I always hesitate to say “Online conference” since I think the biggest mistake many make right now is to take their existing in-person event and shift it to an online event without taking into account things like speaker time zones, “Zoom fatigue”, the lobby experience, etc.
Take a break
While still very much in flux, part my goal with 360|iDev Online is to be as approachable as we are in person. That means lots of time and space to not be “on”. Whether that’s going to a breakout space to watch other attendees show off their pets, or a breakout room with a loop of chill music playing.
Connecting
The other thing I want to make as easy and welcoming as possible is engaging with each other. We have the attendee Slack as always, but within the event platform (Hopin.to) you can form small groups and have private chats. Not the same as retreating to the hotel lobby to sit down for a chat, but close.
More Freedom
Sitting at your desk (or on your couch) to participate in 360|iDev Online gives you a lot of options. We’ve staggered the days to be as time zone friendly (while still centering on Mountain time, sorry) as possible not just for attendees for but presenters.
You’ll also be able to slip out of a session that isn’t for you much easier. Maybe you just need a break, or the topic isn’t what you expected, just change ‘spaces’ and visit a sponsor section, or one of the side sessions.
A replacement for In-Person?
No. I don’t think so at least. While I think it opens some awesome doors, it also closes some. I’m excited to do 360|iDev (and my other events) online this year, because that’s the reality of 2020, but we’ll see what 2021 holds.
That said, I look forward to seeing you all this August for 360|iDev Online. Grab your tickets now, support the community, support indie conferences, and learn from amazing world-wide experts.