On becoming a single track conference

February 26, 2014

We organized the first editions of ArrrrCamp in an unconference-style manner. A BarCamp if you will (get it?) with two tracks. As ArrrrCamp grew into a real conference we kept the format as it worked great.

We have now decided it is time to turn ArrrrCamp into a single track conference.

The search for a new venue

As we began to prepare the 2014 edition we knew we wanted to visit other venues to see if we found a better option than last year’s venue. We knew we wanted to keep the conference in Ghent, and not only because it is convenient for us in terms of logistics. Ghent is a vibrant historical city and it seems everyone enjoys their time here.

Because we wanted to narrow the search down to Ghent we would have to consider a single track conference. The requirement of two separate and well isolated rooms that offer a certain level of comfort was proving tough to meet.

Weighing the pros and cons

After visiting 6 venues it became clear only two were real options. Our old venue which allows for both single and dual track and the new one where dual track was an option, but rather inconvenient. We considered location, comfort of the rooms, atmosphere of the lounge and of course the ability to make everyone our famous cocktails.

But the most important factor was still the variety of talks. How could a single track match up to our old dual track format?

The hallway track

We always were strong believers in the value of the hallway track. The discussions that are had at a conference are just as important as the sessions themselves. It’s with this in mind that we increased the breaks from 20 to 30 minutes in 2013. Another important aspect is the feeling of togetherness during a conference.

The single track format is our answer to the question of how to increase the bond between our attendees.

At ArrrrCamp 2014 we’ll not only be able to have lunch and coffee together, we’ll also spend the breaks together in the lounge. We’ll attend sessions together, we’ll share stories and drinks at the fringe events.

We can’t wait!