#CALMalpha…. What should I learn?

Next week is the #CALMalpha event. This will be a great opportunity to see how the experts in complexity organise a “Kids birthday party” for adult using attractors and boundaries. (As opposed to the command and control agenda that we typically see at IT conferences where all of the commitments are made before the event starts. ) It will be great to see how the faculty facilitates self-organisation and then hopefully we can incorporate some of these ideas into XP Day this year.

I hope it is a “pull” based event based on learning rather than a “push” based event where the faculty teach us what they think we need to know. I hope its about…

• What the Complexity Commnuity wants to learn from the Lean/Agile Community.
• What the Lean/Agile Commnity wants to learn from the Complexity Community.
• New stuff that comes out of the combined Community.

That is, each community presents the options that people can pull from it. People then pull in a self organising way. I’m expecting lots of “corridor” discussion from the get go rather than formal chalk and talk sessions.

I know a little bit about complexity but not that much. What should I look to learn from the Complexity and Lean/Agile experts? I would love to know what people use in the Complexity toolkit that I should learn. (Please leave comment)

This is my wish list for the event.

1. Sensemaking. I have heard a lot about the sense making tool and how the Singapore Government are using it to spot terrorists. I would love a hands-on tutorial and case study on the tool showing how it be used for this kind of thing. (Obviously it wont be possible to show the Singapore approach but something similar would be good).

2. Stuff I’m not expecting. Serendipitous learning. Hoping for lots and lots of stuff here.

3. WIFI that works! I am fed up of going to hotel based conferences where the WIFI only works in the lobby.