable.  Being able to  
> invite other people and having something useful for them – lots of  
> new people workshops, basic security workshops, political workshops  
> that aren’t directly about techie stuff, how do we support movements  
> more broadly (I’m thinking of some of the work in the past like Tech  
> Tools for Activists, or linking with mobilizations, etc) were what  
> made Barncamp different.  The original hacktionlab event and several  
> after that had this emphasis.  How the movement uses tech has  
> changed now (for better or for worse) so I’m not certain how we are  
> linked-in now in the same way.  Getting the non-techie activist  
> world involved takes a lot more early-planning and inviting, not  
> last minute invite to go to the Wye Valley.  I wonder if some low  
> difficulty to organize small events- a hacktionlab in a local city  
> that has at least one introductory workshop (security for activists  
> for example) advertised in the local scene and a discussion more  
> broad about the role of tech in our movements would be an easier way  
> to build up some momentum, maybe another one to happen a couple of  
> months later in another city.  Help link the activist techie  
> community to the broader activist community and give a bit more  
> feedback on what the role is for hacktionlab now.  Barncamp might  
> come out as a priority, or it might not, but a Saturday with a  
> discussion hour and one or two workshops is a lower bar to get  
> things going and bring a few people together.
>   Just a thought,
> Regards, michael
> And ps, good work on effort to organize this summer and also quite  
> thoughtful to have an inquiry. Sorry I haven’t commented earlier  
> even though I meant to
>
> From: HacktionLab <hacktionlab-bounces at lists.aktivix.org> On Behalf  
> Of Mike Harris
> Sent: 29 October 2019 18:35
> To: hacktionlab at lists.aktivix.org
> Subject: Re: [HacktionLab] The 2019 Barncamp Inquiry ENDS
>
>
> Thanks A,
>
> I think that was a great insight.  Given that I was pretty much the  
> benevolent dictator of BC organisation up until this last year, I  
> think it's absolutely correct.  Effectively I had a van, there was a  
> load of kit in OARC in Oxford, including a great big marquee, I had  
> a load of kit left over from doing the festivals 10 years ago, and  
> as A says, we had all that kit at Bristol Wireless for the same  
> purpose.  A recalls correctly that we went to site before the event,  
> and started organising the year before: one year I remember doing a  
> stall to promote it at the London Anarchist Bookfair in October the  
> year before.  I spent a lot of time on the phone cajoling people  
> into doing things, liaising with the farm, sourcing stuff to do.   
> This role, call it Production Manager, or something like that,   
> along with a close group of people doing specific things, and having  
> face-to-face meetings, and establishing that everything was  
> understood by telephone, not a wiki, mailing list, nor chat channel,  
> and a van load of kit that was at hand to source, I feel is the  
> recipe that made it work, or at least made it work the way it did.
>
> I'm really really grateful to you guys for the attempt to organise  
> it this year and keep BarnCamp alive, and really sorry that it  
> didn't pan out.
>
> My summary of things I think are worth doing to make it work are  
> (reflecting A's email):
>
> * have one or two people that act as Production Manager
>
> * cajole people into doing things in person or on the phone (more  
> powerful and easier to establish what's agreed than electronic  
> methods)
>
> * make sure the kit is at hand
>
> * keep it simple, pair it down
>
> * start as early as possible, like now
>
> * avoid getting distracted by setting up on-line tools to organise  
> with, a piece of paper, or equivalent shared electronically will  
> work better imho
>
> * it's all about people, persuading them to do stuff, and making  
> sure they do do it
>
> * have a plan b
>
> Like A, I'm always available for help, or advice, or tips, for future events.
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Mike.
>
>
>
> On 2019-09-13 15:38, Acesabe wrote:
> Hi BC'ers,
> Sorry not to have been in communication much in recent times, being  
> far away and in little contact with the key BC people since moving  
> to Spain I'm really well out of it now, but just like to comment my  
> 2 cents and encourage you really.
> Having been previously a core person in the first BCs I have a  
> pretty good idea of what went into getting these events off the  
> ground, and it's worth taking into account that *a lot* of the prep  
> and organising work was basically done by one person, much of it  
> well in advance (we did a site visit in ?Jan? one year iirc) and the  
> fact that one person is effectively the *leader* kind of makes  
> things seem easier, translating that into working groups and teams  
> will take a bit of time and practice.
> I think those involved did a great effort in organising the last  
> planned even especially considering how late it was started, which  
> to me would seem to be the key factor in having fallen short this  
> time. Well done all regardless, event organisation is chaotic at the  
>  best of times so...
> For a 2020+ BC, lessons learned, processes improved there should be  
> no reason not to try again, and if anyone is brave/mad enough to  
> take on the role as key player in overseeing it, or make sure there  
> is a core of 2 or 3 people to keep the vehicle on the road, might be  
> an idea.
> Contingency is the other key factor, plan b and c even for all  
> mission critical factors is a must.
> Kit store in closer location makes sense, also reliable transport to  
> get things there and back is essential (MH also had own van  
> remember). We did use a lot of the Bristol Wireless kit too which  
> was convenient but no longer available alas.. (whether "party tent",  
> the white plastic marquee, still lives or not IDK, that was also a  
> BW resource which we got Highbury Farm to "look after")
> Once the ball is rolling, things will just fall into place,  
> especially once there a a few people on-site. A lot of what we did  
> in getting the event started and going was just impro in the days  
> before! Often the tatting down was more tricky as the people  
> vanished Sun night/Monday morning leaving those still there to sort  
> it all out!
> I do hope there will be a next BC and am happy to be contacted in  
> the case of not being sure what or how something was done in case I  
> might know how or who might know etc. Signal chat group or whatever,  
> I'm happy to be in (I am still in the BC IRC chan). Key winning  
> tactic is the old KISS acro is always worth remembering!
> Hope this helps and encourages a bit, and who knows, maybe we will  
> make it over to the next event! Certainly miss it!
> Cheers,
> A
> On Sep 13, 2019, at 14:00,  
> hacktionlab-request at lists.aktivix.org<mailto:hacktionlab-request at lists.aktivix.org>  
> wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. The 2019 Barncamp Inquiry ENDS (Ben Green)
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2019 09:06:51 +0100
> From: Ben Green <ben at bristolwireless.net<mailto:ben at bristolwireless.net>>
> To: hacktionlab at lists.aktivix.org<mailto:hacktionlab at lists.aktivix.org>
> Subject: [HacktionLab] The 2019 Barncamp Inquiry ENDS
> Message-ID:
>   
> <20190913090651.Horde.9rFtL4Y5vQ1lKVbsWNJaVbM at slackmail.co.uk<mailto:20190913090651.Horde.9rFtL4Y5vQ1lKVbsWNJaVbM at slackmail.co.uk>>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed; DelSp=Yes
>
> Hi all,
>
> The Barncamp Inquiry data collection phase is over, and I'm also
> drawing a close to the enquiry in general.
>
> There were three submissions. Read them at:
> https://hacktionlab.org/The_2019_BarnCamp_Inquiry
>
> I don't see that there's much point in collating this since there's
> only three entries. I'll attempt a little write up, but I think it's
> best if now have a meeting to take things forward for next year/
> abandon ship whichever we feel appropriate.
>
> Thanks for participating in this inquiry.
>
> Cheers,
> Ben
>
>
>
>
>
> Quoting Ben Green <ben at bristolwireless.net<mailto:ben at bristolwireless.net>>:
> Hi all,
>
> In order the better understand the issues surrounding the failure of
> BarnCamp 2019, we want to kick off a relatively informal process of
> opinion and perspective gathering, with a strong emphasis on what we
> can do in the future to make our event not just happen, but also
> totally kick ass.
>
> For submissions there are:
>
> * a pad
> * a wiki page
> * my email address
>
> The central information repository will be this page:
>
> https://hacktionlab.org/The_2019_BarnCamp_Inquiry
>
> I'll close this process on Friday 13th September.
>
> If you wish to mail in, mail to  
> ben at bristolwireless.net<mailto:ben at bristolwireless.net> with the
> subject "2019BI". Include a name you wish to be know by. Say if you
> want your comments kept private i.e. not added to the wiki.
>
> Cheers,
> Ben
>
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> End of HacktionLab Digest, Vol 127, Issue 1
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> Mike Harris
> XtreamLab Internet Services Limited
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