Conference User Stories

userstories.md

Conference User Stories

I want to gather user stories useful for running a conference (see linked blog post for more context).

Would you like to contribute? Please add a comment. This list is in no way exhaustive!

No guarantee that they'll be used, but all input is appreciated!

A common "template" is As a X, I want Y, so that Z, but use whatever feels most appropriate.

(Note that GitHub doesn't notify on Gist comments - mention me / ping me on Twitter if you want me!)

• As an attendee with special dietary requirements, I want any specially prepared food to be set aside so that it isn't taken by others who simply like the look of it

• As an attendee, I'd like a floor plan so I can easily navigate the venue.
• As a volunteer, I'd like to know with at least a days notice what I'll be doing.
• As a volunteer, I'd like to know with at least a days notice where I should go for the job I've been assigned.
• As a volunteer, I'd like to know with at least a days notice who is in charge of my job group and how to contact them.

• As a speaker I would like a short opportunity to try the A/V system before I have to actually give a talk on it.
• As a speaker I would like not to pay for my ticket given that I'm already paying with significantly more time than the ticket costs.
• As an attendee who has difficulty approaching strangers, I would like props or rules or [insert your idea here] to help get the most out of the hallway track (Note: This is especially important for people who are outside of the normal tech social network and thus don't know many people at the conference).
• As an attendee, but especially as a speaker, I would like moderators to shut down audience members who try to use question time as an opportunity to grandstand their opinions thinly veiled as questions.

• As an attendee who is shy about public speaking, I would like a less intimidating way to get started at it than having to stand up in front of literally the entire conference under tight time pressure.
• As a speaker I would like talk moderators to have had some minimal training in how to moderate so they know how to handle bad questions, introduce a speaker, etc.
• As an attendee I would love you forever if there were actually good coffee. Please?

• As an attendee who is not comfortable with alcohol, I would like there to be either a primary or alternative evening social which is alcohol free
• As an attendee who is comfortable with alcohol but hates beer and wine, I would like explicit permission to bring my own drinks.
• As an attendee, I would like there to be up front explicit announcements about the code of conduct + advice on what to do if it's violated rather than just rely on people having read it on the website.
• As an attendee, I would like there to be a lot of easy to access power sockets for the inevitably required charging of devices.
• As an attendee I would like there to be a publicized and suitably short official conference hashtag.

Massive thanks to everyone who's contributed so far, I really appreciate it! Some really great stuff in here I'd never have even considered - thank you all very much!

As an attendee, I want stickers!

@JesusLeon Can you help me understand why please? Is it to give to other people? Is it so you can contribute to the event by advertising? Is it for signalling awesomeness / group membership? Am I totally off-base? (Stickers have never really appealed to me, so I'd love to understand the desire more - cheers!)

• as an attendee, I require a CoC being in place, so all my friends feel safe to attend
• as a speaker, I want a separate quiet room to prepare or just relax (Green Room at PyCon)
• as an attendee, I want useful WiFi especially when I’m abroad, so I have a chance to stay connected
• as an attendee, I would really like good coffee for once (EP 2014 showed it’s possible!)
• as a speaker, I want to be able to check the equipment as early as possible & the tech crew participate (it happened once that the beamer worked but I had to fiddle with the resolution mid-talk of it because they had problems with capturing)
• as a speaker, I want clear & authoritative communication about my time slot well in advance, so I don’t have bad surprises on the day of my talk or even in the middle of my talk
• as a speaker, I want support by the session chair when I declare that I do not want to take questions
• as an attendee, I would like the organizers to not only pander to veg*ans but also low-carb/paleo

• As a conference attendee who is more interested in the speaker's opinions, I would prefer no questions after talks as they encourage some of the more toxic aspects of conferences.
• As a conference attendee who is interested in genuine discussion, I would prefer open discussion tracks after talks, so that speakers and engaged attendees can interact in a context that promotes discussion and learning rather than grandstanding and 'well-actually'.
• As a massive fat bastard, I would really like conferences to take t-shirt sizes in advance for specific attendees and therefore be able to offer the more uncommon/extreme sizes (both large and small) to the specific people who need them.
• As a picky eater, I need conferences to have alternative options for lunch nearby that I can use to ensure I get something to eat.
• As a Scot, I like it when there's Irn Bru.

• As a session chair I'd like to organise with speakers whether they want questions during, after or not at all before the talk so I can handle them appropriately and make the speaker's wish known to attendees
• As an attendee I'd like finer controls on what information is sent to me so that I know I won't miss what's important (e.g. able to opt out of newsletters/ "it's X days until event" but still get emails on schedule changes)
• As an organiser I'd like volunteers to be punctual and prepared for things they agree to do so that they can be carried out on time
• As an attendee I'd like to know where my money is going so that I know speakers/helpers are being treated fairly

• As a speaker, I want feedback collected from attendees of my talk, so I can improve my speaking in future
• As a conference organiser, I want feedback collected from attendees of all talks, so I can improve the selection of talks in future
• As a speaker and organiser, I want attendees to be actively prompted to give feedback (e.g. a bucket and paper somewhere very obvious, with a big sign) to help get feedback from a representative sample
• As a speaker and organizer, I'd like feedback collected from attendees to be done somewhere outside the room, so they don't feel like they're being watched, so that feedback is accurate
• As a speaker, I'd like a fallback laptop to be easily available and already tested with the AV system, in case of technical issues/laptop failure/other speaker panic-inducing disasters.
• As a speaker, I'd like a separate organiser/speaker-only wifi, so the key demo I'm giving that needs internet access still works when the huge number of attendee connections inevitably breaks the standard wifi
• As a speaker, I'd like information on the typical/likely background of conference attendees, so I can tailor my talk appropriately
• As a speaker, I'd like sufficient change over time (10 minutes, say) to left between session, so I don't have to run around or get stressed trying to get hooked up in the 20 seconds before I'm due to start.

• As an exhibitor, I would like the ability to scan names badges, if possible, please
• As a delegate, I would like lightning talks hosted in one of the rooms and not in a break-out area
• As an exhibitor, I would like breaks that are at least 15 mins since conversation time is important to me
• As a delegate, I would like standing room at the back of the rooms, please, in case the session is full when I get there
• As an organiser, I would like the AV set-up to be completed the night before, if possible, to avoid any last minute problems with the set-up
• As an organiser, I would like aircon that can prevent a room turning into a furnace (or at least some decent fans)
• As an organiser, I would like a mechanism by which anyone who is not able to turn-up on the day can inform the organisers so that their tickets can be requisitioned
• As an organiser, I would like unlimited tea and coffee in the breaks i.e. hot water refills as necessary to avoid people missing out
• As a caterer, I only need to serve high-value items; the rest can be self-serve
• As a chairperson, I would like an AV briefing from the AV installer on the morning of the event
• As a chairperson, I would like to know the OS and AV connectivity of each speaker’s laptop before the event so I can plan accordingly
• As a chairperson, I would like a clear briefing for speakers with direction to take questions by mic only if in a large room
• As an organiser, I would like an attentive AV technician, who is aware of all key timings on the day
• As an organiser, I would like speakers to fill their allotted time to prevent people creating noise whilst other sessions are still ongoing
• As a delegate, I would like talk titles that actually reflect the content of the talk
• As a delegate, I would like to use a speaker feedback app, not paper forms
• As a (silver) sponsor, I would like at least three free tickets ;)

As an attendee, I would like a quiet room, so there's somewhere I can have a peaceful undisturbed break from a busy event

• As an attendee, I'd like talks to be clearly labelled with the level of knowledge for which they are suitable
• As an attendee, I'd like healthy food to be available so I don't feel ill and bloated by the end of the conference
• As a speaker, I'd like it to be clearly stated on the CFP that it is OK not to do "live" Q&A at the end

As conference organizer and attendee I don’t want to have any swag anymore. Probably it would be a cool way to ask attendees during ticket purchase if they want to get a bag or not. That way you offer it but people must opt-in for it. And don’t put unnecessary stuff in there. And as an organizer, please don’t order more stuff than you have attendees. Order less!

I just cleaned my room today and recognized I won’t ever need another pencil or ball pen in my life. Not to talk of linen bags, stickers, memo pads. I even have too many t-shirts from conferences I never wear. We as organizers should be more responsible with waste.

• As an attendee I would like a backchannel to discuss a talk during the session
• As an attendee which dislikes public speaking I would like a place to ask questions without having to stand up and use a microphone
• As a session chair I would like a place to collate questions for the speaker, ideally alongside audience interest in questions
• As an attendee/chair/speaker/literally anyone I would like to hear questions and not opinions during the questions portion of a talk
• As an attendee I would like an optional, randomly assigned seated dinner on one night of the conference to help me meet new people

• As a conference treasurer I want a ticketing system that pays straight away (like tito and not like eventbrite) so I have nice cash-flow management

(From feedback today)

As a vegan
I want vegan food
So that I get food like everyone else

As a conference attendeee
I want healthy food not just junk available
So that I can eat healthily

As a attendee on a budget
I want the conference to provide breakfast
So that I do not have to pay extorniate amounts for breakfast to hotels

As a general attendee
As a attendee on a budget
I want amazing talks
So that value for money is justifiable to family...

As a general attendee
I want to see people names
So that I don't have to talk to them
So that I know I can talk to them

As a general attendee
I want name tags to be clear and readable
So that I know who I'm talking to.

As a general attendee
I want signs saying where things are
So that I know where I am
So that what talks are on

As a general attendee
I want maps
So that I know what's where

As a general attendee
I want decent wifi signage AND wifi coverage
So that I can connect to the internet

As a parent
I want my child to attend a kids track
So that they can have pycon experience themselves

As a Evil Genius Dictator
I want other peoples child to attend a kids track
So that I can have minions in future

As a general attendee
I want kids track
So that I can think we're doing Good Stuff

As someone with lots of interests
I want more time to switch between rooms
So that I can see the variety of talks I want to see without missing beginnings etc

As someone with lots of interests
I want the talk tracks be scheduled such that switching is possible
So that I can easily move between different tracks

Some we came up with in response to user feedback from PyCon UK 2015 during the wash-up meeting:

As an attendee of the AGM,
I would like the meeting to be well-regulated and chaired,
so that it stays on-topic and focussed and concise

As a session chair,
I want a clear idea of what my role is
so I can do it effectively

As a talk attendee,
I would like the talks I attend to start and finish promptly
so it doesn't impact my ability to attend other parts of the conference

As a new attendee to the conference,
I would like a map/floorplan,
so I know what's on where and where to go

As an attendee to the conference,
I would like there to be clearly identifiable people I can ask for help, who aren't busy with other stuff,
so I can easily grab someone for help and assistance

As someone eating at the conference,
I would like the food to be quick to serve,
so I don't have to wait too long to get food

As an attendee to the conference,
I would like constantly available tea, coffee, and water,
so I can stay hydrated (and appropriately caffeinated)

As a talk attendee,
I want there to be scheduled travel time between talks,
so that I can move between one and the next without missing bits

As an attendee, I want titles and descriptions of talks to accurately reflect the content so I can make informed choices about which talks to attend.
As an attendee who will be staying in a hotel the night before, I want a cloakroom so that I can leave my bags in a secure location and not have to carry them around with me or return to the hotel to pick them up.
As an attendee, I want exhibitors to make sure that there is someone on their stand at all times who can respond to questions about their product/service so I can get the information I need without having to keep coming back.
As an attendee, I want somewhere to sit during lunch so that I'm not standing and trying to have a conversation whilst balancing a plate and glass without spilling on myself or others.
As an attendee I want there to be a conference hashtag and any tweets posted with that to be displayed on screens around the venue so that I can engage with other attendees.
As an attendee I want good signal from all major mobile networks in all corridors and concourse areas so that I can make phone calls when needed.
As an attendee I want secure Wi-Fi coverage with the passcode in my welcome pack that I can get a connection back to work without the security software my employer insists on blocking what it sees as an insecure network.
As an attendee I want access to printing and scanning at a reasonable cost (less than two pence a page for A4 black on white) so that I can print documents to give to other attendees.

@stephenboothuk Thanks for the user stories!

As an attendee I want access to printing and scanning at a reasonable cost (less than two pence a page for A4 black on white) so that I can print documents to give to other attendees.

Can you help me understand the underlying goal here please? Thanks!

As a previous-organiser (@ntoll)
I want to give attendees to have nyan-cat badges as swag
So that we have something rather different as a memento of the event.

https://hackaday.io/project/7860-nyan-board

As an attendee, I want it to be very easy to tell who is available to answer questions. That means conference organizers and representatives wearing bright colors - like yellow or orange. I shouldn't have to hunt for someone who can answer important questions, as I will when the conference worker uniform is a dark zipper hoodie and dark conference t-shirt.

As a self-employed person who is considering submitting to the CFP, I want it to be immediately clear whether I will be expected to pay for my own ticket if it is accepted, as well as any other perks (e.g. travel and accommodation, additional payment, etc)

As an attendee, I want your conference website to be clear and easy to use.

As a visually impaired attendee, I need your conference website to be accessible.

As an LGBT attendee, I would like it to be made clear whether the country in which the conference is being held is safe and legal for me to attend.

As a foreign attendee, I would like information about required visas to be clearly linked to.

As an attendee, a list of recommended hotels near the conference venue is extremely helpful for planning my attendance.

https://github.com/erikr/lessobviouschecklist

As a person from another profession (teacher, doctor, government employee, artist, musician etc...) I would like to feel welcomed. Developers can appear to be scary and intimidating and I'm way out of my comfort zone so a clear and unambiguous welcome would be wonderful. If I work in an underpaid or overworked (i.e. public sector) role it should be easy for me to get time off work (for example, my cover is paid for as some sort of sponsorship so my boss has no excuse for denying my attendance).

As an attendee I'd like to organise and take part in BoF sessions.

As an attendee I'd like to take part in different types of event - not just a series of sit-down-shut-up-and-listen-to-some-speaker-talk events. I'd like to attend well chaired debates and discussions, dojo like practical sessions, teacher led workshops, ad-hoc gatherings (BoF) and other social opportunities (for example, a TDD-lunch or musicians-who-code coffee slot).

As an attendee I'd like clear and unambiguous expectations and an ice-breaker for how to interact with people in the corridor track.

As an attendee I'd like to know how to volunteer.

As a speaker I'd like to know the context for my talk as soon as possible (for example, my talk is the middle of three all about Django).

As an attendee, I'd like announcements, AGM and other bureaucratic cat-herding to be done quickly and efficiently so we can get on with the conference.

As a speaker I'd like to know where and when the video of my contribution is online.

As a watcher I'd like high quality video and audio produced to a semi-professional standard without feedback, distortion, clunky camera handling or unfocussed slides.

As a person interacting with the conference online, I'd like clear and obvious links to online "spaces" - Twitter account, Facebook group, Slack channel, IRC room, mailing list, hashtag etc...

As an organiser, I'd like enough time to enjoy the conference as a regular attendee.

As an attendee I expect to find gender neutral restrooms.

As an attendee who's concerned about security and privacy I'd appreciate a GPG key-signing event.

(Also, a big +1 to all the user stories above about vegan food, code of conduct and stopping the swag.)

As a prospective speaker,
I'd like the CFP to be early and well advertised,
so that I know when I have to get my stuff together.

As a prospective speaker,
I'd like the CFP to make it clear that contributions from minority and groups that are traditionally under-represented are particularly welcome,
so that I feel inspired to write my first presentation.

As an attendee,
I'd like info displays around the venue to show timely and useful stuff
So that I can play where to go when without getting my phone out