View source for StateoftheMap Organizing Committee/Minutes/2015/2015-11-02 Meeting

# 2015-11-02 SotM-WG Meeting

19:00 UTC.


Previous minutes: [[StateoftheMap Organizing Committee/Minutes/2015/2015-10-19 Meeting]]

= Present =

*   Gregory
*   Rob
*   Alyssa
*   Henk
*   Marc
*   Joost
*   Alex

= Absent =

*   Christine
*   Tatiana
*   Mikel

= Review of actions from previous =

*   Tatiana  and Alex: To get the initial website up and running. [Note: Ideally on  OSMF server (speak with Tom Hughes). Current wordpress site to be  retained and moved to [](http://2017.stateofthemap.org)[http://2017.stateofthemap.org](http://2017.stateofthemap.org) ]

        *   Neither able to be in meeting. Recent progress unknown.
    *   Alex: Something by mid-late next week.

*   Alex and Mikel: To complete task matrix (link above)
*   DONE --Ben/Rob: To share the initial bid which included ideas of social events--
*     \--> Its at: [](https://hackpad.com/SOTM-2016-Team-QA-wec4OyKklJF)[https://hackpad.com/SOTM-2016-Team-QA-wec4OyKklJF](https://hackpad.com/SOTM-2016-Team-QA-wec4OyKklJF)
*   All: To start thinking about ideas for social events to input in to discussion at next meeting.

= Organisation Tools =

Alex: Have you thought about a github repo to organise conversations, worked well for SotM US.

Rob: Github baffles me and is too complicated.

Henk: last year we used Trello which worked well for tasks.

Alyssa: There's also Waffle, like Trello and links to Github.

Rob: We've got e-mail and a couple of Google Docs (SotM Now & SotM Next) that give an overview. Not particularly used so far, but we haven't done that much.

Alex: I'd like to invite you Rob, Ben, and Greg to the SotM US github repo we used so you can have a look.

Alyssa: I was hesitant about using Github, it became invaluable for us staying on top of everything with the tickets.

Henk: having a system to track would be very welcome.

= Venue / EP =

Rob: slightly different views had on e-mail. One going for a date with no MPs just staff around. Other option, separating the day from SotM completely.

Henk: We should take one of the VUB dates and make it solid. Then see if we can get a date at EU around that. I get the feeling I'm now on the political track, which isn't the fastest way to get things done. Option for a full SotM at EU is very slim. If we can make SotM with EU, if not oh well. Make a decision on which weekend, don't let EU part keep holding us back.

Alex: In EU, issue 1: we can't put as many people in. Issue 2: we won't get all MPs at the dates we have. Is MPs present relate to number we can get into the EU?

*   Henk: I think that's the maximum. It's about security, maybe max size too.
*   Henk: 1st week noboby from EU, not even staff. 2nd week we might get some local MEPs and staff.
*   Henk: I don't know what is the top number in EU. Discussion, "we've seen events of 100, that's how many we can get in". EU wanted to do a similar event to a previous one in EU but hasn't been confirmed yet, probably due to security. It would take a miracle to get 500 in here.

Alex: distance?

Henk: 20-35min walk from uni to EU parliament. You don't have to move to another part of town. University capacity is ~700.

Alex: Even if MEPs aren't in town it's good to do something. 

Marc?: agree we have to choose sooner, and the 2nd weekend where there are more chance of people there.

Greg: Yep. Need to announce the date of SotM so people can get excited and book holidays to/around Brussels.

Joost: yep sounds great.

Rob: If Alex/Tatiana are working on website content include that 2nd weekend. We'll review it when you share that. View to make an announcement 1-2 weeks time.

Rob: Anyone got some time to write copy for the foundation blog?

Joost: yep.

= Social event =

Rob: as much comes out of the social/networking events as it does from presentations.

Rob: Original Brussels proposal came with a few smaller suggestion we could run in parallel. At SotM 2013 Birmingham we did a sit-down 3 course meal at the uni.

Alyssa: I like a larger gathering.

Henk: Beligum is known world-wide for beer, so an event for options of that.

Alyssa: There's an interest to make social events not completely around alcohol. If at a beer hall, make sure other drinks are available and advertised.

Joost: Have a waffle event too? In bigger events I don't meet a lot of people.

Alex: different opportunities as we have each night. Good to do things in coffee breaks to aid social activity.

Alyssa: more tourists attractions is good to include.

Rob: anyone got time to investigate options for us? We've got things to split into smaller groups. Would be good to research different size groups. You might struggle to find something up to 400 people, but good to look & see.

Henk: In Denver we went to the baseball game as an American thing.

Marc: how many people will take part in the social event?

*   Henk: Hard to say, 200-300 perhaps. Working with 500-600 people for the conf.
*   Alex: 30-50% of the conference delegate.
*   Alex: further away from venue and gap after talks finish, then you'll lose more people.

Alyssa: SotM US had 100 at the boat trip event. About 250 at party in Mapzen offices.

Henk: For some nights it might be easy to have a large plaza/square with various restaurants that people can go to. Lots of different types of food, people can choose where they go in the evening but close to mix & mingle. Such things done in both Santinago & Birmingham for some days.

Rob: Birmingham we told people they can go to a restaurant district and split up. We tried to get discounts arranged.

Rob: Unless the university is able to do a group catered thing for everyone, it might be hard to find something to hold everyone (300+).

Alyssa: I've pinged Randy on the sponsorship package. To discuss next week.

Rob: if he's busy we can try and find someone else.

= Actions =

*   Alex (and Tatiana) will share their progress on the website next week. Will also draft something for [blog.openstreetmap.org](http://blog.openstreetmap.org)
*   Team to review the use of GitHub to keep us organised (Alex shared link to the SotM US github pages).
*   Marc and Joost (with help from Brussels  team) to look in to suitable venues for social events (evening). We  will have a few evenings so need a few options - large event and a  number of medium or smaller events.
*   Randy to confirm whether he has time to pull a sponsorship document together in the next 2 weeks. If not then happy to re-assign.

= Meeting ended =

+50 minutes.