A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done.

- Fred Allen

(You’re impressed I have a quote about conferences, huh?)

And so it goes as we approach another AAM conference, this year hosted in my home town. I was trying to decide if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Traditionally I have blatantly flouted any session preparation deadlines, preferring instead to use the flight for some much needed me-time in gathering my thoughts for any presentations. Not so this year, which is why I’m not presenting on any sessions. No flight? No Presenting? That’s my New Rule.

OK, technically that’s a lie, I’m doing a couple of Career Cafes, and now that I’m self-important, I have lots of meetings. Oh and there’s one other thing…

So if a conference is a group of people who can do nothing, what we need is an Un-Conference so that we can do something. Well, guess what?

<shameless_pitch interest=”self”>

On Sunday, May 23, 2:45pm – 5:30pm there is a session Jump Start Digital Work in Your Institution: An Interactive Planning Session. Its a double session that pairs participants with teams of Web and New Media experts to work through issues of starting and completing real-world technology projects and Web 2.0 initiatives. Attendees can get help with current digital projects and potential future ideas.

</shameless-pitch>

In the same way that movie stars only need referring to by their first name (Denzel, Sly, Arnie, &c), you’ll be able to get some face time with the giants of the museum technology world with the likes of Bruce, Nancy, Rich, Herminia, Mike… (OK, this is where my metaphor breaks down…)

In the same way that movie stars only need referring to by their second name (Crowe, Hanks, Streep, &c), you’ll be able to get some face time with the giants of the museum technology world with the likes of Edson, Gordy, Iannacone, Leventhal, Mouw, Portway, Sarraf, Sasaki, Sparrow, Spiess.

Its the museum technology equivalent of the upcoming movie The Expendables. (OK, bad choice of title, but you get my point, everybody will be there).

The two main inspirations for the un-conference are:

• To overcome the challenge of AAM session proposals being due 10 months before the conference start date.
• To get as much face time between conference attendees and experienced practitioners as possible.

The un-conference home page is digital-jumpstart.org

See the current list of facilitators here, but its growing.

The event is using the #djump hashtag and of course the #aam2010 tag as well.

Technology has its up and downs and sometimes we all need a shoulder to cry on. Technology is no exception and I’ve wept technology tears many times. But there’s one way to avoid technology-tears-before-bedtime, come and see the Expendables Clash of the Museum Technology Titans.

OK, too many movie references, but you are coming to Hollywood, Hooray!

Sunday, May 23, 2:45pm – 5:30pm, Jump Start Digital Work in Your Institution: An Interactive Planning Session