What I’ve been doing
One down, one to go. Except the one down (PAIRS which was a couple of weeks ago and a success by all accounts) is not completely done as I still have all the videos to clip / consent and upload (around 15 hours of recordings) and we’ve now added a rapid-turnaround project which includes two in person events (smaller scale but one includes travel logistics for all attendees from across the country). So maybe more accurate to say…two third of one down and now three to go!
PAIRS - The feedback from both the online and in person sessions has been good. There are things we’d do differently next time (there always are) but the people that attended seem happy with the quality and quantity of input and even a couple of technical hitches (at both events) didn’t distract from the motivating vibe from those that engaged. I’ve started doing the video clipping but need to find more time for that. It’s a tricky thing to create time for as it really needs to be a sole focus job and with lots of other urgent things to be doing it keeps getting pushed. I’ve got a long train journey next week though where I’ll be able to do some even if I can’t then upload them until later. The other ‘lag’ action for PAIRS is processing all the travel bursary reimbursements. This is a time sucking exercise (though very worthwhile to do) particularly as the claims are being paid to individuals across the world - and frankly banks / finance systems don’t make those transactions easy. I understand that they have to protect against fraud and laundering and stuff, but heck - it shouldn’t be so hard to give someone the money they’re owed.
Our conference - now with over 80 people registered and just over a week to go we’re getting deep into logistics. Sorting travel support for those that need it (including booking trains for those that can’t be reimbursed) and wrangling other support costs (and trying to draw a fair and compassionate line on what people want / what we can afford with a balance against how important it is for that person to be in the room). As I’ve previously recorded - the “cost” of public participation sits massively in the “enabling” bucket. If you want the public to be engaging then you have to cover their costs…and with no-one underwriting/subsiding those (i.e. an employer which is the case for most professional attendees) then the costs can stack up.
We shared our Welcome Pack last week. (Here is a link to the one we did for our unconference last year). This is an effort we make for any significant sized event we host to be more inclusive - particularly events that aren’t just professionals attending. It seeks to make the space and the structure feel more familiar for people before they arrive.
What I need to take care of
PAIRS - Finish the reimbursement payments, the video clips and the final Programme Committee meeting (5th March).
Our conference - check and double check the equipment I’m taking and finalise a “task list” for team members so we know what we’re doing on the day. Also must up the number on the table booking for the social dinner the night before.
Students and chatbots - We’ve been sub-commissioned to do another piece of work for DfE - this time around student use of chatbots (for educational purposes). The work has an incredible tight delivery schedule required and we’re running two in person workshops (one for students and one for experts) a matter of days apart in March. There’s the usual venue and refreshments booking to handle for both, plus the students will be supported to attend so I’m booking travel from across the country (and wrangling train timetables to do so effectively).
I’m once again in a state of trying not to book a student to end up at our conference and someone attending our conference to end up at the student workshop. Still I seemed to have managed that for India - to my knowledge no-one turned up there expecting to be in Manchester!
It’s March - and that means end of the financial year. So there’s reconciliation tasks related to that, and then liaising with our accountant for the end of year accounts. It also means we need to start our Annual Report but I can’t see myself starting to pull that together until mid-March at the earlier…although perhaps on the train home from Manchester next week (unless there’s post its to be typing up!)
What I’ve been inspired or challenged or moved by
I am an Olympics fiend so I’ve spent the last few weeks watching as much Winter Olympics as the BBC could broadcast. It really is inspirational although it seems to me that most of the sports are dicing with death the whole time, so I’m not sure I’m inspired to give any of them a go specifically!
What I’ve been reading
My reading for pleasure continues at pace. I’m currently enjoying (although the spoiler of knowing how it ends is a bit of a downer) ‘107 days’ by Kamala Harris. I’ve previously read Obama’s post-presidency book, Michelle Obama’s “Becoming”, Hilary Clinton’s book about losing to Trump, and Nick Clegg’s book about the UK coalition government. Kamala’s (if I may call her that) is by far the most engaging and accessible read (in my humble opinion).
I also recently read this article by a CEO I know about managing the absence of a CEO. I found it interesting not so much in the practical elements of the absence (and returning to work) but how organisations need to structure so that there isn’t reliance on any one individual or role (in case it suddenly, or even planned, isn’t there).