new concept: the unconference studio

A new way of meeting: 'unconferences'.

Source Nicolaas Pereboom, Crossmint

New formats and methods for meetings are becoming more popular as an alternative to the traditional meeting methods. The term "unconference" is used to describe a wide range of gatherings that try to avoid one or more aspects of a conventional meeting. Unconferences are often facilitated, participant-driven conferences, events or meetings centered around a theme or purpose. There may not be an agenda until the attendees made one up. 

Often they are organized on the Web and on the fly, but more and more unconference techniques (like for instance ‘pecha-kucha’ or the ‘fishbowl’ are applied to all kinds of meetings. Unconferences can be short or long, held with a few to many attendees, to educate, to inform, to gain consensus, to make a decision, to celebrate an event, etc.  

They can be held face to face or, increasingly, in a distributed fashion across time or space. Quote from article by CNN: ‘at traditional conferences, the most productive moments often occur in the corridor between meetings; at ‘unconferences’, attendees like to say, it's all corridor’.

http://www.openspaceworld.org/ an approach for hosting meetings, conferences, corporate-style retreats and community summit events, focused on a specific and important purpose or task -- but beginning without any formal agenda, beyond the overall purpose or theme (source: Wikipedia).

The founders of The BBox (www.thebbox.com) in Maastricht, The Netherlands – Harrie Beaumont and Pierre Buijs - have understood this shift from the traditional meeting to new meeting formats where ‘unconference’ techniques are combined, with ‘high tech’ and ‘high touch’ to produce ‘high performance’ meetings.

‘High tech’ since it contains online HD video- and web conferencing, a touch screen AMX control system, an A/V (audio/video) system, an interactive voting system, three full HD screens, a DVD player, Bose cube speakers, a Nintendo Wii, and 100% eco-friendly LED lighting.

‘High touch’ since in addition to a self-serve pantry with drinks and refreshments, the friendly crew of the Beaumont hotel & restaurant will serve appetizers, sweet refreshments and upon request breakfast, lunch or dinner.

‘High perfomance’ since the interior has been designed in accordance with the latest ideas on creating effective and high performance moderated meeting environments (similar to approaches like Open Space Technology([1])  and Unconferences([2]).

The founders have also understood the impact this has on layout and architecture of meeting venues. The BBox – which opened at the end of 2009 –  combines a totally new architectural redesign of a meeting room with the latest online web- and collaboration tools to  allow dispersed meetings across time and space, offering the right environment for decision making and thinking outside the box. They have also given this a completely new meaning: ‘thinking outside the box’ can be taken very literally as being connected via the web of videoconferencing system to and brainstorming with other participants outside The BBox!