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 ==

 1. Formatting finalized program.

 2. Contracting for printing of individual programs for the delegates' totes, and the presentation boards to go outside each of the session rooms.
  
 3. Purchasing and printing delegates' name labels.

 4. Preparation and printing of "Session Chair Notes", for distribution to session chairs.

 5. Preparation and printing of "Speakers' Notes", for distribution to speakers.

 6. Delivery of tote bag inserts and stuffing of inserts into totes (normally handled by on-site volunteers).

 7. Organization of registration process and briefing of day one volunteers.

 8. Supervision of everything to make sure there won't be any unforeseen glitches. [This doesn't eliminate unforeseen glitches, it just minimizes them].

 9. [added after IRC communications]: encourage sprint leaders to prepare feedback and prepare to present it at the feedback session.

 10. 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 ==

 * [[http://live.gnome.org/GuadecPlanningHowTo|GUADEC Planning HowTo]]

== SF fandom ==

 * [[http://caption.org/1998/prog-howto.html|Running cons the CAPTION way]]
 * [[http://www.smof.com/conrunner/index2.htm|Conrunner]] -- a 1995/6 'zine
 * [[http://www.smof.com/smofiles.htm|Secret Masters of Fandom]]

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CategoryPyConPlanning