How to Organize a JoomlaDay™

From Joomla! Documentation

Creating a Joomla!Day requires a combination of good leadership, teamwork, and lots of energy. A successful Joomla!Day isn't measured solely on the number of attendees, but rather the value of the information shared and the new connections made within the local community. This is a simple guide that Joomla!Day organizers can use in creating their own Joomla!Days. Even better, this page should be used by past Joomla!Day organizers to share their knowledge. The more information the better!

Choosing a City[edit]

The city where the event shall be should be easy to reach for the targeted audience. Public transportation should be available to the city and to the venue. There should also be enough hotels (check prices!).

Larger cities offer better infrastructure, but mostly the venues are more expensive. Don't forget to check smaller cities with good infrastructure.

Checklist:

  • possibly in the centre of your country / region
  • public transportation (airport, train, bus)
  • Hotels / Hostels
  • available locations for social events
  • price range of available venues

The final decision for the city should be made together with the venue.

Choosing a Venue[edit]

Before choosing the venue, some key facts should be planned:

  • expected number of attendees (audience + team + speaker + sponsors)
  • rough timetable (how many rooms?)
  • catering
  • BUDGET

There are a lot of different types of venues possible: conference hotels, companies, university, ... All of them have advantages and disadvantages. A venue at a university can be very cheap - but normally, you have to care for everything on your own (technical equipment, catering, cleaning, ...) while conference hotels offer full service, but are most expensive.

When you compare the prices for the venues, don't forget to include the technical equipment (Beamer, WiFi, Whiteboards, Sound, ...). If this is not included, this may be expensive to rent.

Choosing a Date and Time[edit]

Check the following dates:

  • vacation / holidays
  • other large events in the selected city
  • other events in the Joomla-Community (esp. if you plan to invite international speakers)
  • other web/development related events

There should be at least 2 weeks between other similar events.

The event should be planned at least (!) 6 - 8 months in advance!

Choosing the Schedule Structure[edit]

Lecture, breakout rooms, and unconference modes.

Lecture[edit]

Breakout Rooms[edit]

Unconference[edit]

Choosing Speakers[edit]

Finding Fiscal Support and Sponsors[edit]

Running an Efficient Give-Away[edit]

Building the Right Website[edit]

Legal, Organizational, and Fiscal Considerations[edit]