I’m reading Andy Warren’s excellent essay “Thoughts on raising funds and spending funds for PASS chapters”, and it’s bringing together a bunch of long-stewed thoughts. Simply:
What if there’s room for “Bare Bones” SQL user groups?
The bare bones basics of Bare Bones SQL
For those who don’t want to read a huge essay, the essentials:
- There’s room for a vastly simplified SQL educational forum in the pantheon.
- Something locally run by one or two people. No central governance.
- Without ANY money attached.
- Without any frills.
- With a firm focus on education.
- Naturally small groups are perfectly fine. No emphasis on large growth.
- When it’s time, pass it on or let it go. There’s nothing wrong with impermanence.
What we have
The current spectrum of user group offerings (in the SQL Server/PASS sphere) holds everything from incorporated UGs with sponsored food, to small low-fund UGs, to the (basically) cash-free virtual UGs. There’s room for all of those, demand for them.
But I personally don’t tend to make time for the virtual UGs – it’s not much of a networking event, and the classes themselves are only sometimes enough to prompt me to sign on. I don’t habitually go to small UGs, though I’ve been known to make out of town trips to speak at them. And I don’t go to my local, large, incorporated UG, because I’ve run into too much frustration with some of the politics.
There’s room for all of these, there’s demand for all of these. But I’ve talked to plenty of people who might be interested in a more bare bones approach to user groups.
What we could do
Because his article is what got me on this train of thought, I’m going to talk about the idea of Bare Bones SQL (BBSQL) as it relates to the points in Andy’s article.
Introductory ideas:
- “chapters work hardest to find speakers and sponsors” – It would be nice to eliminate the sponsor aspect of this, cutting your work (as a UG leader) in half.
- “a reluctance to manage (or even have) a checking account or money” – I can see that. I wouldn’t want to either. Bare bones SQL eliminates that hassle.
What funds are for:
- “food for attendees” – If you could find a venue that allows it, BBSQL meetings could be bring your own dinner events. This doesn’t appeal to everybody, but it would to me. (I HATE generic pizza month after month.)
- “Facility fee.” – Yeah, I’m thinking maybe libraries or universities, if the local MS shop tries charging a fee. (Some of them have, for security guards or other reasons.) Finding a free venue is historically a challenge, but we knew getting into this idea that BBSQL wouldn’t be easy; it just presents a different set of challenges.
- “SWAG” – Nice at some events. “Bare bones SQL” gets the idea of “no swag” across with the name, so that’s nice.
- “Speaker gifts.” – See above.
- “SQL Family events.” – A very nice thing to do. BBSQL could take up a donation, if we really wanted to, for such things. Or just send a bunch of nice messages.
- “Support items” like projectors, etc. – Again, nice, but a luxury in the BBSQL philosophy. Perhaps the founder and chair could pony up if something is really needed, or one could, again, take up a collection, but in all I’m thinking “Bare bones” is in the name. I bet the library has a projector, and all of us have laptops. (For those of you objecting about the founder coming up with the money, I say well then, don’t do that. Also, Andy mentions: “It’s worth noting that it’s not uncommon for the chapter leader/team to pay out of pocket for food/expenses because they didn’t have time to find a sponsor.”)
- “Banking/account fees” – No money on hand, no problem.
- “…SQL Saturday” – I don’t yet completely envision what, if any, large events BBSQL would do, but true to the name, I think they should be bare bones event. Sean and I have pictured putting together simple boot camps, either at home or at a venue, with only a couple of tracks and maybe 3-4 speakers per track. Small events.
- “Guarantee speaker travel costs” – This is difficult for even medium to large PASS user groups to do on any kind of regular basis. For BBSQL, one would rely on catching talent as it comes into town – this might make a somewhat flexible meeting schedule imperative – and/or relying on local talent, and/or getting remote presentations (as many smaller UGs already do).
SQL community as a business
What comes out of all of this: When you make SQL education into a business of any kind, even if it’s putting back money for the next meeting or event, you start to think in terms of growth. We’ve seen some discomfort in the SQL community with the ever-expanding PASS business model (e.g., the “Professional Association of SQL Server” isn’t really JUST for SQL Server any more, which has made a good many people feel a little disenfranchised).
Businesses want growth, because the bigger you are (the philosophy goes), the harder it is to fall apart. But let’s turn the underlying assumption on its head: why shouldn’t BBSQL groups come and go as interest waxes and wanes? What’s wrong with a group lasting a handful of years, or 8, or 10, and then fading? It’s perfectly possible to help a double handful of people with their careers, book club-style, and then go on about other things.
Permanence is tied to money, and money is tied to permanence. In short: permanence isn’t a goal of BBSQL.
SQL community and politics
Here’s a sticky bit to the idea of BBSQL: I think they should be small autocracies. An autocracy turns out TERRIBLY when it’s large and/or compulsory, but is absolutely perfect for small models like this.
We have on one hand Conventional UG (CUG), with a board and maybe some finances and plans. And we have a BBSQL. The CUG meets, discusses, argues, can have dissention, gets flak from the user base about decisions made – all the standard things that happen when you have a group of people running things. This isn’t always a bad thing – after all, everybody needs someone to balance them out, regulate extremism, and all that. But I have found that I’m the type of person that runs like anything to get away from the kind of conflict that arises out of board maneuvering* and the often-resultant politics.
And so I’m drawn to the idea of the BBSQL. I found it, I run it, I advertise to people. Maybe in my first year it’s just me, Sean, and two or three friends. Maybe the next year we get a dozen more, maybe not. But it’s mine, and I run it the way I want to. If I run it in a way people don’t like, they’re not going to stay. That’s the joy of the small, non-compulsory autocracy; people “vote with their feet”. Pure simplicity, ish.
Diversity in groups
This leads us to another aspect of Bare Bones SQL: it’s not homogeneous. Not all chapters would look the same. Indeed, some BBSQL groups might look completely foreign to other groups. Maybe this one decides it does want to incorporate some conventional aspects to UGs. Maybe that one has a code of conduct. Maybe a third is dedicated to educating college students. Maybe a fourth is for “earthed” DBAs only, who knows. What’s wrong with that? All groups are by nature exclusionary, in that they focus on a specific area of interest. And in general, what’s wrong with diversity?
As long as the entire playing field is equal and open to anyone willing to start a group, I think that’s fine. Maybe this idea takes off, and next year there are a few dozen BBSQL groups dedicated to the enthusiastic overuse of SQL Profiler. Well, they’re your groups, and that’s fine by me. (You’re wrong in your content, of course, but it’s a free idea, so have at it.)
I can’t stress this enough: part of the nature of BBSQL is that there is as much room for differences of opinion as there are people who agree with you. (There’s a far better way to say that, but I can’t think of it just now…)
Bare bones conferences
“But what about conferences?” I think conferences can fit in the BBSQL philosophy, sure. But it’s not going to be the kind of conference you’re used to. Even SQL Saturdays, which definitely have the right idea, still have sponsors and swag and speaker gifts and shirts and paid venues, and so on and on.
A BBSQL conference would need to be a joint venture between several groups. It would probably need money, of course – you can’t often get even a medium venue for free – so that means a charge, and most likely sponsors as well. The trick is finding the balance between size (I doubt any BBSQL conference would be in the thousands of attendees), cost, and usefulness to attendees and sponsors.
In short, I imagine a SQL Saturday, with way fewer trappings. Maybe I’m thinking too small, maybe not.
Objections
There will be quite a few objections, and many of them will be valid. There are problems with venues, with dedication to the idea of frugality, with attracting members, with the very small nature of these groups. Again, we’re trading one set of problems for another. It’s a matter of which set is less burdensome to the organizers and members.
A very large number of you will have absolutely no use for this idea. That’s perfectly fine, too. I’m not proposing the replacement of the existing structure. I just think there’s room for another kind of group, and I wanted to identify what that would look like.
How do we get started?
Frankly, I’d like to put one of these together. The initial plan would look something like this:
- Set up a central website. This is one of the few organizational tools that I think is necessary.
- Find a place and a more or less regular time.
- Line up speakers. (Between me, Sean, and a handful of friends, we have enough speakers for a year or more.)
- Announce on Twitter, blogs, etc.
- And, go.
It’s really not that hard, and that’s the point. It shouldn’t be hard to learn, to network, to further IT education in the community.
BBSQL central tenants, as I see them:
- A vastly simplified SQL educational forum.
- Run by one or two people. No central governance.
- No money attached.
- No frills: venue and little else.
- Firm focus on education.
- Naturally small groups are perfectly fine. No emphasis on large growth.
- When it’s time, pass it on or let it go. There’s nothing wrong with impermanence.
Your thoughts?
I want to know your objections. I want to know what I’ve overlooked, or forgotten. I want to hear arguments and agreements and complaints. What’s working already? What’s not?
And, I leave you with this last quote from Andy’s excellent article:
It’s entirely possible to run a chapter without ever touching cash or having a sponsor. I think it’s limiting, but it’s possible. If that’s your choice, I’m good with that. The goal is, after all, to connect/share/learn. However you get there!
Happy days,
Jen McCown
http://www.MidnightDBA.com/Jen
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*Manoeuvring.
Jen, thanks so much for adding to the conversation!
I think there is a lot to be said for minimal. It’s how Code Camps started. When you become “successful” minimal doesn’t work as well. I can see where the current chapter model doesn’t – maybe – support your vision, we treat them as franchises with territories and that’s not all bad. Maybe we could change that. I hate to see things fall out from under the PASS umbrella for a bunch of reasons.
I’ve been lucky with regard to politics, we’ve never had issues here in Orlando. I get how it happens, just like on the Board, becomes too much business/process because that’s the the model we know. Hard to be analog. Hard to decide if free xmas party is “right”. That’s just a matter of keeping our eye on what matters – training our people – and doing the things that best support it.
I’m not sure this path is for me, but I like the discussion. I wish we could have presentations/discussions about thing kind of stuff more often.
Andy
Hey Andy,
You said “when you become ‘successful’ minimal doesn’t work as well.” I get that, and that’s why I’d have to think long and hard about how to prevent that sort of thing in my own chapter. I believe in making this as loose a confederation as possible, so it wouldn’t be mandated of course, but there really is something to be said for breaking off into smaller organizations.
I realize it may sound like I’m advocating a split – in some ways it is a split – but that’s really not where I’m coming from. I don’t think an idea like this is a “threat” to PASS; I think it’s an excellent supplement. There are a number of folks who are, as I said, partly or completely disenfranchised, or at the very least uncomfortable, and would like other opportunities to participate. I’ve talked to a good many people who simply don’t participate in their local UG any more, often for reasons similar to mine. But these same people still participate in virtual UGs and adore going to Summit. That’s why I’m pushing the “there’s room for this” angle.
But Bare Bones really couldn’t be a PASS thing, by definition. PASS is about that growth, that push to get more people and bigger conferences. It’s not bad, it just has that big set of side effects that I personally am loathe to deal with.
You’re right, good talk. Thanks for starting it (again)!
Heya Jen – we basically have this in the UK, you’re welcome to join!
We keep a loose federation by having a central mailing list but for the most part we’re independent. We’re always encouraging and helping new groups to start, and some do come and go over time.
In terms of SQL Saturdays and big events – well some of us run them, others do their own events, and some contribute time and effort into the SQLRelay where we take the conference around the country.
Most of us who run these get little to no sponsorship for the UGs and when we do have sponsors it’s usually them footing the pizza bill instead of us organisers. Similarly with venues, we often find a company with a room big enough to fit us in an a decent projector already in place. As it’s free training for their staff it’s a real bonus for them!
We have advantages of being a much smaller country so the UG sizes are small enough to make this work and it might be a bit more tough to do on a US scale. I really enjoy it though and I wouldn’t want to do it by big committee with by-laws and fiscal reporting cycles.
If you’d like to do a tour of our UGs and see how it works, I know lots of folks would love to have you over and we could cobble together a string of events so you get to the see the UK 🙂
Steph
I’d absolutely love to come over and see more about how it works! Maybe around SQLBits timeline…?
So is there a central organization? Name? Guidelines? Did these groups just happen into a minimalist setup, or was it by design?
I’m also wondering if there’s a cultural difference that’s guiding this. Not to be too simplistic, but it seems like we here in the US have the “bigger, better deal” problem, always trying to add one more thing and one more thing…
Around Bits sounds doable – I’ll email the other leaders as most should be putting their schedules together around now for h1
Nope, no real central organisation – Tony Rogerson built SQLServerFAQ.com which provides a central location we can post events on, but again it’s not mandatory and not all do. I use meetup.com and SSFAQ.
The UK stuff formed over time, initially by 5-10 chaps who started doing different things like UGs and SQLBits and helped others get their own UGs together, and it’s grown organically from there.
There’s now over 20 user groups in the UK compared to 160 in the US and Canada (based on PASS UG search), so 1/8th as many when I think we’re at least 1/100th of the size? We really like our UGs!
Speaking only for myself (FOR THE PERMANENT RECORD), not as the incoming Board member of PASS responsible for Chapters, I think this is a horrible idea. You need to stop posting now and prepare to be boarded as the crack team of BA Ninjas I keep in the basement are on the way to stop your shenanigans…
Or, this sounds awesome.
Funny thing, I spent a ton of time talking to chapter leaders from all over the planet last week. A lot of them are already doing what you describe. I think way too many of us, especially people trying to build or grow a small group, see how some of the medium to large user groups are run and decide that we’ll do that. It becomes the standard model. But others are quick to figure out that evenings don’t work well in “pick your state/country/locale” so they meet at lunch, in a pub, and everyone chips in $5 to pay for the room, or something. There are just all shapes and sizes of user groups being run by people.
I do think that that freeing everyone’s minds so that they don’t feel that they have to be of a certain size, meet on a Thursday evening at the local Microsoft office, etc. etc., is a good thing. And take away the idea that they have to have SWAG and food and prizes and all the stuff that actually makes getting a few people together to share knowledge so flipping hard.
Does this, or should it be under the PASS umbrella?
Does it hurt that it’s not? I’d say no.
Does it help if it is? I’d say yes, but only as long as everyone is pretty clear about what that does for you and what it doesn’t do for you. The organization has tools that can help. Use ’em where they do, don’t where they don’t.
I think this sounds great. No reason not to explore it, in or out of PASS.
-and repeating for the recording devices (THIS IS GRANT FRITCHEY SPEAKING, not his newly neutered and trussed up clone)
Let it be known that I adore all the trouble you’re likely to cause…also, I’d REALLY like to see the Ninjas. Can I see the Ninjas?
But back on topic… Early on, it hadn’t really occurred to me that BBSQL wasn’t necessarily a movement, so much as a philosophy. You’re right, some area already doing it, and it can be applied anywhere. I personally wouldn’t put my particular chapter under the PASS banner, not because I’m particularly unhappy with PASS – I’m not – but because my ideal for something of this much simplicity, also includes no oversight, no rules but the one I set. So depending on the individual chapter leader, a BBSQL UG could well be incompatible with PASS, or completely compatible.
I love love love this freedom of options.
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Jen,
I love it. I’ve been preaching the “go small” for SQL Saturdays, since I dislike seeing them become too big as a measure of success. I also dislike the “waste” of money that I sometimes see with what I’d consider far, far too numerous and lavish gifts. I donate my time to speak at the events, though my employer pays travel. I prefer others do the same, and not expect anything. While dinners, shirts, gift cards, etc. are nice, I remember when it was an informal get together and I miss some of that.
One thing for meeting, I’d think about libraries. Or fire stations. They often have rooms you can use for small groups. No projectors, but I’ve presented to groups of 10-15 on my laptop, and that can work fine. Ultimately this is about learning, not much else.
My wife presented to a group last week, and we took one of our home 24″ monitors. Set on a table, this was viewable by about 25-30 people. no code, but it can still work.
Jen,
All you need for a BB user group is a decent meeting place and people. Website not required since you can use Meetup.
I’ve missed the last two years of NTSSUG meetings due to the politics and the fact that I’m busy helping run a BB developers user group. We don’t have elections or most of the crap that a more formal group would have. People that actually help get a additional say in the way the group runs. Everything is volunteer driven and we have attracted some sponsors including O’Reilly and some tool vendors.
We don’t always have guest speakers but we have helped develop some members that have gone on to speak at regional conferences. (And one is developing a awesome product!)Almost all of the meetings and sessions are targeted to helping our members. We do have one large meeting and two small ones a month since every one has different schedules and such.
We do have a loose association with a greater international parent organization, but there’s no official charter and no one yet has wanted to go get 501(c)(3) status or deal with money. (Uggg…) We give any donations away as soon and as fair as possible. It helps that there is overall mission statement and code of conduct readily available.
BB user groups are definitely doable, the hardest part is starting and sticking to it. (If I wasn’t being pulled to the OSS side, I would definitely enjoy a BB SQL Server group in the DFW area. Also thought that PASS politics were silly…)
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Jen,
I think a BBSQL group is a great idea. I’ve thought of doing an informal lunch group where we won’t necessarily have a speaker, but discuss issues experienced at work or new things attendees are learning.
An idea for location is to host in your home. You don’t have to worry about a facility fee, you could hook up to your flat screen for presenting and you’d probably be okay, and if the host wanted to provide food or have attendees bring food you could do that too. There might be issues with parking, but it would be possible.
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