• Participant-driven content and agenda creation
• Self-organization and emergent structure
• Active participation over passive consumption
• Horizontal rather than hierarchical knowledge sharing
• Flexibility to adapt to participant interests in real-time

1. Whoever comes is the right people - Quality of participation matters more than quantity or credentials
2. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have - Accept and work with what emerges
3. Whenever it starts is the right time - Spirit and creativity don't follow rigid schedules
4. When it's over, it's over - Sessions can end early or run long based on energy

If you're not learning or contributing in a session, use your two feet to move somewhere else. This creates a dynamic environment where people vote with their presence, ensuring sessions remain engaging and valuable.

1. Opening circle where facilitator explains the format
2. Marketplace of ideas - participants propose session topics
3. Self-organized schedule creation on a shared board
4. Breakout sessions in concurrent time slots
5. Closing circle to share insights and reflections

• Higher engagement - Participants become co-creators rather than consumers
• Relevant content - Agenda emerges from actual attendee interests and needs
• Networking quality - Smaller, focused discussions enable deeper connections
• Cost-effective - Lower overhead without paid speakers and elaborate production
• Adaptability - Schedule can shift based on emerging themes and interests
• Democratic participation - Everyone has equal opportunity to contribute and lead
• Serendipitous discovery - Unexpected topics and connections frequently emerge

• Less predictable outcomes and content
• Requires confident, engaged participants willing to step up
• May lack polish or production value of traditional conferences
• Can be intimidating for first-time attendees
• Quality varies based on participant expertise and facilitation

Started in 2005 as a grassroots response to the invite-only Foo Camp, BarCamp pioneered the global unconference movement. The format spread virally across hundreds of cities worldwide, focusing on technology, open source, and web development topics.

• Foo Camp - O'Reilly's invite-only unconference that inspired BarCamp
• PodCamp - Focused on podcasting and new media
• WordCamp - WordPress community gatherings (hybrid format)
• DjangoCon/PyCon Open Spaces - Programming language community unconference tracks
• Ignite - 5-minute presentations with auto-advancing slides
• Startup Weekend - 54-hour events combining unconference and hackathon elements
• EdCamp - Teacher-led unconferences for education professionals

• Secure a venue with flexible space and movable furniture
• Communicate the unconference format clearly in advance
• Prepare materials: large schedule grid, sticky notes, markers
• Recruit facilitators familiar with OST principles
• Set expectations that participants will create the content

• Start with an opening circle explaining the four principles and one law
• Create a physical marketplace where people pitch session ideas (30-60 seconds each)
• Help participants organize sessions on a time/space grid
• Ensure someone documents each session (notes, photos)
• Maintain energy and encourage participation throughout

• Provide clear timeboxes (typically 45-60 minute sessions)
• Designate breakout spaces with clear signage
• Allow for spontaneous session additions throughout the day
• Create hallway spaces for overflow conversations
• Close with a reflection circle to harvest collective wisdom

Python, Ruby, JavaScript, and other programming communities regularly incorporate unconference tracks into their annual conferences, allowing practitioners to share emerging patterns, debug tricky problems, and discuss community governance.

Organizations like Google, Salesforce, and GitHub run internal unconferences to foster cross-team collaboration, surface grassroots innovation, and build community across departments.

Cities worldwide host regular tech unconferences (Monthly JavaScript Unconferences, Data Science Unconferences, DevOps Days) that keep local communities connected and enable knowledge sharing outside formal employment contexts.

Many traditional tech conferences now include unconference elements: hallway tracks, birds-of-a-feather sessions, and open spaces that acknowledge the value of emergent, participant-driven programming alongside curated keynotes and workshops.