CFP are open!

[TieShort]

We are looking for anyone that wants to share their hardware and or solders skills with the community. Check out our website for details. Talks will need to be prerecorded, but we will also have space for some live demos / interactive stuffs.

Also returning is our call for topics. We are looking to create some space for people to gather and discuss specific topics. Last year there were a number of good discussions. If you have a topic that you would like to suggest, make sure to submit it!

[uberfoo]

I think the global chip shortage might be topical.

[The Dark Tangent]

It was a problem for us for sure!

[TieShort]

Still is a problem. We have had a couple people on our team relay some horror stories in progress. That topic is on our list to get a group together. The only concern has been trying to make it productive and not just a huge gripe-fest. But it has been a big enough issue, that it will no doubt get space to discuss.

[kathysrazor]

How do the calls for topics work practically? Are they like tables we gather around?

[TieShort]

We tried out topics last year for the first time. Digitally, we just had a time and room set aside, and a leader to start and facilitate. For some that was just having a list of questions on the topic, others had some personal experience to share and opened it up for others to share as well.

There is so much going on at the con that it is hard for some random meeting of the minds to happen on given topics. The idea was to create space for that kind of mutual interest to coalesce on one topic of interest. That one place and time could get like people to meet in person and seed larger communities, or expand current networks. Really just a chance for the chaos of the universe to for a knot of interesting stuff.

[The Dark Tangent]

I think TieShort would have a space where you go and sign up your topic, like "War story about supply chain parts ordering" and then he would assign a time for the topic to be discussed or demonstrated in their space.

[TieShort]

Topics are more organic, in that we just publish the topic with a time and place and see if interested people get together to discuss. I have learned the best things from random discussions overheard and participated in at the con. We wanted to try and make a less random way of getting those conversations to happen. So far it has been a good thing.

[uberfoo]

Would a talk about experiences of creating my first badge be of any interest? I could possibly put together a submission for that.
When is the final deadline for the CFP?

[TieShort]

We are still open for talks, so go ahead and submit something! A talk about what you learned from making a badge could be interesting. We like to focus on lessons learned, and knowledge that can be handed on, the more hands on the better.

As far as topics - you can submit them the same place (CFP on the dchhv.org website). Last year we had some great discussions on sourcing parts (rant about counterfeit parts off ebay, and like 5 sites I had never heard of to source older material), about learning about RF in circuit design, shared some tips about taking a design into production. The idea is to get a seed topic of interest, get it a set time and place to discuss and allow groups to form. Don't think presentation, think a group of commonly interested people talking at a water cooler. Very informal, and open to the roll and flow of a group conversation. We like to have someone responsible for the topic, so that we can point the group out, and someone that can either share some insights, or ask questions of people that can keep a conversation going. The topics get posted on our schedule, etc.