Lessons from #EJC2015

Dee - 2015-08-13 10:56:14 UTC #

Lessons from #EJC2015

This will be a small series of posts [which, individually, may be quite long] on some of the transferable lessons from the EJC just gone.

Registration:

This went remarkably smoothly, but I think that some efficiencies can be achieved. The combined single queue that split at the last minute worked well in ensuring that no one was stuck in the “wrong” queue.

The QR system worked really well in enabling fast processing, without requiring bar-code scanners. I would, however, have called it a ticket rather than an e-ticket, as the organisers wanted people to print out the ticket and sign the disclaimer. In my head, an e-ticket is not something that needs to be printed.

Having sufficient floor space really made a difference. This meant that the queue could be managed in a less frenzied manner [especially in comparison to Toulouse] and people had room to manoeuvre.

I would like to have a few (perhaps 2) express desks: adults pre-registered for the full week only. This reduces the number of options required for the desk and could speed-up the process [enabling you to use your volunteers with more languages for more complex interactions]. Under 18s require a range of different permission slips, making the process slightly slower and more complicated.

Another desk (note that this desk would also take standard pre-registrations) for those arriving with a large number of youths [e.g. youth circuses] – rather than splitting to individual desks; this is because those working at the desks must check ID etc. from those acting in loco parentis – often a limited number of people that then need to go from one desk to another if split out, slowing up all desks.

The passes this year were great: sufficiently long to go around the leg, with a sufficiently generous metal clamping bit to allow the pass to be easily reassembled if someone wanted to put it on their leg – this has been an issue in the past – the passes were long enough to go around the ankle, but could not fit across the heal without coming undone and then were almost impossible to reassemble in situ. To make this process more efficient, I would have a clamping station away from the registration desks – mainly for those wanting it on the leg [the wrist clamping didn’t cause any delays]. The name of the manufacturer and the specification of the passes should be passed on to other organising teams.

The six-odd hours of making up the registration packs on the Friday before the convention started was worthwhile when it came to speeding up the registration queues. There are always people onsite on the last day that aren’t really in a fit state for heavy lifting – this is a highly practical use for those bodies.

I would also note that those working on registration desks should not put gala show tickets into these packs; rather that they should physically hand over the gala show ticket to the person registering [more likely to be put into a safe location].

The day ticket passes this year were difficult to work and caused confusion for volunteers on badge control points. The day passes were also a woven wrist/ankle band, with those clamping the pass required to alter the point of the clamping bit to indicate the validity of the pass. This is surprisingly tricky when done on the wrist and really tricky on the ankle. Then those on badge control weren't sure if the clamping point indicated the last day of validity or the day after the last day [with some slippage when clamping, it could possibly have meant either].

If possible (not sure how compatible this is with Andi’s system), I would have those paying for more than a single day enter their own details into the system [would require more computers, but not necessarily ones able to scan and process QR codes] to avoid someone having to do this at a later point. This is particularly important if someone then wants an official receipt [which could be issued later in the week, when registration is quieter] as their details of when they arrived and how much they paid would be already on the computer system.