# 2024-04-19 Check in

Welcome to Sarah's brain!

Your tasks:
1. Review Sarah's working assumptions in this document so that you can see what is currently on my mind. (May not be exhaustively comprehensive, but I've tried to share the most important, relevant info!) (While NOT homework, you're welcome to view the big ol' "Notes" (or any other!) document, too, for more research notes etc.)

2. Review the [Content](https://hackmd.io/@astroconf/r1A95kgZA) document in this workspace which contains Sarah's Fave ideas (you will have to talk me out of these) and other ideas for content to fill up the conference.

3. On both documents, add any extra notes, comments, questions to the document as you see fit! Comments work, typing a new section at the bottom works...
- On this working assumptions document, **please point out anything that seems like a mistake, risky, invites failure!** Anything I might have overlooked, misjuged etc. You can leave positive comments too, and you can "Yes, and...!" them. But of key importance is that I haven't made a horrible assumption, and that nothing here is problematic. If it is, I need to know and we need to change it!
- On the content document, **please evaluate the other options in some way**. Which ones do you like best? Which feel like easiest quick wins vs a pain to try to do? Which would resonate most with our intended audience (see point 1 below)? Which would you be sad if we didn't do? Literally any feedback, emotional or rational, is welcome, because knowing *what* we intend to do will unblock some decision making (see pont 3 below).
## Working Assumptions
These are my assumptions, but can be challenged/changed!

1. The main audience is **our active community members**. The goal is to include/reward/support them vs attract new people (if we have to prioritize).
- This allows us to prepare something for an already invested, excited, and friendly crowd.
- Greater chance of success for this first event, as we'd have to work pretty hard to disappoint existing fans.
2. A single track, "as many hours as it takes" mix of recorded sessions with some **low risk, well-known people who know what they're doing and people would be excited to see**, live streamed content mixed in. (For extra vibes, sense of community, "That person I know is talking to me live right now!"):
- "Cut to the Astrolicious meetup in Barcelona!"
- "Here's our maintainer's panel Q and A, drop your questions in chat!"
- "Wasn't that a great talk? Can't wait to try that on Monday!"
3. I am delaying the "how long is this/over how many days" until we know *what* we want to have. Letting content dictate format.
- If we figure out that what we want would end up lasting about 4 hrs, or 12 hours, then there's our answer etc.
4. Paying for one month of StreamYard will satisfy our tech requirements.
- Open to alternatives as the format takes more shape, but we have a pretty solid default plan with StreamYard.
5. We have enough people between core/maintainers, invited guests, friends etc. that we do not need to solicit "talks" from the public in a conventional sense. (Save that for intentional invitations.)
- Rather than "talks from people we don't know/unsure about the quality of", we can instead funnel them into lightning talks, demos etc. where it's low effort/cost to accept 5 minute looms or vet a project that we want announced/showcased.
- This allows us to be in default "accept" mode, doesn't require people to apply to get in, and as long as certain criteria are met, they are at least added to the conf site for people to be able to view, and the "best" ones show up during a live event.
- This also gives us more short, moduluar content which is easier to schedule. (Throw one or two quick talks between a longer workshop etc.)
6. We are not terribly concerned with "polish", and are valuing genuine community interactions over a production
- People recording their Looms, whatever their lighting, setup, slide quality is etc., it's fine!
- Lowers the bar for everyone to feel comfortable participating
7. We can make a private Discord channel for speakers to relay information.
- If one person has/asks a question, everyone has access to the answer
- Cuts down on individual messaging/back and forth
8. We are not actively promoting until Montreal meetup
- We will want to make an announcement AT the meetup (local, to the crowd) which means it will become super public the week after
- Only enough design assets, marketing content etc. required for whatever landing page (or even just a banner?) will be public at that announcement
9. We will not rely heavily on sponsorship/go out of our way
- Much of the work involved will be time/labour, which is factored into our quarterly planning
- We can discuss options after public announcement, but without anything to put in front of people, not much point trying to solicit any sponsors this quarter
- If / when we *do* have sponsors, does not need to be a financial arrangement: e.g. logo in return for promotion