Rough checklist for running PyCon-style conventions.
This table intends to list every single step required to plan and carry out a conference. Do not remove items from this list, because this isn't the to-do list for any particular year; the list of remaining tasks for a specific conference such as PyCon 2006 would be on other pages. Do feel free to add any tasks that you think of.
The dates are given in terms of time before the conference. Larger conferences need lots of preparation time, and a smaller event can probably compress the timeline significantly.
Timeline
-18-24 months
Select conference city and venue
-18-24 months
Select dates. Important: Check they don't conflict with holidays.
-12-18 months
Book venue
-12-18 months
Finances: estimate costs and draw up a draft budget
-12-6 months
Finances: contact potential sponsors
XXX
Decide upon keynote speaker(s)
XXX
Call for proposals
XXX
E-mail speakers for invited talks
XXX
Review proposals
-6 months
Finances: Set registration price
XXX
Send proposal acceptances
XXX
Create schedule
XXX
Call for financial aid applications
XXX
Set up registration process and open early-bird registration
XXX
Post call for volunteers
XXX
Review/accept/reject financial aid applications
XXX
Arrange for wireless networking
XXX
Plan refreshments
XXX
End early-bird registration
Refereed papers
-9 months
Select program committee
XXX
Set up conference management software
-9 months
Post call for papers
-2 months
Paper submission deadline
XXX
Deadline for paper accept/decline decisions
XXX
Write page giving presentation advice
XXX
Notify paper authors of acceptance
XXX
Determine conference schedule
XXX
Arrange iCal/RSS publication of schedule
XXX
Pick session chairs
BoFs
-2 months
Issue call for BoFs
-2 weeks
Pick BoF topics
Swag
XXX
Determine other giveaways (sponsors may help?)
-90 days
Selecting the swag vendor
-80 days
Creating tshirt order based on size proportions of attendees prior year
-80 days
Calling for volunteer to accept delivery of tshirts and totes in advance of conference
-55 days
Bug graphic designer about images
-50 days
Get T-shirt images from graphic designer
Close of early registration
Chair commits to attendance figure.
-45 days
Get quote from swag vendor (T-shirts, tote bag)
-45 days
Get chair's approval for T-shirt, tote budget
-45 days
Have non-attending volunteers sign up on wiki to get shirts
-45 days
Get tote bag images from graphic designer
-44 days
Ordering tshirts, totes from swag vendor
-44 days
Emailing attendee tshirt images to vendor
-44 days
Emailing staff tshirt images to vendor
-44 days
Emailing tote images to vendor
-44 days
Submit reimbursement request to PSF treasurer
-37 days
Proofread T-shirts, totes at vendor
-30 days
Vendor ships to local volunteer
-30 days
Optionally make a second order if registration numbers suggest it.
-1 day
Stuff the bags
-1 day
Fold T-shirts
-1 day
Hand out some staff T-shirts
Demos
XXX
Post call for demos for demo room
PSF Meeting
-3 months
Request nominees for new PSF members
-3 months
Request nominees for board of directors
-2 months
Send out agendas and proxy forms
Next year's con
-4 months
Write requirements for con sites (like http://www.yapc.org/venue-reqs.txt)
-4 months
Post call for site proposals
-1 month
Check over site proposals
At con
Run a panel / voting session to choose a proposal
Days before conference
- Formatting finalized program.
- Contracting for printing of individual programs for the delegates' totes, and the presentation boards to go outside each of the session rooms.
- Purchasing and printing delegates' name labels.
- Preparation and printing of "Session Chair Notes", for distribution to session chairs.
- Preparation and printing of "Speakers' Notes", for distribution to speakers.
- Delivery of tote bag inserts and stuffing of inserts into totes (normally handled by on-site volunteers).
- Organization of registration process and briefing of day one volunteers.
- Supervision of everything to make sure there won't be any unforeseen glitches. [This doesn't eliminate unforeseen glitches, it just minimizes them].
- [added after IRC communications]: encourage sprint leaders to prepare feedback and prepare to present it at the feedback session.
- Preparation and printing of public notices (e.g. signage for registration desk, sponsors' logo sheet).
During the conference
- Supervise sprints.
- Run the registration desk.
After the conference
- Prepare web-based proceedings.
- Prepare recorded audio.
- Evaluate participant feedback and prepare report.
- Determine profit/loss.
Related links
Programming conferences
SF fandom
Conrunner -- a 1995/6 'zine