What needs to be finished first
A clearly defined overarching theme (for example 'Platform Engineering 2026') and a code of conduct are written down and set the frame for pitches and sessions.
For groups over 80 people, someone has checked whether Open Space Technology with longer sessions and a stronger energy principle would fit better.
What needs to be ready before start
Large room plus 3-8 session rooms (or digital breakouts); session plan wall (grid: rooms x slots); pitch cards; pens; sticky notes; voting material such as dot stickers; catering; recording setup if desired.
One or two hosts for opening, session planning, and energy check; one session owner per session (emerges ad hoc during pitching); a documentation team (3-5 people) for session notes; a logistics team for room changes.
Date, location, overarching theme, slot plan with slot lengths (typically 45 min plus 15 min break), and participant count sent in advance to everyone. Send the code of conduct with registration. Communicate the rule of two feet.
Half a day to 2 days
Hang the session plan wall with empty room columns and slot rows. Prepare pitch cards. Rehearse the opening and session planning. For more than 60 people, prepare a documentation tool (for example shared Notion) in advance.
The one question this method answers
Which topics are alive enough in this group today to deserve a session, and what does each participant take away at the end?
Marker: Phase
| Step | Duration | Action | Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
1Phase 1: Opening and format | 20-30 min | The host explains the format, the rule of two feet (everyone can change rooms at any time), the code of conduct, slot structure, and documentation expectations. Short introduction round with name and one keyword. | The opening decides the energy. If it drags on, the group is lost. Keep it under 30 min, even for large camps. Clarity about the rule of two feet prevents later guilt about leaving a room. |
2Phase 2: Pitches and session plan | 30-60 min | Round-robin 30-60 s pitch per proposal (name, topic, what happens in the session). Cards go on the wall. If there are too many proposals, run a vote with dots. Hosts map the cards to rooms and slots. | Pitches are not talks. Anyone who pitches for 2 min signals a lecture, so gently cut them short. More pitches than slots is normal; voting helps, but a final host decision prevents deadlock. |
3Phase 3: Sessions | 3-8 h (multiple slots) | Parallel 45-min sessions. The session owner moderates, often with a question format ('Who has experience with X?'). The documentation team spreads out. After each slot, leave 15 min for room changes and energy. | Sessions without an owner are often the best ones (shared search) but also riskier. At least one person per session should feel responsible. If a room stays empty, cancel the session instead of forcing it. |
4Phase 4: Marketplace and highlights | 30-60 min | After all slots, each session collects 3 highlights as short sticky notes on a central wall. Marketplace walk: participants walk around and read. Optional microphone round with 60 s per session owner. | Highlights are not a session transcript. Three concrete takeaways are enough. For more than 12 sessions, use the microphone round as a visual photo gallery instead. |
5Phase 5: Closing and follow-up | 15-30 min | Hosts briefly ask for the mood (1 word per person, quickly). The documentation team announces the note distribution date. Announce follow-up actions or community dates. | Without clear follow-up communication, the energy fades within 2 weeks. Name a binding date for the notes release (for example 7 days), otherwise nothing gets sent. |
What comes out at the end
Published event report in Notion, wiki, or GitHub with session plan (photo or clean redraw), notes per session, highlight wall, participant statistics, feedback samples, and a list of follow-up dates or community actions.
One area or repo branch per camp with date and theme in the title. Do not overwrite notes. Link follow-up camps to previous editions so topic recurrence stays visible.
Compact working template for Barcamp with session marketplace, slots, outcomes, and next step.
Organize an open session marketplace with participant-driven topics and outcomes.
When and for what do we use this method?
Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?
Owner, date, and success signal.
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Overarching theme: Platform teams between self-service and standardization.
Slot structure: 6 slots of 45 min over two half days, 4 parallel rooms.
Pitches: 31 proposals, 24 sessions held, 5 canceled because rooms stayed empty.
Highlights (excerpt):
Follow-up: Notes sent by 25.05.2026. Next camp on 09-10.11.2026 in Munich. Slack workspace stays active.
Recognize symptoms and steer against them
Hosts or sponsors reserve slots for their own talks in advance, and the free session plan shrinks.
No reserved slots. Anyone who wants to pitch does so in Phase 2 like everyone else. If mandatory sponsor sessions are needed, label them clearly as 'not part of the Barcamp' before Phase 1.
Individual pitches last 3-5 min with slides, and nobody else gets a turn.
Strictly enforce 60 s per pitch with a visible timer. Anyone who drifts off gets politely interrupted. Announce the rule in the pre-mail.
Participants stay in a session out of politeness even though they get little value, while other rooms stay empty.
The host repeats the rule at the start of every slot. Model room changes yourself. Build a culture of deliberate movement, not sitting it out.
After the camp, there are no notes and participants cannot share what they learned.
Name the documentation team explicitly and set up the tool in advance. At least one person per session writes down 3 highlights. State the send date as a commitment.
Slot 3 and 4 feel tired after lunch and sessions are less attended.
Plan energy breaks: short micro-breaks between slots, movement during the marketplace, catering instead of a heavy buffet. For multi-day camps, use energetic openings on day two.
Done signals checkable in under a minute
Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.