Unconference

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A gathering in which the attendees themselves decide the topics and schedule of talks, rather than following a program set in advance
2. An open meeting where the agenda is created by participants on the day, often in a informal and collaborative format
3. A conference whose program is shaped by its attendees during the event, with sessions proposed and organized spontaneously by those present

Etymology: The word "unconference" is a compound of the prefix "un-" and "conference," and its history is quite recent. Its most surprising feature is its meaning: an unconference is a gathering whose agenda is set by the participants on the day, rather than by organisers in advance. The contrast with a conventional conference is deliberate, and the prefix is doing the work of signalling that the usual structure of speakers and fixed programme has been dropped. "Conference" itself comes through Old French from medieval Latin "conferentia," a "bringing together" or "comparing," from the Latin verb "conferre," meaning to bring or carry together. The older sense was closer to a discussion or consultation between a few people than to a large event, which is why the root still suggests the exchange of ideas rather than the lecture. Because "un-" attached to a noun to create a new meaning is productive in English, the formation needed no special invention. The word is best understood as a fresh coinage built on an old and familiar root.

Synonyms: barcamp