Barcamp / Unconference
A participant-driven event format (also called an unconference) where the agenda is created collaboratively at the start by participants themselves. Anyone can propose a session; sessions are scheduled into a grid of times and locations. Participants vote with their feet, moving freely between sessions. It produces high-quality, self-organised learning events with minimal top-down structure.
How to run it
- 1
Open the event with all participants gathered together.
- 2
Explain the format: no pre-set agenda, no fixed speakers. Anyone can propose a session on any topic.
- 3
Invite participants to propose sessions by writing a title and brief description on a card and presenting it in 30 seconds.
- 4
Facilitator or participants schedule sessions into a visible grid (times × locations).
- 5
Sessions begin. Participants move freely between sessions (Law of Two Feet: if you're not learning or contributing, move on).
- 6
No slides required, no formal presenter — conversations are preferred.
- 7
Close with a brief harvest: what were the key themes and insights that emerged?
Tips
The Law of Two Feet is the heart of the unconference — make it explicit and permission-giving.
A good marketplace (session pitching phase) takes 20–30 minutes for large groups.
Trust that the format works even if it feels chaotic at the start.',
Variations
Run a half-day internal unconference for a team. Combine with Open Space Technology for large, complex challenges. Use Lean Coffee format for smaller groups.
Where it fits
Plan your next workshop with AI
Workshop Weaver helps you combine methods like Barcamp / Unconference into a complete, timed agenda in minutes.
Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices.