I can’t blame any organizer who hasn’t yet cancelled a conference scheduled for April or May. They hold out to the hope things will improve until then. That doesn’t mean they won’t cancel. It’s easy to say they should act differently if it’s not your salary that is in danger.

Mar 10, 2020 · 9:50 PM UTC

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Replying to @stilkov
IMO hope will not help. As a conference organizer you have the duty to cancel in respect of other people’s health (not only talking about the attendees). So the real question is what could an alternative formal look like, that will minimize your risk of monetary damage.
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Stefan Tilkov @stilkov
10 Mar 2020
So, who’s collecting the best ideas on how to successfully run a remote conference? I’ll start with a list of my own, please reply to with yours or links to others.
Replying to @stilkov
My salary is massively in danger :-(
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I can see how you could deliver 25% of what you do with a remote/virtual option. Is there a way to use that to scale it up beyond 4x?
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Replying to @stilkov
Kommt vielleicht auch darauf an, wie die Organizer versichert sind? Oder es gibt höhere-Gewalt-Klauseln wann Verträge (z.B. zu Locations) nichtig werden. Alles nur Spekulation. War aber offenbar der Grund, warum Austin den Notstand ausgerufen hat, bevor die SXSW abgesagt wurde.
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Replying to @stilkov @nigelebaker
Make decisions on the information at hand and at the last responsible moment
Replying to @stilkov
Really tough times. We are fighting from day to day to keep our events running for the best of all parties
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Replying to @stilkov
For some their cancellation insurance also plays in to this - at least some policies will cover forced cancellation, but not the organisers just deciding they’re not running the event now.
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Replying to @stilkov
I concur. Happy to be part of some online networks, and to have two good customers. I’m literally locked up at home in Italy, but my income is safe despite two postponed trainings.
Replying to @stilkov
Tough times for organizers. And for speakers as well. I had two talks, three opening keynote and two training courses cancelled only this week :(
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