Thanks, everybody! Great event!

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Marci Smith
----------

For the on line forum



----------
(This posting was entered by Marci Smith, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Marci Smith
----------

Thank you for your help. I live 1 1/2 hours from Chicago. This would be
an easy drive. So where did everyone meet for the events?


----------
(This posting was entered by Marci Smith, an external user of MyDLV.)

[laurawright]

There is not an obvious public page for the Pinkfest schedule of events like the other information pages for the hotels, vendors, etc.
The basic schedule was posted in the discussion forum which can be difficult to find for a casual browser.
It was here: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2996

The more detailed schedule of events and venues, dinners, museum tours, theatre plays etc. is best accessed by getting on the email list. Everyone who RSVPs to pinkfest@geekbabe.com gets the detailed info through email.
Since this schedule is not on an obvious schedule page linked from the main page, the information can seem hard to find if you do not get the email link. The big schedule link is loaded with info about meeting times, locations, directions, mass transit, relative cost, whether the venue is LGBT friendly, or main stream, or whether it is casual or dressy, etc. Without that link, it can be confusing if you just search the pages online on your own.

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Marci Smith
----------

I never seen this link, I think This would have helped me find everyone.

Maybe next year have this link on the home page. Knowing whats going on
is big for me, I like most people don't want to spend hours looking for
stuff. If turn out is low I guess there are more like me.

I know there were some Chicago girls that went to Michigan for the
weekend and they have been to Pinkfest before.

I would love to attend. I live 1 1/2 hours away. Chicago is the center
of the country it should be the biggest thing event of the year. thanks
for the link, maybe next year.

Marci


----------
(This posting was entered by Marci Smith, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Ginger
----------


Hi Marci,

Sorry you missed Pinkfest! You missed hanging out with some very nice
people from all over. You missed two shows, touring the Museum of
Science and Energy, drinks in the Signature Room of the Hancock Tower,
and lots more. Yes, you can do all these alone, but its more fun with
friends who understand.

I'm a former SCC event director and it was a great conference, but
Pinkfest is a fall vacation not a conference. Maybe you will want to
join us next year and for Diva Las Vegas too for a spring vacation,
March 22-27, 2015. Also, send a note to the list if registration does
not work again! The full schedule is provided to registrants and never
made public to discourage unwanted guests.

Ginger


----------
(This posting was entered by Ginger, an external user of MyDLV.)

[annie]

I've done a little homework, working backward through the chain of events. I don't mean to embarrass Marci here, but I want to post this as a learning experience for all, myself included, about how we can better communicate and get the information to those who need it in order to participate.

I also have some specific questions for Marci.

The bottom line is that we have an individual who came into the scene right at the peak of "crunch time" and unfortunately did not get enough information to participate. We see the low-information situation occasionally with DLV and it's one of the things we're trying to get a better handle on. This situation here at Pinkfest actually provides a good case study.

The first footprint is a note sent to me from one of the other volunteers last Monday evening, the 6th. It explained that she had sent the schedule to Marci and to please add her to the mailing list. I added her to the mailing list shortly before midnight Monday into Tuesday, which should have triggered an introductory message giving links for former list items, etc. Marci should, from that point forward, have received all items posted to the list/forum.

Questions for Marci:

1. Did you receive the schedule on Monday the 6th?
2. Did you receive the introductory message for Pinkfest around midnight that evening?
3, If yes to 2 above, did you follow the link and view the recently posted items?
4. Did you begin to receive Pinkfest list/forum items via e-mail?

The next footprint is the note from Marci on Tuesday the 14th which began this thread arc.

One last question for Marci? You should have received a message on Tuesday the 7th. to the effect of:

> ...
> For those who have not RSVPd and would like to attend, there is still time to RSVP,
> plus you can feel free to drop in on almost everything. The dinners on Saturday and Sunday
> are the only items where we need a hard count.

> Any questions or concerns, please get them in sooner rather than later.

> Thanks, Gang. See you in Chicago!

Marci, did you receive this message? It should have come in on Tuesday morning, October 7.

We appreciate your answers, as they will let us better know where things broke down and why we lost an otherwise valuable attendee.

Thanks.

[annie]

> The full schedule is provided to registrants and never
> made public to discourage unwanted guests.

Ginger makes a very good point here. This is really more relevant at DLV but does apply to Pinkfest as well as we get to be better known.

We've historically had two issues with making detailed schedules widely available, particularly in public.

First is that some use old/tentative/preliminary schedules as the final authoritative schedule. At DLV we've had a number of cases of people showing up at the wrong place and/or time due to this.

The second is kind of a balancing act between privacy/security and convenience. The bottom line, and sorry if this appears blunt, but only registered attendees have a need to know specific details about our activities. At DLV we've had a few cases of drop-ins where said drop-ins were not on the same page WRT expected dress and behavior and one case where a drop-in was intentionally disruptive. We also caught wind of a second planned intentional disruption in which the would-be-crashers were talked out of it by peer pressure.

Hopefully we never see this kind of thing at Pinkfest!

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Marci Smith
----------

Thank you GINGER. I want to get out more and meet others like me. I hope
people don't think I am a bad person for my post. It was a last minute
thing to go and was frustrated because I couldn't find events ETC...* I
just think if its hard for me to find this it is probably hard for
others too*. I love being Marci and have been only doing this for less
than 2 years

Who was in charge of this years events at SCC was it you?

Have a nice day

Marci


----------
(This posting was entered by Marci Smith, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Marci Smith
----------

I didn't find anything on the 6th or 7th did see something from Laura on
the 9th it was in spam, Not sure why. I see there was a link on Laura's
post.

I did start getting chats about how much fun it was and low prices at
the one bar. Think that was on the 9th too.

I usually plan my stuff weeks in advance but my schedule opened up at
the last minute for this event. I save the Pinkfest link to my favorites
over a month ago, but did not registrar because I didn't think I could
get time off. My friend Coleen told me to go.

I understand now why you don't post the events to the main page. I just
hope next time I will get registared far in advance, so I can be in the
loop with everything.

Marci


----------
(This posting was entered by Marci Smith, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: amanda
----------

Disappointed I couldn't get together with you all this year. As it
turns out, I needed to be in San Francisco that weekend, but did get out
and about there. Happy to hear about all the good times you had here
in Chicago and look forward to seeing everyone again in future years and
other locations.

~ Amanda


----------
(This posting was entered by amanda, an external user of MyDLV.)