The Communications 'Drive Train' Of The Convention
Sometimes I fantasize about being the head of programming, webservant, program book publisher, and sign-maker for Penguicon, all at the same time.
In theory, apprenticing replacements sounds like a great idea. But it would require that they last more than one year to carry forward the training and let me step down. As it is, having anyone other than me do it is just adding re-training and cleaning up messes to my annual workload.
It's that, or publish a book that is not very useful because it's wrong; and I don't like wasting my time.
Unfortunately for this plan, I might live in Colorado this time next year.
Comments
jeffreyab on Apr. 19, 2011 8:15 PM
Yes I agree that retiring from con-running is hard to do, in part because often your replacements only last one year for various reasons.
Still one can train them and hope that they will last longer.
Its also easier sometimes to combine responsibilities although in my case its schedule maker and programming operations.
One way to do this is for staff with related tasks to be in the same room working on things.
When are you heading to Colorado?
matt-arnold on Apr. 19, 2011 8:18 PM
I don't know if I am at all; and if I am, I don't know when.
sorcycat on Apr. 19, 2011 8:27 PM
Matt, could Penguicon make use of the U-Con events website, and would this reduce the work load, long term? You've been though conbook creation twice with us, so I figure you have some insight. :)
matt-arnold on Apr. 19, 2011 8:39 PM
Better software would be useful, but the problem I describe is a purely human-resources problem. No matter what software we have, someone will need to know how to use it; and will have to actually take the time to do their job.
amanda_lodden on Apr. 20, 2011 8:38 PM
I'll flip you for the website stuff.
Who moves a website and doesn't test form submission?
amanda_lodden on Apr. 20, 2011 8:45 PM
Also, now is probably not the time for it, and I'm leaving this as a "You should ping me about this later when we're both not as stressed and can think about it" comment, but....
Why do events not start out as a database? It's not that hard to freeze new entries at the deadline, run a report based on whatever factors need reports run, and then run something that's "vaguely a start" for you and let you massage it into a pretty program book schedule. In fact, given that the embedded stuff is from dabbledb.com, I'm betting that it DOES start out as a database. Why not LEAVE it as a database, and then write the page such that attendees can, oh I don't know, SEARCH THE BLOODY THING. Or even re-order it into something more useful to themselves.
My guess is either that "the webmaster doesn't have time/know how to do that" or "the hosting provider doesn't allow that." I know how, have a lot more free time than I used to, and I know where there's a hosting provider I can make do that. (And I just looked at dabbledb.com, which says it's shutting down in May 2011, so I'm thinking that y'all will need a new solution next year anyway.)
matt-arnold on Apr. 20, 2011 8:47 PM
Simple: we didn't have a webmaster until a few weeks ago.
Yes, we should definitely talk about this.
jeffreyab on Apr. 21, 2011 4:17 PM
I don't think you need to be webmaster and sign maker just a head of programming that can produce a database in a timely matter.
I was hoping 24 hour time would solve some problems, drat.
Tammy Coxen Excel master made me a database for ConFusion that made making signs very easy.
I realize for Penguicon that the webpage is much more important and expected.
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