Big Meeting

Big Meeting on August 22 at Free Geek

What will Free Geek look like in 2010 and beyond? This question has come up a lot lately. We are currently in the middle of a Long Term Strategy Process that will culminate in a general plan for Free Geek's future. Of course, any plan for a place as chaotic as Free Geek will be a more of a starting point and it will subject to change as we wind our way through the fun and confusion over the next few years. But as a starting point, a plan gives us a framework to help us tackle the big decisions.

Things like:

• Do we want to stay here, or move to a different building?
• Do we want to expand the amount of space we rent?
• How will we deal with increasingly integrated systems like laptops? What happens when they overtake desktop computers at Free Geek?
• How does Free Geek, the mothership, relate to the many other Free Geek startups that are sprouting up all over the place?
• How will the new eWaste legislation affect us? How can we make sure it encourages the best reusue and recycling practices possbible?
• ...and many many more questions.

We had a few meetings like this in the early days of Free Geek, and it's time for another:

Wednesday, August 22 at 7:15 at Free Geek All volunteers invited to participate This is your community technology center Give us your ideas and comments

(This is an essential component in the development of a longer term Vision Statement and 3 - 5 year plan. We decided to have this meeting at the June 20, 2007 Council meeting.)

NOTE: There are about a dozen plans in development, each centered around a specific area or aspect of Free Geek. To learn more, browse the documents in the "Long Term Planning" category.

Meeting Agenda

Facilitator will be Richard

Introduction

• Describe general purpose for the meeting.
• Lay out the Agenda.
• Introduce ourselves.

What do we want to do?

Consider these continua and dichotomies:

• Reuse vs. Recycling
• Production vs. Education
• Sales vs. Adoption / Grants / Discounts
• Serving Free Geek Community (Insiders) vs. Outsiders

What are we like?

• Review internal attributes brainstorm list
  • Add to it with a little more brainstorming. Don't be too detailed.

What do we have to deal with?

• Review external trends brainstorm list
  • Add to it with a little more brainstorming. Don't be too detailed.
• Department Reports (where we are, transitioning to looking forward, followed by Q&A):
  • Build, Production, Space Usage (Matteo and Jeff)
  • Retail Sales, Online Sales, Bulk Sales (Luiz and Matteo)
  • Outreach (Ali and eBeth or Shawn)
  • Education and Tech Support (Michael)
  • Receiving and Recycling (Ali and Liane)
  • Structural Evolution (Richard)
  • Other items? General observations?

Where do we go from here?

• Take a look at our Vision Statement and 3 - 5 year plan
  • Questions, answers, concerns, and suggestions.
  • Write down points of consensus and longer term discussion items we need to have
• Closing
  • Go out for beer and snacks. Make conversation about the ideas presented.