About a month ago, I had the privilege to not only participate, but also help organize a global conference on a local level. It was an invaluable learning experience for me. I made new contacts, gained new skills and helped produce an event that would best be described as a success.
Takeaways:
Weekly meetings keep the group on track.
Always communicate with the group so everyone is on the same page.
If you think you are planning early enough, you probably are not. Work ahead of schedule.
Holidays and time off make keeping things moving difficult.
Anticipate problem and plan for them in advance.
Secure the venue ASAP because so many other factors are determined by booking the venue.
Organizing an event like WIAD taught me the value of collaboration and team work.
World IA Day is about bringing the information architecture community together. Los Angeles was selected to participate in this global event that took place in 24 cities, 15 countries, spanning 6 continents. Our local event hosted over 170 attendees, and there were nearly 3,000 participants globally, all one the same day!
My role as Project Manager is the overall responsibility for the successful planning, execution, monitoring, control and organizing teams and over 30 volunteers, participating in the development of this conference. http://worldiaday.org.
As the part of Project Manager for WIAD, I organized the Los Angeles chapter of the world-wide event. Groups post notes as part of a brainstorming session.
Jennifer Blatz explores the world of UX through words and imagery
