WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees  ## Metadata - Author: [[YouTube]] - Full Title: WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: [wordcamp, community-feedback, newcomer-experience] author: WordCamp Europe source: YouTube reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE date created: 2024-12-19 10:30 --- # 🏷️ Title: WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Improve newcomer orientation at registration desk — ask if first-time attendee and provide guide #newcomer - [H2] Create structured networking sessions for first-timers — flash meetings or speed networking #networking - [H3] Extend workshop duration from 45 to 60 minutes — current format too rushed #workshops ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [WordCamp Europe](https://europe.wordcamp.org/) - [WordPress Community Team](https://make.wordpress.org/community/) ## 📝 Summary - Interactive feedback session for first-time WordCamp Europe attendees - Community team gathering insights to improve newcomer experience - Major issues: lack of structured networking, rushed session formats, mobile website problems - Positive feedback on sponsor connections and learning opportunities - Feedback will be documented in organizer handbook for future events ## 📖 Main Content This session represents a new initiative within WordCamp Connect to gather direct feedback from first-time attendees. The community team facilitates discussion around welcome experience, networking challenges, session formats, and overall event structure. Attendees report feeling somewhat excluded from established social networks, with random connections happening only by chance. Technical sessions suffer from time constraints, particularly 10-minute talks being too brief and 45-minute workshops too rushed. The mobile website experience needs improvement for schedule navigation. Positive aspects include valuable sponsor connections and learning opportunities, though more structured networking would benefit socially anxious attendees. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=0) — [H1] WordCamp Connect Initiative Introduction - Key idea: First-time initiative to gather direct feedback from newcomers - Evidence: "This is a first initiative with WordCamp Connect planned for this year's edition" #### ⏱️ [02:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=150) — [H2] Welcome Experience Feedback - Key idea: Registration felt adequate but not particularly welcoming - Evidence: "It wasn't like welcome welcome, it was registration but I asked someone a question and they answered" #### ⏱️ [04:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=255) — [H2] Memorable Experiences - Sponsor Connections - Key idea: Meeting service providers and making professional connections was valuable - Evidence: "Opportunity to meet with providers of services I've been working with over the years" #### ⏱️ [06:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=405) — [H3] Networking Challenges for Newcomers - Key idea: Need more structured opportunities to connect with people doing similar work - Evidence: "I'm slightly socially anxious so I won't go up to a table with people and join that conversation" #### ⏱️ [09:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=560) — [H2] Contributor Day Experience - Key idea: Initial confusion and bewilderment before finding appropriate team - Evidence: "I was bewildered for 10 or 15 minutes, I didn't really know what was going on" #### ⏱️ [12:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=720) — [H3] Contributor Day Communication Patterns - Key idea: Teams communicate via Slack while sitting together, creating odd social dynamics - Evidence: "People weren't talking, we were giving little tasks and communicating by Slack around the table" #### ⏱️ [15:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=930) — [H2] Sponsor Booth Interactions - Key idea: Valuable connections made with both existing and new service providers - Evidence: "I've spoken to a number of suppliers whose products we use and some new ones I probably will intend to use" #### ⏱️ [18:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=1125) — [H3] Session Duration Problems - Key idea: 10-minute talks insufficient for meaningful content development - Evidence: "10 minutes are not enough to really develop any type of subject" #### ⏱️ [22:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=1330) — [H3] Workshop Time Constraints - Key idea: 45-minute workshops too short for hands-on activities - Evidence: "We were literally doing exercises before we could finish typing the URL, they had to move to the next exercise" #### ⏱️ [25:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=1520) — [H2] Topic Distribution Issues - Key idea: Similar topics clustered together preventing attendance at multiple relevant sessions - Evidence: "Yesterday there were many design topics only in the afternoon, all at the same time" #### ⏱️ [28:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=1730) — [H3] Mobile Website Navigation Problems - Key idea: Schedule difficult to navigate on mobile devices - Evidence: "The website on your phone really doesn't work and doesn't make sense for a WordPress conference" #### ⏱️ [32:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE?t=1935) — [H2] Childcare Service Feedback - Key idea: Daycare closes too early and lacks age-appropriate programming - Evidence: "They closed the daycare at 5 o'clock but we still have talks, what's the point in having daycare if they don't go until the end" ## 📚 References - [WordCamp Connect Evolution](https://make.wordpress.org/community/) - [WordPress Community Guidelines](https://wordpress.org/about/philosophy/) - [Event Accessibility Standards](https://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - First-time attendees face significant networking barriers due to existing social networks and lack of structured introduction opportunities - Session timing creates educational bottlenecks with 10-minute talks being too brief and workshops too rushed for meaningful learning - Mobile website usability problems compound navigation challenges in large venue spaces ## 📰 Newsletter **WordCamp Connect Launches Newcomer Feedback Initiative** The WordPress community is taking newcomer experience seriously with a new interactive feedback session at WordCamp Europe. First-time attendees shared valuable insights about networking challenges, session timing, and accessibility barriers that will shape future events. Key improvements identified include structured networking for introverts, longer workshop durations, and better mobile schedule navigation. The community team is documenting all feedback in an organizer handbook to ensure consistent improvements across future WordCamps. This initiative demonstrates WordPress's commitment to inclusive community building and continuous improvement based on direct user feedback. Resources: [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/), [Community Handbook](https://make.wordpress.org/community/handbook/), [Event Guidelines](https://make.wordpress.org/community/handbook/wordcamp-organizer/) ## ✅ Action Items #### Community - Maintainers: Document feedback in organizer handbook for future event teams - Contributors: Create structured networking formats like flash meetings and speed networking - Sponsors: Explore smaller sponsorship packages to include more diverse vendors - Ecosystem: Improve mobile website responsiveness for schedule navigation #### WordPress - Community: Implement newcomer orientation at registration with volunteer guides - Community: Extend workshop durations from 45 to 60 minutes for better pacing - Community: Distribute similar topics across multiple days rather than clustering - Community: Enhance childcare services with age-appropriate programming and extended hours - Community: Create welcome sessions for first-time attendees before main programming - Meta: Address mobile usability issues on event websites - Community: Enable session recording for workshops and all speaking tracks ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Structured networking activities will increase newcomer retention at future WordCamps - Extending workshop durations will improve learning outcomes and participant satisfaction - Mobile-optimized event websites will reduce navigation confusion and missed sessions - Dedicated newcomer orientation will decrease initial bewilderment and social anxiety ### 📊 Methodology - Survey comparison between structured vs unstructured networking events - Time-motion studies of workshop completion rates at different durations - A/B testing of mobile website designs with first-time users - Follow-up interviews with newcomers who receive orientation vs those who don't ### ❓ Questions - How can WordCamp Connect evolve to better serve diverse learning styles and social preferences? - What optimal session durations balance depth with schedule constraints? - How might veteran community members better welcome and integrate newcomers? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal study of newcomer retention and continued community participation - Cross-cultural analysis of networking preferences in different regions - Accessibility audit of current WordCamp formats and venues ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Event organizers need structured onboarding processes for newcomers - Policy: Community guidelines should address inclusive networking standards - Education: Workshop formats require pedagogical consideration beyond content delivery - Funding: Childcare and accessibility services need adequate budget allocation ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 12th grade #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Video format allows visual observation of community dynamics - Improve: Venue maps, networking flow diagrams, session timing visuals #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Discussion-based format with multiple voice perspectives - Improve: Audio-only version for accessibility, key quotes highlighted #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Interactive dialogue, clear definitions of community terms - Improve: Glossary of WordCamp-specific terminology and processes #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Actionable feedback items with specific implementation steps - Improve: Interactive workshops, hands-on networking exercises #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Structured feedback collection with systematic analysis - Improve: Decision trees for session planning, metrics for networking success #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community discussion format encourages peer learning - Improve: Small group breakouts, peer mentoring programs #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual reflection opportunities within group setting - Improve: Self-assessment tools, quiet networking spaces #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Community ecosystem thinking about interconnected improvements - Improve: Sustainability considerations for event planning ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Video content available but may lack detailed audio descriptions - Improve: Full transcript with speaker identification and contextual descriptions #### Keyboard navigation - Present: YouTube player supports keyboard controls - Improve: Timestamped sections for easy navigation to specific topics #### Contrast and readability - Present: Video quality adequate for visual content - Improve: High contrast transcript formatting, adjustable text size #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: YouTube supports various video quality settings - Improve: Responsive transcript layout that reflows at different zoom levels #### Media and captions - Present: Auto-generated captions available - Improve: Professional captions with speaker identification and sound descriptions #### Forms and interactions - Present: Standard YouTube interface elements - Improve: Direct feedback form linked from video description ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: European context with some international perspectives - Improve: Global WordCamp comparison data, multi-regional accessibility standards #### Inclusive language - Present: Uses accessible terminology, acknowledges diverse comfort levels - Improve: More explicit discussion of cultural barriers to networking #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Acknowledges social anxiety and different communication preferences - Improve: Specific accommodations for sensory processing differences #### Representation - Present: Mix of roles including developers, designers, project managers - Improve: More diverse speaker representation, accessibility advocate perspectives #### Psychological safety - Present: Respectful tone, validates concerns about exclusion - Improve: Clear community guidelines, reporting mechanisms for issues ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Inductive strength: Builds general principles from specific attendee experiences - Causal reasoning: Links session duration to learning effectiveness - Analogical strength: Compares networking challenges across similar events #### Fallacies - Hasty generalization: Small sample size may not represent all newcomer experiences - Survivorship bias: Only feedback from attendees who stayed for session #### Tone of voice - Overall tone: Collaborative and improvement-focused with genuine concern for newcomer experience ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - Deny: No denial patterns observed - Attack: No attacks on feedback providers - Reverse victim/offender: No victim/offender reversal present - Emotional cues and rhetoric: Supportive, validating tone throughout ## 🎯 Conclusion This feedback session reveals critical gaps in newcomer experience at WordCamp Europe, particularly around networking barriers and session timing constraints. The community team's commitment to documenting and addressing these issues through systematic handbook development demonstrates WordPress's values of inclusivity and continuous improvement. Key next steps involve implementing structured networking, extending workshop durations, and improving mobile website usability to create more welcoming experiences for first-time attendees. ## 🧱 Refactor Appendix ### 📚 Literature Split Pad ### [H1] WordCamp Connect evolves based on community feedback > [!quote] WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees by WordCamp Europe via YouTube. Published 2024. Accessed 2024-12-19. > "WordCamp Connect is an ever evolving initiative of introducing participation with the community." Community-driven programming adapts to address current participation barriers. [view highlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE#H1) #community-evolution #feedback-driven ID:rw_wceu_2024_001 ### [H2] Structured networking reduces social barriers for newcomers > [!quote] WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees > "I'm slightly socially anxious so I won't go up to a table with people and join that conversation." Introverted attendees need facilitated connection opportunities beyond random encounters. [view highlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE#H2) #networking-accessibility #social-anxiety ID:rw_wceu_2024_002 ### [H3] Session duration impacts learning effectiveness > [!quote] WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees > "10 minutes are not enough to really develop any type of subject." Brief presentations prevent meaningful content development and audience engagement. [view highlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE#H3) #session-design #learning-outcomes ID:rw_wceu_2024_003 --- ### 🔖 Atomic Split Pad (Zettel Candidates) #### [Z1] Community feedback drives iterative event design - Scope: WordCamp and similar conference contexts - Pointer to timestamp 00:00 - Links: [[Community-Governance]] [[Event-Planning]] #### [Z2] Social anxiety requires accommodation in networking design - Scope: Professional conferences and community events - Pointer to timestamp 06:45 - Links: [[Inclusive-Design]] [[Accessibility]] - Document Tags: [[h1]] [[newcomer]] [[community]] [[workshops]] [[networking]] - Summary: WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees - URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VZBfiancbE so again welcome um this is a first initiative so with the word Camp connect uh that we have uh planned for this year's edition of word Camp Europe um we thought about like because this is a more of a community initiative so in the previous years when we started doubleb connect when we started word Camp connect um the idea is that it's an Ever evolving um initiative of introducing participation with the community and this year we have a very good um initiative that was planned and fortunately she was not here the original um um lady that um that planned about this session is um coming from a very personal perspective in which when she started attending uh word camps um she was looking for a space into which where to um have or share her feedback not only like in her personal website or personal like socials but more of like communicating communicating it directly to the organizers especially with the community team and that's why we have made it a point not only to have all of those topics that probably some of you have attended to within the word Camp uh connect tracks um but also to include uh this specific interactive session into which we welcome the um the feedback and insights that you have as a first time attendees but also I would say that in this session I mean I I probably we probably have um people who are already attending word camps either locally or have attended word Camp Europe um and I would like to start uh by asking um because I have your set of questions about uh your personal experience and I would want definitely volunteers because I would not be asking myself for this so any one um I would start with the question and then feel free to you know share share with us um the insights and the feedback that you have so the first question that we have is did you feel welcome well yes I mean it wasn't like welcome welcome it was registration but I asked someone a question you know do I have to register for this or that and and they answered the question so I wasn't I didn't feel excluded um but then I would wouldn't want anything more I don't think it's okay thank you now um there's only going to be five questions and the rest would be um more of like hearing the feedback uh from you and then we will carry this over the the process in which we will be taking this is that we um we take note of what you are uh sharing with us firsthand and then uh for the next um leaders and for the next organizers we will pass it over so that we can continuously improve the experience for newcomers because I have been in the same situation and I agree with the with the experience that we have currently for new new um attendees is not the the optimal so and thank you for sharing your um your experience um another question we have is with what was one memorable experience for you at word Camp Europe for this year wants to answer Ian there could be a lot but yeah I think for me it's just opportunity to meet with some of the providers of services that um I have been working with over the years so just to meet people in person that you connect with and I think it's also been great to meet um um just on tables having lunch chatting to people to to make connections I think for me if there was an improvement it would be more opportunity to connect with people doing similar things you know so um it's kind of happened at random when you kind of share the table uh when there's an empty space but more of that would be great yeah because um I'm slightly socially anxious right so I won't talk to I won't go up to an a table with people on it and join into that conversation so uh I need a little bit more of sort of this you're right and actually this is the first connect I've been to because I didn't don't even know what what it means you know because it's my first word Camp um and that I would have liked to get more opportunity to there are some people that I've known on the internet and I sort them out and I talked to them and that was great but random people sorry I want to call you random but random people I haven't had that you know that chat to understand who they are what they do you know Etc so that's that's sort of everyone talks about meeting old friends and it's a great experience and yeah I feel slightly outside that that parameter you agree disagree I agree agree anyone else no I agree I agree with both of them uh in terms of the connection uh if it can be facilitated somehow uh I just like having the sponsors um um that I could meet uh the ones that I normally work um the products I normally work with uh that's something that maybe can be uh increased uh maybe having even some smaller sponsor uh uh boots I don't know I don't know how but somehow uh have a a package where I can attract even more more sponsors you can be even more helpful in that way um one thing I thought it's going to be here it's not I don't think that is a major thing but I saw on a word another world Camp I went to uh just having a um a list of uh contacts where people can put what they do if they're looking for to hire or looking for hiring that's something that um that could be a nice done even though it's not that major and that's it can can I also just go back to your first question about welcome I'm I'm just remembering because my brain works that way um and I I joined contributor day for the so it's my first word camp and first contributor day I was bewildered for 10 or 15 minutes no I didn't really once the introduction happened and everything else then it came into place but that feel feeling of bewilderment and being slightly social an anxious I had to force myself for just not leaving you know because so you asked about welcoming and I just it just a lot of people in worldest World know each other very well and that can create some feeling of exclusion definitely I hear you and I can totally relate because obviously not all personalities will be the same and entering to like big spaces also like a lot of people especially if you're not used to it it's very difficult but I agree um and um one thing that um I was actually thinking when when you were like sharing your um your experiences just now is for sure you were able to uh exchange information with with with someone right and that came across like on your own initiative so I hear it as something that we can improve for the next time that maybe make it easier uh to have that exchange um more um how to say this um more um easy between you know um even if it's a newcomer sure uh you can do something like u u flash meetings is is yeah that's the one that's the one yeah I I know it could be on the on the tables outside you know uh each one has I a minute a minute and a half to introduce you know and then people go rotating and uh yeah and had another idea for the contributor day for example at the registration desk they could ask uh is is it your first time I new here and you can go into the venue sit just sit down at the table it doesn't matter where and then you get introduced the people know what's happening not like randomly walking in like what is happening like there was like 20 minutes nothing happening right and they're kind of lost I can understand that and maybe if they ask if they knew they could give a little introduction at the W station right yeah sorry I'm just saying that you know there's a lot of volunteers standing around at that point in the first point and it was almost like if you're first time volunteer should be your personal guide for for a little while until you say I've fed out with you yeah I think something like that yeah I was just coming back to your point about meeting old friends like the idea should be that the next word Camp it feels more like that um and so the way to to get there is to facilitate those initial conversations so that it will be a a face in a name that you remember from the last one um but I yeah I think if it's that's left to random chance meeting at tables that's diminished like the opportunity for that is quite small especially if you're not an extrovert you know I'm not an extrovert so thing is the thing is that now there'll the next Work Camp there'll be at least a few of them because that's been facilitated right by this session but it's I I don't think you C Capt should everyone who's on the first word Camp I don't know I mean really how many how many others are there who who didn't even get to this session because they didn't know what it was yeah and I I do agree because um maybe um for the next time it would be this kind of session would be before uh the um and well not going to be asking how was your experience because if we're going to be putting it like in in in the first sessions we will be changing a bit the format for example maybe in the work come uh connect next year we we could introduce like a welcome session for the newcomers and also uh taking in those ideas that you have that was really good with the registration desk because that's where all where it all starts I mean people can have different ways of you know communicating and you just have to find the one that works for everyone without you know pushing so hard like a social connections because again we all have different ways of um being ourselves and again thank you really really insightful um I have here is is there anyone from sponsors team here NOP no I'll talk to them right now just kidding um I'll talk to them later but um did anyone of you attended the contributor day yeah so I have question here and um maybe you could also share uh your experience with um the contributor day as a newcomer I mean every year just to give an Insight on what is happening when it comes to organizing um word Camp Europe um every year so we are the team for this year the community team for this year what happens another set of um team will be created for next year that is going to be under the Community team and we will be passing over all of the learnings and the feedback uh that we have for the the current year if we are not for say for example I will not be applying for next year to organize and that means that it is up to us and it is our responsibility to have all those insights to bring in all those information for the next team that will be forming the next host uh the next word Camp Europe in 2025 so for the contributor day um I would just want to ask uh like um how did it go for you and again as a newcomer um and your first time in word Camp Europe um what would be I think the something that you would be sharing as a feedback yeah okay uh contribut today the first thing is um I've actually been contributing to Wordpress through the support team mainly uh for five or six years but I've never been to a word Camp um when I arrived on contributor today it was a bit of Mayhem there's lots of people standing around lots of people know each other I didn't really know face to face any I knew the names of the support team and whatever and I knew also that perhaps I didn't want to sit on the per support table I wanted to do something new uh but it was all I was sort of Milling around and I had to self orientate myself around the whole who contributed today I walk around all the tables and all the said later on there was a presentation where they actually went through that but at the beginning I didn't even know there was going to be presentation so I was I had to self-manage myself because I had no idea what was going to go on when the contributor day started I decided I was going to try working with the accessibility team and and I did and I joined the accessibility team and I will continue working with the accessibility team and and and it's very relevant to what I do but it was very weird we were sitting at tables with laptops and people communicating by slack to each other around the table um people weren't talking as such we literally were giving little tasks and projects to do and we were contributing on Via slack it was it was weird it was like contributing online but sitting round in a table and I had I didn't have a problem with with that but I just had no idea of how it was going to operate or or what was actually going to go on and yes it was valuable um and the the initial introduction when it came on was educational because that's where I decided to go into the accessibility team and the wrap up at the end as to what everyone achieved was interesting but it was just uh bewildering at first and I can imagine that someone who's never contributed to Wordpress and didn't expect that could be very bewildered yeah um I would like to add that yeah I had participated in many contributor days and it really depends on the project lead at the table how well uh it goes um for example we had one time we had a lots of discussions and we lost in uh discussions and didn't really the original goal wasn't reached because of that um but this year I was in the design team and uh projectly did a really well job and bed everything on and helped everybody and we actually talked and discussed but also worked on our own so it it was a good balance so it's really depending on the project lead um how the experience is the contributor day thank you um so this is more of a general question uh for everyone uh for those who attend I see some newcomers uh you're also here uh for the the work cam connect session it's your first time second okay yeah but definitely uh you're you're most welcome um just reminding this is the um the work cam session for um sharing feedback for the experience um mostly for new um new um comers in word Camp Europe but of course if uh if ever you have a feedback like for example with your experience feel free to share it with us because what we're doing is to gather directly uh instead of you know um we're there's going to be a form I think after um word Camp Europe that will be sent through email but the thing is like only few people maybe not most people with the 2000 plus attendees will be filling out that form there quite a long questionnaire so having this kind of session is a bit different it's it's like reaching out to at if not all but like hearing directly the feedback from those who attended and especially those who uh are attending first time but proceeding with uh with our session um I have here a question that applies for everyone and maybe if anyone would like to um to have uh to share the experience this is about the sponsors that we have and I mean word camps will not be uh possible uh without our sponsors so with your experience um have you spoken to uh any sponsors whose product you use and are there any sponsors that you've met that you plan to use one of their products this is a general question so anyone feel free to raise their hands share their uh experience uh well the answer is yes I have spoken to a number of suppliers and C products that we use um and some new ones that I probably will intend to use uh I think so that's been that's been good I've enjoyed that I think Stefan your idea of maybe having a smaller sponsorship for for smaller suppliers would be great like to get more people involved in that opportunity to connect um but yeah know I've I've met some new ones and I've spoke to some ones that we use for me it's not directly um about buying or purchasing um services but um I work in the uix and design field and going around un like for example I think ucommerce uh Booth they had user testing they showed new feature or new flow uh I participated and looked at it and for me it's very interesting to get that experience and also see what others are doing not with the intent to buying it but just to see what's going on what are the trends and stuff like that that's really interesting for me going around the um sponsor roofs uh yeah I made a point of of going around a lot of the sponsor groups some that I know pretty well like gravity forms but just to say hello um and also um I forged a an alliance with at least one sponsor for for my own product so that was a success as far as I'm concerned anyone else what about you madam sorry okay so um thank you uh for sharing that um I have here four more sets of question um that I would like to uh you know uh pick your feedback or insights with and this is more of the tracks uh that you have uh or if you have any if you have attended any tracks and what did you uh what do you think uh should be introduced it could be um if you like any tracks that you that you have seen or any feedback that you have for the tracks that we have for this year so anyone the the speaker tracks yeah the main tracks that we have um we have attended to I don't know most of them I think uh I I I feel this year there are um I don't remember the the last time I was in in war camp was in Berlin that was five years ago I don't remember that we had the 10minute talks back then to be honest I don't think 10 minutes are enough for for for really develop um any type of subject so a couple of them um the the the people who were in uh presenting the the the subjects were really really good and you kind of want to continue with it but it was only a 10-minute one um and there were some other ones that didn't have enough time to even start developing what they were presenting so 10 minutes is really not something worth going to I would say the 45 minutes one it's enough time I think but 10 minutes I I would say it's it kind of feels like a filler more than anything else and it kind of brings down the the mood where you're going learning from one to one and then you stop up one that it's you didn't even had the time to to do anything like that but here's the thing for example I I I would like to follow up but I only have a certain amount of ideas in my head but there's other people that can also ask different questions that I wouldn't have think of so that's why I think it's more important to have them in a longer period of time even though you can interact with the presenters later other people can also bring other um ideas into your head and and questions thank you so much sure sure sure following what you were saying is like if you try to present an idea in 10 minutes like lot lots of things get lost and sometimes I just came from from the other room and he was trying to rush it up and he couldn't even finish the sense he was like nervous just checking the time to to finish in in that period of time and so he could try and make a joke or you know uh continue on and you wouldn't even have time for Q&A at the end because it was 15 minutes but then we got these 15 minutes break that we could give it into the talk why is it 15 minutes break each time like you got like three talks of 10 minutes I think and then you got a huge break because the rooms are really far apart so we have to walk to I understand that but like when I'm looking forward to listening to someone speak about a subject and I go there and I it's already like it's five minutes already half gone and then at the end it's it's too quick I feel it's too quick and we having too many breaks throughout the day is cutting off cutting off uh from the presentations hello yeah definitely um in all honesty like with me organizing this year I have Haven had the chance to go uh with a lot of uh speaking tracks but um I I can agree uh with what uh your experience was because last year in Athens uh there was a lot of like topics that interest me most and I wanted to really ask questions but then uh again I'm I need to either run to another topic because the topic was so short and I truly understand what uh what you have shared so um I already have it here so thank you yeah yeah so and do you count workshops as a track because I I didn't attend any of the short ones but I attended two workshops both were too short they were both Too Short The 45 minutes for a workshop is not long enough to we were literally doing exercises before we could finish even typing the URL in the in in the laptop they had to move on to the to the next exercise it needs an hour for the workshops 45 minutes I think maybe for short talks 25 minutes would work um you know but I don't think you need a full 45 minutes for for some subjects but workshops Too Short too or maybe the the workshop leads needs to think what can they squeeze into the 45 minutes and not too put too much content in it that's another approach but issue then the content is valuable and you and you want to cover a decent amount of contact and yes sure the leads maybe could cut the content down but every single both of the workshops every single thing in that was valuable so thank you hello yeah so um for for that uh for that feedback um one what we are going to propose is obviously the the ones that you have um shared right now but I wanted to also pick uh some of the insights aside from the tracks that we have uh were there any topics uh because every year um all of the tracks are going to be um expected to be more relevant with the trend that is happening in the WordPress space or even with in the technology space and it could be in different um Industries but I would like to know if there are any feedback with regards to the selection of the main topics uh for this year anyone do you feel that uh you have had a good selection of topics that you're interested with or did you have uh did you wish to have topics that you you would have wanted to see or to know in a word camp or did you uh wanted to have like any Workshop even uh that you would like to learn in the in a Work Camp um well we work mainly with with woocommerce there wasn't I don't think there was any sessions on e-commerce was there there was okay yes well I would have liked more on the e-commerce side essentially I'd like less but I'd also like a a time machine because I couldn't get to everything that I wanted to do as I said I didn't go to any of the speed talks because I was doing other things either dealing talking to sponsors or other contacts or dealing with workshops or whatever so I I want a time machine so that I can go back and see some of the other ones please thank you and what I saw that for example uh yesterday there were many many design topics only in the afternoon and then if you and for me for example I had my volunteer shift so I was interested to going to them but they are all at the same time or in the afternoon so to when when you have a certain T topic like design spread them out all over the two days and then when you have a shift you don't miss every good design uh talk so to speak that would be an idea H yeah I could I could see them on wordpress.tv afterwards but yeah but yeah I think the workshops and not all of them are record all workshops are recorded So that would be um I think uh for for all the um either workshops or tracks it would help to have a way into which we can um have it AA available afterwards as not only with the main tracks because what is happening is that most of the main tracks are recorded even for for example for this one um we can indicate if it's going to be recorded or not so I think the best way that we can do that is like for the next time we can have all of the tracks uh try to be recorded and maybe for workshops but we will need to look into that uh for the workshops but for the tracks I would agree that uh that is something that we can really push uh for the next um for the next one sorry yes so uh I just wanted to say that um the way I saw it most of the tracks were very technical oriented which I love because I'm a developer but but it would be also maybe a good um thing to take into consideration subjects around WordPress like web design project management and um subjects like this thank you yeah there was a project management one um but it was a 10minute one exactly and I'm I'm not a developer and I I'm a project manager and for the so I was like all a 10-minute thing and yeah he barely was able to start it and that's why we came here um and and adding into right when we came in um you were saying something about the a lot of people or most people didn't don't even know what this specific one is for or or was about and I was just going to mention um the website on your laptop yeah kind of works fine but on your phone it really doesn't and that doesn't really make sense if we're coming to a WordPress conference and to have that that it it doesn't give you information or it's not us responsive or like all of those things um it's kind of E I wanted to um to have more context when it when you mention the the website doesn't work best uh with uh with mobile so is um for example if you if you look at it like this it like you have to and and there was a really good um uh wh space uh track I had too much but it was a 10-minute one and that was so interesting and I was just going to ask her or put use your site as an example of what too much white space is but if you you go like this you have to um make it smaller so that it is responsive yeah and not all of them have information on like for example this one doesn't have information on what it this track is about so we I was interested in in this one because I thought it was more about building a community or how you can like communicate with the rest of them but that's not really what this one is about so that's what we ended up in a in a in a way it is actually um I you probably arrived like um like half of the not really half like um you because I was introducing it like why this was born this is actually the first time that we are introducing this type of interactive session on a word cam connect so before previously just to give a a bit of a background word cam connect can has evolved from WP connect I remember clearly the from Porto I was just an attendee back then and the idea of WP Cafe it was WP Cafe before what happened so the feedback that we received that they received from that year since it was named WP Cafe and there's literally a coffee machine people go there just for coffee but no that that was uh intended to be a networking space for the community for all the attendees so we tried to um to change the name into a more um engaging one which is W WP connect for last year it was good we have reformatted um the session into which um I introduced when I was introducing earlier the idea of word Camp connect uh that we have tried to evolve in the last two years is about making um either talking about topics that is concerning the WordPress community and opening it into an evolving session in which everyone is open to participate give feedback and especially address the issues that is uh the the current issues and also the future issues that we are uh having uh with the WordPress Community yeah to race hand first yeah I'm sorry I was just going to explain sure sure sure I'm I'm a designer yeah and I lost like I arrived late to many places because I'm like looking up and down and I I cannot see which day I'm in on so when you're looking at the calendar I can't quite understand where's the title which uh track I'm supposed to go to and what day is it just right now I had a friend come to this place thinking it was yesterday like he was looking for the talk that was yesterday and he came here cuz you're going up and down and you cannot see what day are you in so you're thinking oh it's halfast 3 isn't it no that's halfast three yesterday okay yeah so that's the misunderstanding so just this morning like yesterday the whole day I'm like going up and down scrolling I'm sorry scrolling up and down and then this morning I understood that if I you know turn the the the I could I could Now where's the title where's the timetable and which track I'm supposed to go to but it's not clear so everybody uses the phone this way and we're supposed well we are designers and developers and uh we were supposed like when I look at the screen like when you have in the beginning we were designing on uh you know Compu just for computers we didn't have iPhones in our hands yeah and you would say I want to see like the most important information without scrolling exactly so the most important information the day the place and the time right and it's not here in the screen thank you really it's really long walk if you go to the wrong place um the other thing is I've got a memory like a goldfish so I scroll down I look at that I can't remember that it would be really really nice to just like be able to add things I'm interested say to my Google Calendar by just doing a click you know um it's simple technology we do it all the time well if it has is yeah okay that's great ux because I never found it um is it well yeah now but it's not oh yeah it's clear I thought that was I I thought that I I thought that was some I I I thought I thought the sty style meant it was some sort of special talk or something I mean like what's sty mean it's compulsory um okay that that was one point um the sorry about the the the thing there was another Point I've lost it now but yeah but okay usability of the website okay speaking about the topics on the presentations um I also applied as a speaker this year with a topic that was more related on how to extend WordPress with other Technologies literally open source I know there was a hype with react native and Gutenberg yeah back at day back in the years but um I was focusing more on new open source Technologies and how to integrate them with WordPress for example to obtain native apps where I I see that there is a request on the market with backand for w Commerce especially to have a native app on Android iOS so it got refused uh but I think it is a it is a good talk at least small talk for those that are interested on how to actually extend your pette of Technologies with WordPress because that is the reason that the rest API is the like to use it not headless with other Technologies as well so I never saw that into the um this workamp schedule and I would like to encourage that for the future yeah so I was um before the the just to share the experience with the with the plan that we were doing with um this word Camp connect so we were given we we were trying to squeeze in all the topics aside from the the speaker topics they have a they're a different team but for the community team for the word Camp connect um what we were imagining and uh we wanted to include a space into which not only an interactive session but more of like um to give space because we only have two tracks for word cam connect um per day and uh for the second day which is today the last day uh we have three and that's the maximum that we can provide but in between nobody's using uh word cam connect so what we have thought probably for next year is to open up like that space that without no one uh when no one is not using it maybe um to have um maybe um if you wanted to give a talk for example and you can run it for free then you can book um those free times and then you can um you can have your talk uh even if you're not selected or if you are selected it could be that flexible so again the work cam connect the idea is like every year it keeps on evolving and it keeps on hearing the issues that we have right now because if we don't try to acknowledge it then definitely we will just be talking to ourselves right now and uh we will see the same um issues or experiences that we have so thank you yeah okay like small meetups in a Work Camp exactly yeah I think it's perfect I just remember the the other point which is pretty much exactly that as we arrived I came with a colleague who had been to previous word camp but it different you know just just social colleague and the first thing he did he he went let's let's go to word uh word uh WC connect area because that's where we can network with people and it was an empty area with a television screen and and a set of chairs and we thought we completely misunderstood what that meant yeah yeah I'm I'm sorry I wanted to share I wanted to share something because I I have to I have to leave it's not regarding the topic you're talking right now okay sure so I I am I'm a mom and I'm a designer and my husband he's a developer he's here as well and every year we try to come to word Camp Europe I didn't go last year because tickets were really really expensive but the year before we we TR managed to come and the thing is we we can come both of us because we bring the kids since I was pregnant and the girl the my my kids were tiny tiny and in Paris we brought them and daycare was always really cool and they man allow us to bring to come yeah and this year it it was it's not it's not being so cool because they they closed the daycare at 5 o'l so yesterday when I went to bring them a snack between talks the girl said no we're closing like in 10 minutes we're going to close say but we still have talks like I brought my kids here because I knew somebody was going to take care of them no it's closing at 5 so you have to take your kids what's the what's the point in having the daycare for them to you know entertain kids while we are these talks and they don't go until the end of the the talks so and um this year there's only one room and looks like I I know it's difficult to take care of kids but you got little babies playing with really older kids and it's boring for the older kids and then the small ones and they're all in the same room and other years they managed to do this a little bit better when it was in puu it was really cool they had like a gaming room for older kids and they had uh another well depending on the space you have but it also goes a long way with the people that are taking care of kids if they are uh used to taking care of kids or not because if I ask my dad to take care of my kids he won't right and if you have a person that is skilled and knows how to entertain a kid according to their age yeah and make games is difference so my kid this time he wants to come and hear the talks because he feels it's more interesting than staying there and playing games so this year like it's their feedback that's I'm trying to give and I'm able to come because I can bring them with me and I know they're going to be well the whole day and don't I don't have to worry with them this year I have to constant worry about are they okay and he's like Mom I don't want to stay here I want to leave thank you anyway because I I feel that uh it's really cool that the only conference I can come to and bring my kids is this one word press so anyway thank you very much this year was not so cool but I still thank you for allowing me to come thank you so much and we hear you actually um one part of the community team that we do is the kids workshop but uh for daycare um definitely it's a it's another team but obviously we work all together and I can and definitely um hear the the yeah because they take care of my kids they entertain them and they have a wonderful time just as wonderful as I do this year like I talk too much I I spoke so well about it it didn't go so well but um thank you anyway yeah definitely it's not going to be like a just a hearing you out right now again uh what H what is received here uh is going to the main feedback because we are as organizers we are going to leave all of the information actually we are working on organizer handbook uh for the community team and that is going to be the guiding principle for the coming years to make sure that we don't forget every single bit of feedback yeah that is very well noted yeah so um unfortunately we will have to um end the session but I encourage each and everyone who has been here who who is here and who who is just arriving so sorry um uh to uh please reach out uh to us I mean even after the session you have something that you have in mind that you forgot to share with me do you forgot to share with us please please um we have the contact form or the feedback form uh and even the survey I think that will be sent after word Camp Europe I encourage if you have time to spare to to detail it um and um all together we can you know um have the next year be better and I hope you still stick around um Matt will be having his closing remarks I think uh in a bit and also they will be announcing the next host City but I'm not going to tell it to you thank you so much for for joining, WordCamp Connect: First Time WCEU Attendees, YouTube, 01ka7fkn4ajfxnb2scvegwbse7.