We are working with the fine folks over at the NCDD to secure a venue and will update this posting once it is set. For now, mark the date on your calendars and stay tuned.

The idea is simple.

• Option #1:  You have some knowledge. You would like to share that knowledge, so you come to CNET on Tuesday, September 19th and pay it forward. You leave knowing you have done something really nice and you will win the lotto next month. (Ok, so I can't really control that, but I believe in karma so let's think positive shall we?)
• Option #2: There is something you have been yearning to learn how to do. You put your name on our website and we see if we can find someone to help you out. You go home. You play with your new mad skills. You come back to the next Rent an Expert event and teach someone else. (Show. Do. Teach.) 

I am a big fan of the 'Show. Do. Teach.' philosophy and this past Thursday we had another opportunity to see it in action when we partnered up with the National Coalition on Deliberation and Dialogue ('NCDD') and held a BrainJams during their annual conference.  We had 42 participants with us for the day and ended up being our first event where the non-techies outnumbered the techies in the room (by about 7 to 1).  It was fun for me to be a part of as most of the folks in the room are not currently blogging or using the social media tools available today and left the event realizing just how much more they could be doing, and the amount of people they could be reaching if they started utilizing what was currently out there.  Seeing that gleam in their eyes got me all warm and fuzzy on the inside.   It was a great way to start off the NCDD conference and we are now in discussions to do more BrainJams with the folks at the NCDD, so stay tuned for the details as we hope to be coming to a city/town near you soon!  Cheers! 

The National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation is hosting BrainJams!: A Conversation on Technology presented by Chris Heuer, founder of BrainJam Workshops and Beth Kanter, Nonprofit Technology Consultant on Thursday, August 3rd at the Parc 55 Hotel in San Francisco. This all-day exploration of online technology and how it can be used by practitioners of dialogue & deliberation to enhance their work, offers an opportunity to learn directly from technologists who will join us for a day of demonstrations and conversations. These technologists, leaders in the cutting edge online technology often referred to as Web 2.0, will offer their expertise on a wide array of networking and collaboration tools (including Wikis, Blogs, Podcasts, Online Workspaces and Social Networks) through BrainJam’s signature "12 Five Minute Meetings" as well as a broader conversation using the World Café. With the goal of examining the opportunities provided by the many freely available Web 2.0 tools for both individuals and organizations, our BrainJam will explore several themes including:

I believe if you help others, good things will come back to you three fold. I believe if you let go of a little, you will gain a lot. I believe karma prevails in all situations. ——— Want to know who is testing karma tonight? Folks sharing bits of what they know at the Rent an Expert event being held at CNET’s offices in San Francisco. That’s who. These lovely people are donating their time and their expertise because they know good things come back around to those who help others succeed. As of this morning, our ‘experts’ have signed up to cover the following topics:

• Setting up a Word Press Blog - Chris Heuer, BrainJams
• Search Engine Optimization - Lawrence Coburn, RateItAll
• The Basics of Creating a Videoblog - Eddie Codel, GETV
• Smack’ ‘em (Community Building) - Jonas M Luster, Your Intarweb Going Commando
• The Secret to Kick-Ass BBQ - Eugene Eric Kim, Blue Oxen Associates
• Innovate to be great! - Cathryn Hrudicka, Creative Sage
• Publishing Globally to the Web - Arthur Law, Ion Global
• MindMapping with MindJet – Tom Blossom, MindJet
• Celestial videos/pictures for blogs, websites and sharing | A handy personal organizer - Rod Seddigh

Related Links:  Blog Post | Wiki | Offer your Expertise |  Request some Expertise | Help us Organize | RSVP on the Wiki 

I am excited and a iittle nervous about the Rent an Expert event this Wednesday July 19th starting at 530pm.  It still seems that a lot of other people have expressed interest in coming that are not on the Wiki - I don't know if it is because they don't have the password "yeswecan" or because they don't know how to edit a Wiki or because they are not really coming but are being nice to me :) Whatever, the reason, I will be there along with at least a couple dozen other good folks who want to share their expertise with others so it looks like this will be a very interesting experiment.

Over the past six months we have learned a great deal about unconferences and the more general concept of bringing people together for conversations with their peers. We have experimented with different event formats and continue to innovate with events like our upcoming Rent an Expert on Wenesday July 19. We have affirmed our reasons for striking down the power of the podium and giving it to the people, but also have seen that there is a place for lectures and talks too – conferences can and have learned a lot from unconferences.

Ultimately, we have found that our original premise for BrainJams of connecting people from different communities to share experiences and insights is highly valuable and much needed – but the formats for facilitating these conversations are not the reason for people coming together. People come together to discuss, debate and work on shared passions – like Mashpits, Cyber Salons, Creative Commons Salons, Flickr Meetups, Third Thursday’s, Wiki Wednesday’s and Mobile Mondays. There is a common thread in these events – but it is not “Common Thread 2.0” – it is the intersection of people, technology and media – or social media as it has become popularly known.

For the past month a core group of folks from BrainJams New Orleans has been working together to find ways to help the New Orleans economy.  While there is still a large humanitarian need there for disaster relief and recovery, I have felt strongly that someone needed to pay more attention to the economic recovery - throwing money at the situation would not solve the bigger problems.  So the original purpose of the event there was to bring together small businesses with technologists to empower them with the knowledge they need to help rebuild their businesses.

While the turnout for the event may have been small, the impact clearly was very large. Earthlink Blogger Dave Coustan (who was with us in New Orleans) has written an exceptional article on what we are doing as a result of that event. Our primary focus thus far has been on "adopting a small business" who we could help to use best practices for operating a business with emerging Web 2.0 technologies.  Jeff Harris introduced us to the Sclafani Cooking School and we have been working out a plan for the past couple of weeks which we are moving to implement this month.

Been waiting to see this for a while now and it is just so cool to see in print.  While I probably spent over 2 hours on the phone with Kathleen Craig and the editorial fact checker, there were no quotes from me, but a very nice inclusion of BrainJams as a resource community - which is all we really need to help get the word out for both us and BarCamp.

Ryan King did get quoted for the now somewhat standard line on the purpose behind unconference - that "there was much more intelligence in the room than there possibly could be on stage."  This was echoed at the Beyond Blogging 2006 event that happened last week in Washington DC.  Now Fleishman Hillard is moving into a real thought leadership position in the communications industry with the same sort of unconference thinking, though no plans have been finalized yet for the next event for those interested in going "Beyond Blogging".  But if they can get those 400+ people who attended to come back for an unconderence, it will be one heck of an event.