How to run an unconference
With Responsive Conference only 25 days away, I’ve been thinking back to February 2016, when I ran my very first unconference. That experiment paved the way for the first annual Responsive Conference later that year, and the format has been woven into every Responsive event since.
An unconference flips the traditional model of a conference on its head: instead of a pre-set agenda, the participants themselves decide what gets discussed. It is deceptively simple, but it’s also one of the most powerful ways I know to spark connection and create unexpected breakthroughs.
I’ll be teaching a workshop on “How to Run an Unconference” at the Conference for Conferences the day before Responsive, and of course, we’ll be running unconferences throughout both days of Responsive Conference 2025.
Don't have a ticket yet?
There's still time!
What is an unconference
An unconference is any event where the agenda is set by those who attend. The rules of an unconference are simple:
- Whoever shows up are the right people
- Whatever happens is fine
- Whenever it starts is the right time
- It is over when it’s over
In less flowery language this just means ditch expectation and don’t try to control the experience.
Flow of the Day
After attendees arrive, an empty conference agenda is posted on the wall with time slots and a variety of meeting spaces. Leaders share a theme or question they would like to discuss and post it in a time slot. If you post a topic, it is your responsibility to turn up to that session and introduce your topic or question. If you are not hosting a session, you are free to attend whichever of the sessions you are interested in.
Attendees are encouraged to adopt any of a number of roles:
Leader — who is facilitating each breakout
Scribe — is someone responsible for taking notes for each group
Nomads — give attendees permission to move between break-outs
The Law of Two Feet
Everyone at an unconference is encouraged to practice the law of two feet. The law of two feet says that if you become uninterested at any point, you are encouraged to leave and join another session. In an unconference you are also invited to take breaks at any time, with the idea that it is sometimes in the breaks that the ‘A-ha’ moments arrive.
Roles & Responsibilities
There are three main components necessary to a successful event — recruiting, production, and a strong facilitator.
A Word on Recruiting
In my experience, it is helpful to have an extended network to help with recruiting, not just a single person. All other logistics can be handled by a single person.
Production
Among the organizers, someone has to be in charge of logistics, including:
- Venue sourcing and ongoing communication
- Setting the date
- Attendee arrival emails
- Day-of logistics
- Recruiting
Facilitation
A strong facilitator can make or break any event, but especially one with as fluid an agenda as an unconference. On the day of the event, the facilitator plays a crucial role. It is essential to have one strong facilitator overseeing each unconference, to welcome attendees and provide context for the event.
How to Facilitate an Unconference
Here are some tips, most learned the hard way over hundreds of hours of practice in the last two years.
Stay Centered
Despite having spent a fair amount of time on stage, I found myself getting nervous and feeling rushed in the hours leading up to a day-long unconference. My single biggest piece of advice for a facilitator is to arrive with plenty of time to spare so you won’t feel rushed. You are responsible for the framework within which the attendee experience takes place. As such, staying grounded and centered is the single most important thing you can provide, even though in the moment it may feel like it is more important to make sure the space is set up or the coffee is ready.
Don’t Participate
This one might seem odd. It can seem like the entire point of organizing an event is to participate. In my experience, doing so decreases the ease with which I was able to coordinate new sessions, lead an end-of-day wrap-up, and refocus attendees when necessary.
In my view, the facilitator of the unconference is there in service to the attendees. I have found it gets in the way of the attendee experience to actively participate in sessions and workshops that occur throughout the day.
Practice
The facilitator should practice before the beginning of the unconference. Review these guidelines for a successful unconference and be able to describe unconference rules from memory. Practice your welcome speech.
Incorporate movement
I have always found it very useful to incorporate movement into events. When we have short periods of movement interspersed with other kinds of learning, we shortcut the passive sit-and-absorb tendencies we all learned through the education system, and which have carried over into most events. Read this article on the importance of movement within events.
Conclusion
Events are a lot of work, and something I've learned to produce of necessity. However, in this hyperactive digital age, I’m convinced of the value of what Tony Hsieh calls “spontaneous collisions” — the value of people spontaneously crossing paths. If you’re considering putting on an event of your own, I encourage you to do so. When we create a container — an event or gathering — we create the opportunity for emergent possibilities to fill the open space.
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3 things I’ve loved this week
Article I'm reading
Everything I know about self-publishing by Kevin Kelly
I've long admired Kevin Kelly for his writing on everything from technology to vanishing cultures to cool tools. His latest is an essay on self-publishing.
From someone who has published in every format from mainstream publishers to DIY direct-to-consumer, he has a lot of interesting thoughts about the state of publishing and books.
Podcast I'm reviewing
Snafu w/ Robin Zander
As I mentioned last week, we've rebooked my podcast Snafu! The latest episode just went live with Responsive Conference and main stage TED speaker Simone Stolzoff on How to Not Know.
I'm finding it particularly useful to listen back through previous interviews (even when it's awkward) so that I can improve the next one.
Supplement I'm enjoying
Seed DS-01 Daily Synbiotic
Over the last two years, I've been on a quest to improve my digestion and conducted a lot of self-experiments, including fasting, weird diets, and more.
When my doctor suggested Seed, I was initially turned off by their beautiful packaging. When a supplement is packaged too beautifully, there's usually a catch! But I’ve been using DS-01 Daily Synbiotic by Seed daily, and it leaves me feeling great.
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When you're ready, here's how I can help
I've begun teaching a cohort-driven course about sales. This is a new approach to selling for people who aren't quite comfortable - yet. If you're interested, join the waitlist here.
Everyone has a story. At Zander Media, we help startups and global brands clarify their message and make videos that change people.
Responsive: What It Takes to Create a Thriving Organization is a book for any startup founder or enterprise change lead who wants to improve their organization. And if you want to learn to do a handstand, check out How to Do a Handstand.
Responsive Conference is an annual summit that brings together 300 executives, founders, and entrepreneurs who want to make work better. Join us this September and equip your team to respond to change!
Until next week,
Robin
