THOUGHTS ON A GOOD COLLABORATION
or why we love OOP Conference so much
In the past few years we have visualized more than 100 conferences on different topics and at different locations. I have to admit we have some favourites like OOP, the software development conference in Munich where we have graphically recorded the talks for the sixth time this year.
On the way home I am wondering why I love this event that much.
THE BEGINNINGS
The Head of the Program Commitee, Jutta Eckstein herself is a frequent speaker at conferences worldwide. We visually recorded one of her talks at a conference in Budapest when she decided to invite us to visualize the talks of OOP.
As a speaker she experienced the value created by our work so she knew what to expect.
THOROUGH PREPARATIONS
We are graphic artists with no background in technology. The conference organizers are also aware of this and while they trust us to visualize hardcore technological content they connect us with every speaker some weeks before the conference so we can ask questions based on the abstracts. And we ask. At other conferences this thorough preparation is not needed but here, where some of the talks are about programming languages or quantum computing, it’s good to be well-prepared.
HIGH STANDARDS
As there are many parallel tracks and we often need to change rooms, we work on easy-to-move pinboards. There are many of this so the finished visual notes are also presented nicely on boards at a continuously evolving exhibition.
VALUE
At this visual notes gallery many participants walk among the boards taking photos of them, expressing their gratitude for our work. It’s useful for them because they cannot listen to 8 talks at the same time and this way they have a sense (and picture!) about the content of the sessions they missed.
MUTUAL CARE
It’s a tough job to create visual notes for three days in a row. Active listening, creativity, bodily strength are all needed. Sometimes we need to change rooms between two sessions in 15 minutes with all our markers.
The lovely organizing team takes care of our well-being preparing water and other treats for us and bringing the finished visual notes to the poster gallery. And we are happy to create some extra poster for them even at the end of the third day.
INSPIRATION
Not only we inspire the speakers and participants with our work, we also get some inspiration: every year we learn something new about technological innovations or human interactions in business environments.
We get home every year super tired but full of great experiences.
HUMAN CONNECTION
Many of our good relationships were born here, business collaborations and friendships likewise. It’s good to meet some great people and share insights and experiences year after year at OOP.
STABILTY
Every year, right after the conference we get the dates of next year’s OOP and the invitation to be part of it. OOP is a fixed point in our calendar, the True North in a fast changing world and this mutual commitment gives a sense of stability for both of us. For two years we have also been part of TDWI, the Data Conference of the amazing organizing team of Sigs Datacom and our work has been appreciated there too.
"GOOD FIT"
This is an example of a good match between client and service provider and the development of a good long-term collaboration. It always feels good to share values, entusiasm, respect and high professional standards with our clients.
We are grateful for all such partnerships.
Thank you OOP!
