:Connecting the Dots

As Scott McLeod points out, not everyone is happy with the arrival of NECC Unplugged at the Blogger’s Cafe.  Havinig spent time in the BC and presented at NECC Unplugged I, too, think the integration of the two could have been handled a little better - or else they should go their separate ways next year.   To begin with, the positioning of the BC at the conference site was great in terms of drawing lots of people from the nearby foot traffic on the concourse.  This was great for getting people involved but boy, did it make it tough to present.  Also, the layout of the space itself made it difficult.  It seemed like the Unplugged presenter was shoe-horned into the corner but the tables and seats were pushed out into the middle of the area.  There was a large gulf between the speaker and the audience, which meant he/she needed a mic and had to speak all the more loudly to engage everyone.  This in turn probably distracted all those who just came to sit quietly and reflect or to share some conversation with a friend in the Cafe.

The solution?  Maybe next year the Unplugged “stage” is placed in a space adjacent to the Cafe, where people can watch and hear what is going on, if they like, but also have the opportunity to do their BC thing in peace.  It’s important that all of those bloggers still have access to the Unplugged content, but they shouldn’t feel like we’ve invaded.