TEDx Organizer Workshop

The TEDxSantaCruz Team received approval from TED to offer a workshop for the Greater San Francisco Bay area TEDx organizers. Local TEDx organizers were invited to participate in an exciting, productive and creative day where organizers shared the innovative things they have done with their TEDx events.

The workshop was held on July 27th and there was also an early evening mixer hosted by Santa Cruz based non-profit, the Firelight Foundation.

The agenda for the day included:

  • Orientation, getting acquainted, and presenting an overview of the accomplishments of the greater San Francisco Bay Area TEDx Organizations
  • Each TEDx organization sharing lessons learned (both good and bad) and best practices
  • Identifying areas and/or projects for potential regional collaboration
  • Creating a TEDx Visual organizational template that can be shared with other TEDx organizations around the world, and also tailored to each TEDx organization, to more effectively tell the TED and TEDx story to the public, sponsors, attendees and volunteers
  • Enjoying social time with an after event mixer
  • We were excited to have two of the finest organizational consultants in the S.F. Bay Area volunteer to facilitate the day. The facilitators are Peter Gaarn of The Piras Group and David Sibbet, President & Founder of Grove Consultant’s International. Both Peter and David have over 30 years of experience each in working with a wide variety of businesses and organizations.

The findings from the event are covered in an illustrated workshop report created by Peter and David. Don’t miss this great document, filled with ideas and information about TEDx events throughout the Bay Area.

If you have any questions about the event, please don’t hesitate to contact david@tedxsantacruz.org.

Agenda for Regional TEDx Organizers Workshop

When: July 27, 2013

Where: Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz CA

Time: 9 am to 7 pm

9:00 am

Welcome and introductions

Review agenda and expectations for the day

9:30 am

History & accomplishments

What have we done and what are we most proud of?

Note: process is to use wall graphic and large post-its to capture ideas

Capture history and share stories

10:30 am

Break

10:45 am

Identify challenges/pain points and best practices/gems

Small mixed groups activity

Use 9 key areas as framework

  • Team management
  • Venue
  • Sponsorship and finances
  • Program design
  • Speakers
  • Branding and Marketing
  • Audience
  • Photos and videos
  • Post event

Each group identifies top 5-7 challenges and best practices

Groups capture to challenges and best practices on different color post-its

11:30 am

Small group report-outs

Post-it’s added to wall graphic as groups report out

12:00 pm

Lunch

1:00 pm

Refine and finalize best practices to be shared

Consolidate, clarify and crystalize ideas

Capture final ideas on graphic

2:00 pm

Break into 2 groups for working sessions

Group 1: Develop a TEDx organizers template that can be shared with other TEDx organizations around the world—Leverages best practices & other ideas

Group 2: Identify future opportunities for collaboration—Explore for synergies for regional collaboration, Be creative/out of the box

3:00 pm

Break

3:15 pm

Report outs by groups

Discussion and key takeaways

4:00 pm

Action planning & next steps

Identify teams to refine work (i.e., template)

4:30 pm

Wrap-up and closure

Reflections and take-aways for the day

4:50 pm

End and transition to social gathering

5:00 pm

Social networking