Shorter Events with Smaller Contribution Requirements
Many of the events on the MIX, like M-Prize competitions and hackathons, can prove challenging for busy people--either because the contribution required is onerous (it can take several hours to submit a thorough story) or because the process lasts for an extended period of time (hackathons can run for several weeks). We think that hosting regular events that are of shorter duration and/or have lower contribution requirements, like we did with the recent QuickMIX, could lead to broader participation and higher engagement around the insights being generated.
I tend to agree. The investment to make a contribution to the MIX is substantial. But that also ensures that the quality of stories and hacks is very good... So it is kind of hard to tell what amount of time is the 'right' amount of time to contribute to the MIX. But I tend to agree that the current format takes me at least 16-24 hours to build comprehensively!
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I like the idea of it not being an either / or, but a both! Seems like we can have some activities on the MIX that drive to the deep, substantial stories and hacks, and some that drive towards a lighter, more interactive collaboration more focused on sharing ideas than recording for posterity.
I love that we are willing to experiment with these different formats on the MIX. Personally, I think that it often makes sense to start with a lighter, simpler requirement, like a mini-hack or mini-story, then if it gets traction, if people are interested and looking for more detail, well then the author has incentive to add more detail and doesn't feel like he/she is wasting time.
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Hi Stephen, do you think it'd make sense to implement shorter stories/hacks templates for a first round of a challenge--so that the judges get enough content to judge what is promising, and then the commitment on the part of the contributor escalates in a way that corresponds with the potential of getting far in the challenge?
thx
Michele
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I like this idea. What if there was a one-night or 24-hour hackathon (still allowing global participation). If you could set aside time to participate, great. If not, another would be coming soon so you could catch the next one. (If that's exactly what QuickMIX was, I apologize.)
What if these smaller hacks then contributed to a Fall Weekend Hackathon. Everyone would mark their calendar for that weekend, pull the best ideas from the one-night sessions and work the ideas into final products over the designated weekend.
I've typed about three other formats, but I really like multiple opportunities for short, concentrated bursts of activity.
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Hi Robin, love this idea of a "hybrid" where we get people together in person after an on-line conversation... thanks
Michele
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