The phases of the unconference are highly structured around no agenda.

technique — attributed to Adrian Segar

Segar's unconferences are not free-for-alls. The phases are tightly designed. First, the participants surface individually and collectively what they want to talk about and who in the room is a resource for whom. The information shapes an on-the-fly program. Second, the program runs, with sessions led by participants who often did not know they would be leading until the day before. Third, structured closing sessions help each participant identify what they will change after the event, with measurable outcomes and small-group accountability. The format is participant-driven, not agenda-driven. The structure is what makes the lack of agenda work.

For convening designers experimenting with unconference and open-space formats. The structure has to be present even when the agenda is not, or the format devolves into unproductive chaos.

phases, structure, open-space, design