Many people who visit a ProductCamp for the first time are intrigued by the unconference format.  Can anyone really propose a session? The answer is but of course!

If you have got something people want to listen to or talk about then it can get on the board. As long as you get enough votes, it’s in.  So how can you go about this for the first time? Follow our simple guide.

1.) What do you want to talk about?
It sounds like an obvious question, but many people arrive with a vague idea, but no plan. As a session host you do not need to necessarily present (in fact many of the best sessions are often round tables or group discussions) but you should be prepared to facilitate. 

Have a plan and communicate it to the people that show up.  Remember some people will wander in after you have started, and the mix of people will change as people join and leave – expect this and don’t be offended – roll with the punches! 

Our top tip? Keep it interactive! Reading from a PowerPoint deck is a sure way to clear a room!
 
2.) Write a concise, positioned session proposal.
Attendees may have as many as 50 sessions to choose from – make sure yours stands out.  The best proposals include:

§  a catchy title people will remember!  ie. "So You Want to Be a Product Manager?" "Stakeholders are Trying to Kill You."  "Good Product Launch, Bad Product Launch"

(Here's a list of session titles from ProductCamp Boston for more ideas.)

§  a concise and engaging description that describes what people will get out of it and who would benefit

§  a description of the format.

§   For example:
Usability Testing LIVE
Running good usability studies costs thousands of dollars and requires years of experience. So what are you going to do if you are on your own and broke? Well some usability testing is better than none. Come and see what you can achieve in 45 minutes with a laptop and a pen and paper! Workshop Format.

Not:
Pricing / Branding
Come and learn about these 2 important topics.
You can always email us (pghpcamp@gmail.com) for help!

3.) Test and Iterate
Just like a product, you want to get feedback before you hit the market. Throw your idea out to your network and ask for feedback from people at work.

Note : proposing your session on the site and getting voted does not guarantee you a spot – you still need to bring your idea on the day. 

4.) Submit your Session Early.
Get your session written up and on the board early.  Every session has equal chance but you will have less competition for ‘impressions’ if you are one of the first on the board. You can submit an early session here:

Pro Tip: if you need specific equipment for your session, such as a whiteboard or projector, note this on the session card. This makes it easier for our volunteers to setup the schedule.

5.) A.B.P.
Always. Be. Pitching.
During breakfast talk to people – tell them about your session – ask them to vote for you if it's something that interests them. Ask them what they would find useful. Talk to other hosts and get their feedback. Your goal is to create the most amount of value for the most amount of people! And have fun!
 
6.) You got voted in the morning of PCamp! What next?

Congratulations! Your session will be posted on the final grid during the morning of ProductCamp after the keynote!  Your session will be assigned a room based on the number of votes you get and your room requirements. Go and check out your room as soon as you can – ideally before the first slot begins. If you need help with setup or equipment find a volunteer and and ask them – we will try our best.  You may wish to recruit a friend or co-worker to help you setup. When your timeslot comes around arrive a little early – if another session is running over, kindly suggest that they take their remaining conversation to the hallway, or one of the various open spaces at the Tepper Quad. Once you begin – remember – keep it interactive! Ask questions of your audience and engage people.

Good luck!

Now more than ever Pittsburgh needs a ProductCamp. 

When you ask someone to name some of the world’s top innovation ecosystems, Pittsburgh probably won’t be the first city they name; however, as we all know, that's changing. 
 
Pittsburgh is among a handful of cities that have the institutions, the innovative capacity, and the core science and technology competencies to compete in the race to become leaders in the world’s next-generation technologies.

​And although an innovation culture is difficult to achieve, companies can intentionally design an innovation culture that unearths and builds new growth engines, reduces the risk of experimentation, and increases ROI on R&D.
 
How?
 
One of the key ingredients if Pittsburgh will be successful as an innovation center is growing its product talent, specifically product management. 

As Andrew Moore, Dean of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University states ‘behind every great product is a product manager.’

 
To that end, ‘Product Camp’ is finally coming to Pittsburgh! (See the article featured in the Pittsburgh Business Times here.) 
 
The timing couldn't be better, as Pittsburgh has for years built the startup and innovation ecosystem and now needs to take it to the next level. And the product management ingredient will be a vital role in its success.
 
If you have never heard of a ProductCamp before, it is a ten-year-old "unconference" for product professionals.  By "unconference," it means that ProductCamps are in many ways like traditional corporate conferences, except that:

• Generally, ProductCamps are free.
• ProductCamps are put on "by-and-for" the people who go. Instead of having pre-scheduled speakers, anyone who wants to attend can propose a session. Participants at ProductCamp will vote on the topics and the most popular sessions are put on the schedule.
• At ProductCamp, there are no passive "attendees," there are only active "participants," meaning everyone is expected to contribute in some way (e.g. presenting, volunteering, setup/teardown).

ProductCamp was started in Silicon Valley by Rich Mironov, and followed up by Austin,  Boston , and many other cities.  Today, you can find thriving ProductCamps in almost every major city in the U.S., and many cities around the world including London, Vancouver, Melbourne, and many more.

One of the best things about ProductCamps is that they are put on locally.

The Pittsburgh ProductCamp event will be a one-stop shop for people to meet experts, better their crafts, and share their expertise.

You can learn from the best and brightest here in Pittsburgh about products and managing products, no matter what stage or what business you’re in.  
 
The event will be held on a Saturday September 22, 2018 from about 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m at the new Carnegie Mellon Tepper Quad. 
 
Learn more about submitting a session below!
 
We look forward to seeing, and hearing you, at Pittsburgh's first ProductCamp!