Subject: [Mentoring-coordinators] Improving the Newcomer’s Meet and Greet experience

From: Benoit Claise <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 08:34:45 +0200

Dear WG chairs, IESG and IAB members,

The EDU and mentoring teams have been trying to improve the newcomers 
experience at the IETF.
Reflecting on the Newcomer’s Meet and Greet session, we observed that 
the relative number of WG chairs, ADs, and IAB members is pretty high 
compared to the number of newcomers. This resulted in some intimidating 
situations for newcomers. On top of that, this session can quickly end 
up with WG chairs, IESG, IAB members discussing among themselves.

Two concrete actions should improve the situation regarding the number 
of newcomers.
First, by de-conflicting the second EDU slot and the Newcomer’s Meet and 
Greet sessions in the latest agenda, more newcomers should attend the 
Newcomer’s Meet and Greet session.
Second, newcomers would not only include the persons who attend their 
first meeting, but the persons who attended less than five meetings (*)

Regarding the topic of "WG chairs, IESG, and IAB members discussing 
among themselves during the Newcomer’s Meet and Greet session", we 
understand that, for most of us, this is the first time we see each 
others during the week. So naturally, we tend to greet our friends and 
colleagues and solve the last (technical) issues before the week 
madness. However, let's not forget the goal of this specific meeting! So 
let's all be proactive in welcoming the newcomers, actively engaging 
people with red tags on their badges, or simply putting them in contact 
with the appropriate persons. We count on you.

There might also be value, specifically for new WG, in WG chairs saying 
to their lists, in email, that they intend to be at the Newcomer’s Meet 
and Greet session, inviting newcomers to introduce themselves to them.

Regards, Benoit

(*) We were unable to make the change to the registration system itself, 
because the system was already open when this was decided. The change 
will be reflected in the IETF 97 system language.  However we are going 
to manually — and very soon — pull this information from the 
registration history and direct all invitations to anyone who has 
attended less than five meetings.

---

From: Stephen Farrell <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:53:19 +0100

> first meeting, but the persons who attended less than five meetings (*)

Both good changes.
Thanks,
S.

---

From: "Romascanu, Dan (Dan)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:10:27 +0000

+1 about the good changes

I would add a logistic suggestion. It would be good if the ADs can ensure that the area table is staffed during the whole duration of the reception. It did happen to me (not often but it did) that I headed with a newcomer to an area table and I did not find anybody there - especially in the second half of the reception. 

Regards,

Dan

> -----Original Message-----
> From: edu-team [mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Stephen
> Farrell
> Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2016 11:53 AM
> To: Benoit Claise; WG Chairs; IESG IESG; IAB
> Cc: [email-masked]; EDU Team
> Subject: Re: [edu-team] [irsg] Improving the Newcomer’s Meet and Greet
> experience
> 
> 
> 
> > First, by de-conflicting the second EDU slot and the Newcomer’s Meet
> > and Greet sessions in the latest agenda, more newcomers should attend
> > the Newcomer’s Meet and Greet session.

---

From: Carsten Bormann <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 12:48:39 +0200

> with the appropriate persons. We count on you.

Well, the oldtimers talking to each other will continue to happen, in
particular if there is no newcomer to be seen.
I think the most important thing is to tell the newcomers that, in this
particular place, they are actively encouraged to interrupt any
conversation that may be ongoing in order to find the people they should
be speaking to.  (I know a few newcomers will still be too shy, but
maybe that instruction can help.)

> and Greet session, inviting newcomers to introduce themselves to them.

... which is another place where this comment could be made.

Grüße, Carsten

---

From: "Carlos Pignataro (cpignata)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 12:06:49 +0000

> maybe that instruction can help.)

I don't think that the responsibility and weight of success can be placed on the newcomers. It's not only a matter of being "too shy" and personality or culture. Really, the "oldcomers" should figure out ways to enable, engage, and empower instead of giving instructions to "interrupt my conversation that maybe I shouldn't be having if you figure out you need to find me". 

Things like "speed mentoring" or structured quick introductions in this "meet and greet", so that the meet and the greet actually happen, are likely much more valuable. 

Thanks,

Carlos.

---

From: Spencer Dawkins at IETF <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 07:17:53 -0600

I suspect Carlos and Carsten are both correct :-)

On Thu, Jun 30, 2016 at 6:06 AM, Carlos Pignataro (cpignata) <
[email-masked]> wrote:

> I don't think that the responsibility and weight of success can be placed
> on the newcomers. It's not only a matter of being "too shy" and personality
> or culture. Really, the "oldcomers" should figure out ways to enable,
> engage, and empower instead of giving instructions to "interrupt my
> conversation that maybe I shouldn't be having if you figure out you need to
> find me".
>
> Things like "speed mentoring" or structured quick introductions in this
> "meet and greet", so that the meet and the greet actually happen, are
> likely much more valuable.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Carlos.
>
> >

---

From: Jeffrey Haas <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:24:30 -0400

> On Jun 30, 2016, at 8:06 AM, Carlos Pignataro (cpignata) <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 

I strongly support this. I fall back on similar skills from my other social outlets and try to ensure the time I spend gets first focus on people wearing the newcomer ribbons.

"Hi, what topics are you interested in?"
"Oh, that's in the <X> area.  A few of the people are over there. Let me introduce you."

Or if there's basically a queue of a few people trying to discuss something with me, even try to get those newcomers all part of a discussion on their topics of interest with some promise of more specific 1:1 time later.

While it's never good to descend upon the newcomers like sharks having smelled blood, we certainly don't want to just let them flounder in a sea of unfamiliar faces and terminology.

-- Jeff

---

From: Julien Meuric <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 17:37:20 +0200

Hi all,

I don't know what the ideal solution is, but creating too formal things 
like "speed mentoring" may have the wrong effect on the newcomers' 
attendance...

I rather believe on wide opening doors and letting newcomers come when 
they feel comfortable enough. To this end, inviting newcomers to attend 
the event beyond their very first IETF is a right move to ease the 
talking. Sharing chairs' plan of attendance on our WG list(s) could also 
be perceived as a more personal invite to newcomers, which can be helpful.

Based on my own experience, the language tags available at the 
registration desk have proved to help breaking the ice for a few 
newcomers, even not involved in my WG. Obviously, it doesn't scale to 
all the chairs, but for those it may apply to, it seems valuable to wear 
that tag at the Meet and Greet (and once the conversation is started, 
falling back to English and/or introduce to someone else remains an 
acceptable option).

Bis bald,

Julien

---

From: "Andrew G. Malis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 13:27:47 -0400

Benoit,

The changes look good. However, if we’re going to be inviting more people,
we should make sure the the area is appropriately sized for the number of
invitees. While this wasn’t a problem in Buenos Aires (it was nice having
an outdoor venue), in some previous IETFs the space got extremely tight,
and this may make it even worse.

Cheers,
Andy

On Thu, Jun 30, 2016 at 2:34 AM, Benoit Claise <[email-masked]> wrote:

> Reflecting on the Newcomer’s Meet and Greet session, we observed that the
> relative number of WG chairs, ADs, and IAB members is pretty high compared
> to the number of newcomers. This resulted in some intimidating situations
> for newcomers. On top of that, this session can quickly end up with WG
> chairs, IESG, IAB members discussing among themselves.
>
> Two concrete actions should improve the situation regarding the number of
> newcomers.
> Regarding the topic of "WG chairs, IESG, and IAB members discussing among
> themselves during the Newcomer’s Meet and Greet session", we understand
> that, for most of us, this is the first time we see each others during the
> week. So naturally, we tend to greet our friends and colleagues and solve
> the last (technical) issues before the week madness. However, let's not
> forget the goal of this specific meeting! So let's all be proactive in
> welcoming the newcomers, actively engaging people with red tags on their
> badges, or simply putting them in contact with the appropriate persons. We
> count on you.
>
> There might also be value, specifically for new WG, in WG chairs saying to
> their lists, in email, that they intend to be at the Newcomer’s Meet and
> Greet session, inviting newcomers to introduce themselves to them.
>
> Regards, Benoit
>
>
> because the system was already open when this was decided. The change will
> be reflected in the IETF 97 system language.  However we are going to
> manually — and very soon — pull this information from the registration
> history and direct all invitations to anyone who has attended less than
> five meetings.
>
>

---

From: "Ben Campbell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 12:48:04 -0500

Andy makes a really good point. A number of spaces have been tight 
enough to feel claustrophobic with the group size at the time. Some of 
those also got very loud when full of people. Neither are conducive to 
the overall goal.

Ben.

On 30 Jun 2016, at 12:27, Andrew G. Malis wrote:

>> among
>> will

---

From: Karen O'Donoghue <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 20:54:47 +0000

> On Jun 30, 2016, at 1:48 PM, Ben Campbell <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 
> Andy makes a really good point. A number of spaces have been tight enough to feel claustrophobic with the group size at the time. Some of those also got very loud when full of people. Neither are conducive to the overall goal.
> 
> Ben.

As part of the team discussing ways to improve the Meet and Greet, I can tell you that the crowding and noise is a factor that we have identified and are considering ways to address. The secretariat has been involved in this discussion as well. We’ll see how Berlin goes and consider additional improvement to the overall experience going forward. 

Karen

On 30 Jun 2016, at 12:27, Andrew G. Malis wrote:
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