Why Pixelated is brilliant and wrong

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Mitch Joel created a great meme over the weekend – Pixelated, the 100% virtual online conference, assembled from video footage of conferences past. Since then, lots of folks have created their own riffs on this idea.

It’s brilliant and gets the idea of conferences wrong.

Conferences aren’t about sessions, talking heads, and lecture format, which is what online video captures best.

Conferences are about interaction, collaboration, and meeting people, at least to me, all things that one-way, online video is terrible at.

What is Pixelated, then? It’s pretty much a Gigadial podcast or a Google Reader shared items for video – hand-selected content that you think is important.

Does this make the idea bad? Not at all. It’s especially insightful when you see a Pixelated from someone you respect, like Mitch, because it’s a way of seeing what they think is important. Like seeing their iPod playlist for business, if you will.

But it’s not a conference or an unconference. When you finish a Pixelated, you probably will not have increased the size of your business network or collaborated to create a new meme like bacn or lolsaurs.

Make your own Pixelated. Call it a conference if you like, but realize that it doesn’t fulfill those vital roles of collaboration and interaction, not yet.

How would you add interaction, collaboration, and networking to Pixelated?

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Comments

16 responses to “Why Pixelated is brilliant and wrong”

October 6, 2008

Jeff P

Blogging is all about conversation and I'd normally agree with your comments. In this case I can't for the simple reason that this project HAS helped me network, have interaction and could lead to collaboration. I'm a blogger wannabe with a 1 year blog that is an experiment in progress. But it's mine and I'm proud of its meager accomplishments. Along comes Chris Brogan's post via Mitch Joel via OnClick. The outcome of my post to my blog which I linked to Chris and Mitch's has provided me a nice spike on my blog, allowed me to converse with a few other folks on Twitter and has given me some ideas for other initiatives.
I do agree that face to face can never be replaced. But while I'm at my desk, gratefully working for a non-profit, this format is both cost efficent and innovative.
Thanks for the counterpoints on your post. Good stuff to discuss.

Reply
October 6, 2008

Whitney

Totally 100% agree.

I did a pixelated Podcamp to try to give people a flavor of what a podcamp is about- but nothing will ever replace attending one. (Or for that matter, what you can learn by putting one on.)

This is why when people ask why we don't put all of the content from podcamps online, or stream all the sessions, is not so much that we couldn't, if we chose to put the resources in that bucket, but because I think it kind of encourages a view from afar approach, when if there's anything unconferences are about, it's participation, mixing it up, and making new friends and contacts.

It's more than the difference between Cliff Notes and the real Book- any online version of any conference, or concert for that matter, will never be the same experience as being there. But maybe from time to time, those virtual experiences will be enough to get people to engage in the real thing.

Reply
October 6, 2008

Julius

I agree it is not a conference nor an unconference and that is what makes it brilliant. It is a great way for those who do not have access to 1800£$€ conferences to engagevon a personal level with great speakers, wisely selected.

I just hate traditional conferences and since you are part of podCamp if think we agree on that but would really love to see your take on that as I am sure it could add a lot!

Julius

Reply
October 6, 2008

Kevin Behringer

I agree and disagree.

While it's not a “traditional” conference, I do think it has the potential to achieve many of the same things. This basically gives us a conference without the interaction. Certainly loses some of the benefit of a normal conference/unconference but it also gives us a lot of content we may not otherwise get to see.

When you say, “Conferences are about interaction, collaboration, and meeting people,” I agree with you that this is a nice benefit, but that definition could apply to a bar as well. I don't think that most people pay thousands of dollars to go somewhere and meet people. That may rank a high second on their list, but I think the content is what draws them there. I don't think I could put up a website that says, “There's no speakers or anything, we're just getting together to interact and meet people,” and have people pay thousands to come. (As an aside, if people WOULD, let me know!)

I think what makes a conference a conference is people gathering, interacting, etc around common interests…and this is driven by the speakers and content at the conference.

I think the real question is, if these Pixelated “events” aren't conferences due to the lack of collaboration/interaction, what can we do to MAKE them into a conference – or as close as possible to one? How can we build that interaction into them so that people who may not normally attend such an event (due to location, cost, etc) can get the same (or similar) benefit from these events?

I think if we can find a good way to do it, the interaction and collaboration from such an event could be far more beneficial than a traditional conference.

Kevin

Reply
October 6, 2008

Jeff P

Blogging is all about conversation and I’d normally agree with your comments. In this case I can’t for the simple reason that this project HAS helped me network, have interaction and could lead to collaboration. I’m a blogger wannabe with a 1 year blog that is an experiment in progress. But it’s mine and I’m proud of its meager accomplishments. Along comes Chris Brogan’s post via Mitch Joel via OnClick. The outcome of my post to my blog which I linked to Chris and Mitch’s has provided me a nice spike on my blog, allowed me to converse with a few other folks on Twitter and has given me some ideas for other initiatives.
I do agree that face to face can never be replaced. But while I’m at my desk, gratefully working for a non-profit, this format is both cost efficent and innovative.
Thanks for the counterpoints on your post. Good stuff to discuss.

Reply
October 6, 2008

Whitney

Totally 100% agree.

I did a pixelated Podcamp to try to give people a flavor of what a podcamp is about- but nothing will ever replace attending one. (Or for that matter, what you can learn by putting one on.)

This is why when people ask why we don’t put all of the content from podcamps online, or stream all the sessions, is not so much that we couldn’t, if we chose to put the resources in that bucket, but because I think it kind of encourages a view from afar approach, when if there’s anything unconferences are about, it’s participation, mixing it up, and making new friends and contacts.

It’s more than the difference between Cliff Notes and the real Book- any online version of any conference, or concert for that matter, will never be the same experience as being there. But maybe from time to time, those virtual experiences will be enough to get people to engage in the real thing.

Reply
October 6, 2008

Mitch Joel – Twist Image

Hey Ninja,

I don't disagree. I don't think Pixelated replaces a conference, it's just something else. I like saying it's more of “mixed tape” of great speakers. Clearly, you know I believe in the power of real-life events.

It's not to replace that. If anything, Pixelated adds by bringing together the same great speakers in one great place 🙂

Reply
October 6, 2008

Julius

I agree it is not a conference nor an unconference and that is what makes it brilliant. It is a great way for those who do not have access to 1800£$€ conferences to engagevon a personal level with great speakers, wisely selected.

I just hate traditional conferences and since you are part of podCamp if think we agree on that but would really love to see your take on that as I am sure it could add a lot!

Julius

Reply
October 6, 2008

Kevin Behringer

I agree and disagree.

While it's not a “traditional” conference, I do think it has the potential to achieve many of the same things. This basically gives us a conference without the interaction. Certainly loses some of the benefit of a normal conference/unconference but it also gives us a lot of content we may not otherwise get to see.

When you say, “Conferences are about interaction, collaboration, and meeting people,” I agree with you that this is a nice benefit, but that definition could apply to a bar as well. I don't think that most people pay thousands of dollars to go somewhere and meet people. That may rank a high second on their list, but I think the content is what draws them there. I don't think I could put up a website that says, “There's no speakers or anything, we're just getting together to interact and meet people,” and have people pay thousands to come. (As an aside, if people WOULD, let me know!)

I think what makes a conference a conference is people gathering, interacting, etc around common interests…and this is driven by the speakers and content at the conference.

I think the real question is, if these Pixelated “events” aren't conferences due to the lack of collaboration/interaction, what can we do to MAKE them into a conference – or as close as possible to one? How can we build that interaction into them so that people who may not normally attend such an event (due to location, cost, etc) can get the same (or similar) benefit from these events?

I think if we can find a good way to do it, the interaction and collaboration from such an event could be far more beneficial than a traditional conference.

Kevin

Reply
October 6, 2008

Chris Brogan

If I didn't go to conferences, I couldn't get piles of business cards to type into csv files. And I couldn't shake your hand. And I couldn't lose my badge. And I couldn't wonder if my hotel room would be the perfect backdrop for COPS or 21.

BUT… hey, nice content. ; )

Reply
October 6, 2008

Mitch Joel – Twist Image

Hey Ninja,

I don't disagree. I don't think Pixelated replaces a conference, it's just something else. I like saying it's more of “mixed tape” of great speakers. Clearly, you know I believe in the power of real-life events.

It's not to replace that. If anything, Pixelated adds by bringing together the same great speakers in one great place 🙂

Reply
October 7, 2008

Ari Herzog

Here's a thought, Mitch and Chris: How about transforming a line of videos into a community of people behind the videos via a hand-picked list of social network profile links, and/or email links?

If I see a video of Chris Brogan, for instance, on your Pixelated conference, Mitch, how about adding a link to his email address and maybe his Twitter feed, too? Whether or not I click those links is up to me, but at least I don't have to browse the web to figure out who this Brogan character is and how I can follow-up with him on something he said 15:03 minutes into the seminar.

At least that makes it “somewhat” more collaborative.

Reply
October 7, 2008

Chris Brogan

If I didn't go to conferences, I couldn't get piles of business cards to type into csv files. And I couldn't shake your hand. And I couldn't lose my badge. And I couldn't wonder if my hotel room would be the perfect backdrop for COPS or 21.

BUT… hey, nice content. ; )

Reply
October 7, 2008

Chris Brogan

If I didn't go to conferences, I couldn't get piles of business cards to type into csv files. And I couldn't shake your hand. And I couldn't lose my badge. And I couldn't wonder if my hotel room would be the perfect backdrop for COPS or 21.

BUT… hey, nice content. ; )

Reply
October 7, 2008

Ari Herzog

Here's a thought, Mitch and Chris: How about transforming a line of videos into a community of people behind the videos via a hand-picked list of social network profile links, and/or email links?

If I see a video of Chris Brogan, for instance, on your Pixelated conference, Mitch, how about adding a link to his email address and maybe his Twitter feed, too? Whether or not I click those links is up to me, but at least I don't have to browse the web to figure out who this Brogan character is and how I can follow-up with him on something he said 15:03 minutes into the seminar.

At least that makes it “somewhat” more collaborative.

Reply
October 7, 2008

Ari Herzog

Here's a thought, Mitch and Chris: How about transforming a line of videos into a community of people behind the videos via a hand-picked list of social network profile links, and/or email links?

If I see a video of Chris Brogan, for instance, on your Pixelated conference, Mitch, how about adding a link to his email address and maybe his Twitter feed, too? Whether or not I click those links is up to me, but at least I don't have to browse the web to figure out who this Brogan character is and how I can follow-up with him on something he said 15:03 minutes into the seminar.

At least that makes it “somewhat” more collaborative.

Reply