FediForumTM

Bringing non-techies into the building conversation

/2023-03/session/6-e/

Convener: Jesse Baer (@misc@mastodon.social)

Participants (add yourself here if you want to be listed, no obligation): Name and Fediverse handle

  • @laurenshof@calckey.social
  • Marlene Breitenstein (@BreitensteinArt@mastodon.art)

Key points:

  • first question of how to get nontechies who show excitement into something like an unconference
  • onboarding is definitely a barrier
  • how to hear the voices of the nontechies and get their feedback
  • talking about cultural challengers for new users
  • opportunity to use technology from a bottomup approach, not topdown from companies perspective, => we are now in a very early awakening of people starting to realize this. Metaphore of learning to speaking a new language
  • few months ago there was a very active participatory discussion on the timelines (see docs link for example)
  • how much could in-person events play a role?
  • fedi is better at accomodation people with disabilities than other platforms, but still lots to be improved
  • lots of demand in different context for people to regularly talk to each other in meetup context
  • someone hosted a IRL meetup last year, but very few people know about fedi
  • use mobilizion to start hosting events
  • Alert Mastodon influencers in more diverse populations (POC, disabled) about events, so they can help recruit their audiences
  • 24-hour rolling unconference
  • Free or scholarships or pay what you can
  • On the weekend to increase access
  • What topics would draw non-techies? What is Masto, what are the apps/tools, how to use them, how to increase your reach, how to stay more private, what’s the culture like, etc.

Outside references: