This year’s Spring VON features an un-conference during the innovator’s track. To prepare for it, we’re having a conference call to get an agenda skeleton together and get the conversation going. Alec Saunders, Brough Turner, Bill Kelly and Carl Ford and I will be there, along with you – I hope. If you’d like to attend, sign up. We’re also putting some thoughts together on our wiki. The un-conference is open to all delegates and speakers; exhibit only attendees can attend for a small fee.

You might be asking yourself what the difference between a conference and an un-conference is…

• At a conference, conversations are typically one way : the speaker speaks and the audience listens. At an un-conference, audience members are expected to participate and help lead discussions.
• At a conference, the agenda is set before the event, and typically negotiated between show producers, sponsors and industry experts. At an un-confernece, the agenda is set by the audience the day of the event.
• At a conference, the focus is on the sponsors and vendors. At an un-conference, the focus is on the individual attending the event.

We’re making personal invitations (which are being accepted) to all of the speakers and dignitaries of the VON show to attend our un-conference. If you’re interested in spending a few hours with dozens of people who make me think for weeks after the verbal conversation ends, come on in – the water’s fine.