Re: reception not useful for WG chairs

[Wes Hardaker <[e-mail]>]

"STARK, BARBARA H" <[e-mail]> writes:

> The email that told us the newcomers reception would be discontinued
> said this was because the speed-mentoring session was perceived as
> being far more valuable/useful and it wasn't necessary to have
> both.

Yes, and no to the above.  Functionally, it was serving two
purposes: 1) the original purpose: allowing newcomers to meet up with
chairs and ADs, 2) its transformed purpose: allowing chairs and ADs to
meet up with chairs and ADs.

It's intended original purpose was #1, and it seems the consensus is
that #2 is what everyone is saying they're missing with lots of points
about what the general reception can't be used.  However, the problem
that #1 wasn't meeting it's purpose is mostly unrelated to the
quick-connections session.  The purpose was still not being met,
regardless.

Here's a turn around question for the crowd: what would it take to make
the general reception a viable spot to meet and serve the purpose of a
pre-meeting meet-and-greet with people you need to talk with?  What
could be done other than "throw out everyone I don't need to talk to",
which I don't think is a viable solution.  If it's too loud, what could
we do?  If it's too popular, what if we removed food/drink for the first
hour (so only the dedicated showed up)?  What if we held it in a bigger
room?  What if we had per-topic/area group-tables?  What *would* work?

-- 
Wes Hardaker
USC/ISI