26th 27dinner In Jozi A Big Success
Or at least I thought so. Sure, we struggled to hear at times as we competed with another party upstairs at Primi Forum Melrose Arch, but all in all I think it was a super evening.
Just under 100 people rocked up to the biggest 27dinner so far, we might have even clocked 100 as the evening wore on – a fantastic turnout and hopefully a testimony to the improved registration experience on the new Drupal-powered 27dinner.com. There’s still much room for improvement, both in the site and at the events, your feedback is encouraged and welcomed as always.
Significantly there were more corporates and high-powered businessmen and women in attendance than ever before, intermingled with the usual geek suspects. Sadly we had less media-types in attendance but with the Loeries having just happened the weekend before, and it being a busy time in the industry for key individuals, this was understandable.
Our speakers for the evening included Kate Elphick who gave an informative presentation on 10 business models for Web 2.0 entrepreneurs, Jason Hobbs on User Experience Design (brilliant for the second 27 in a row) and last but certainly not least South Africa’s very own Mark Zuckerberg, Charl Norman who gave us an inside look into how he and his colleagues are building and growing some of SA’s most exciting social networks.
A huge thanks goes out to the incomparable Roy Blumenthal for adding an engaging ‘visual facilitation’ component to the evening’s happenings. Thanks Roy for coming on board!
One of the highlights for me, not wanting to blow smoke up my own ass, was the impromptu interview I did with Charl, and I realised I’ve perhaps been missing out on an opportunity to do that more often.
So in the interest of delivering an even better experience of 27 next time, who would like to hear speak, or hear interviewed, or would you like to see a panel of speakers debating something?? Let me know in the comments here…
Other 27dinner reviews:
Vincent at Moralfibre
Craig (check out his pics too)
Popularity: 17% [?]
My first dinner last night. I really enjoyed it except for a couple of issues:
1) Venue was overly loud. This was especially bad for us in the back.
2) Speakers were either overly technical or spoke about stuff we all already knew. Charl for example was an excellent speaker but he spoke about his sites… something most people who would go to the dinner already know about or are registered on.
3) Debate of some sort would be awesome. Also, a way to take the dinner “online” would be great. In a sense a way to continue the debate online.
Otherwise, it was an excellent evening and I’ll be at the next one.
by SaulK
on 29. Jul, 2008
I found the evening, especially Kate and Charl, really interesting but then I’m not in the industry. (I believe there should be more cross pollination between different disciplines – that’s totally beside the point though.) Still – thanx for being an entertaining host as per ussual and if any one feels like navel-gazing, there are quite a few pics of the event posted on
http://picasaweb.google.com/craign/27dinnerJuly2008
by Talita
on 30. Jul, 2008
@SaulK well it just wouldn’t be you if you didn’t have something to complain about
See you at the next one – maybe we can get you up in front!
@Talita I think that’s exactly the point! Cross-pollination is what it’s all about. As long as there’s a common thread around technology, business and or media… Thanks for your feedback though.
by Mike
on 30. Jul, 2008
I had a fabulous time, as usual! Roy Blumenthal’s sketches were particularly entertaining.
I think a panel discussion/debate is a fantastic idea and a great way to make the evening more interactive.
A way to satisy our need for all things geeky might be to have another screen running alongside the main one, displaying all the tweets from the people at the evening as they happen.
Just my 2 cents
by Heidi
on 30. Jul, 2008
You see complaints… I see efficiency expert!
by SaulK
on 30. Jul, 2008
Thanks for having me Mike
by Charl Norman
on 30. Jul, 2008
Hey Mike, what happened to the links to the presentations?
by Gustav Bertram
on 30. Jul, 2008
[...] for time, having three speakers instead of the promised two. (How dare you exceed our expectations, Mike?) The waiters couldn’t keep up – One person at our table never received his first order, his [...]
by Constant Flux › Jozi 27Dinner (July 2008) Feedback
on 30. Jul, 2008
I think a debate would be great. Throw out a question or statement, no more than a couple of sentences and see the room trash it out. That will be a good way to get cross pollination since different disciplines will have different viewpoints, and as a bonus we will get to know each other better.
Some ideas for discussion:
The era of web 2.0 has come to a close
The era of ‘ “free” can be a business model’ is over
(just read discussion of both topics on some blog, can’t remember where….)
by Eve Dmochowska
on 30. Jul, 2008
Hey Mike! Do you guys still allow smoking at the function? I know a whole bunch of us who would have been back but for that at the first ‘un. Mega anti-social thing in this day and age.
by Clive Simpkins
on 31. Jul, 2008
Hey, I managed to make it for the socialising, despite only flying from the Loeries at 8 pm that evening!
And many thanks for the half-bottle of Stormhoek pinotage rosé I walked off with
I poured myself a glass to power me through my first newsletter column at about 1am for the Bizcommunity.com 2008 Loeries special edition newsletter that went out in the wee hours of Tuesday morning!
by Simone Puterman
on 01. Aug, 2008
Heya Mike!
Thanks for the thanks! And thanks for the opportunity to make paintings of the ideas going down!
I was also live blogging as I went along. You can view all of the bits and pieces on my blog, at: http://schmucknews.blogspot.com/2008/07/live-visual-facilitation-coverage-of-27.html
Blue skies
love
Roy
by Roy Blumenthal
on 05. Aug, 2008