Mozfest Pathways: It’s like the London Tube

To illustrate how Mozfest is evolving its program to be more participant-centric, we thought to do quick, visual walk-through using the analogy of the London Underground.

Overview

mozfestmetro-map

When you first look at what’s on offer at Mozfest, it can look a bit daunting. Hundreds of sessions, activity all across the building, and seeming jumble of places to go.

That feeling is just like seeing a map of the London tube for the first time. Look at all those stations and lines! How crazy. Where am I? Where do I want to go?

The good news is that there is a method to the madness. Mozfest, like the London tube, is there to serve you. It’s designed to help you get to go where you want to go, to achieve what you want to achieve.

Some travelers like to get quickly to a specific destination. Some like to stop and get out at different stations, to have a look around and meet a friend. Others will start a journey wanting to go to one place, but then decide to change lines and end up somewhere else. Travel how you want to.

Your journey is in your control. You decide where you want to go and how you want to get there. The organizers just create some infrastructure to enable that journey and if needed, can assist you along the way.

This is what it could feel like.

Getting Oriented

mozfestmetro-ambassador

When you first arrive at Mozfest, you’ll be greeted by a friendly ambassador. They will welcome you and talk to you about what you’d like to get out of the festival.

They can orient you to the schedule and identify places or sessions that might be of interest.

Selecting your journey

mozfestmetro-pathway-red

For example, you may be a data scientist interested in learning about how to teach data literacy in your university. There will be a series of sessions to help you achieve this. We’re calling them “pathways.”

Like an underground line, these stops will be clearly laid out for you.

Changing your journey

Because this is your journey, you can change direction anytime.

So you may have started off on the data literacy path, but then realized there’s this amazing opportunity to learn how to advocate for open data and web standards in your local government.

That’s fantastic! You can switch pathways easily at any time.

mozfestmetro-interchange

And off you go on a new path!

mozfestmetro-pathway-black-line

It will be clearly signposted at the venue and online how to switch and get on your new path.

mozfestmetro-wayfinding1

mozfestmetro-wayfinding2

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Enjoying your journey

Of course, like any great trip, you want to enjoy both the journey and the destination. Hop off anytime to linger, have a coffee, meet a friend. Diversions and side-trips are a beautiful way to explore.

mozfestmetro-picnic

How it could look at Mozfest

The tube is a simple analogy to help participants and Mozfest organizers alike better understand how the participant-centric experience can work.

We can then easily imagine how these journeys and pathways will map across a single building.

mozfestmetro-flowroutes

Even when the festival is humming along, with lots of actions across many floors:

mozfestmetro-rave

We can signpost in very clear ways how to continue along your journey, what’s available to do now, or where to find assistance.

mozfestmetro-rave-signage

mozfestmetro-rave-floor-signage

mozfestmetro-flowroute-signage

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Travel with us!

Sound like fun?

Consider proposing a session for Mozfest or just grabbing a ticket and join us over the weekend.

Images by: Payload93, JRC Design, Rail Adventure, Google Doodle, Midlandstande.

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  1. Pingback: Get involved in Mozfest 2015! | Cubicgarden.com...

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