Sustainable Design in Second Life - The Role of Social Planning

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Submitted for inclusion in SLCC Social Track
by Sitearm Madonna
sitearm@gmail.com
Siterma Second Life Virtual Worlds Projects
Consultants and Expeditors
www.siterma.com
281-755-2201 (cell)
sitearm (yahoo and skype)

FORMAT: PAPER PRESENTATION; 20 MINUTES PLUS QUESTIONS

Summary:

This paper presents experiences and lessons learned from social event planning and production for Dublin Showcases and Second Life at the Summit.

A model timeline for social event planning and production is presented. Experiments in production, including staffing training and event metrics monitoring, are discussed. Production anecdotes and a summary of learnings are presented for use by anyone planning social events in Second Life for the purpose of supporting talents and drawing guests.

Outline:

The Importance of Social Planning (Definition; Benefits; Consequences of Omission)

Case Study - Dublin Live Music Showcases
. Dublin Live Music Showcases are held four times a week featuring established and new Second Life artists. For artists and guests to enjoy a premiere live music experience, a hosting venue requires a commitment to professional production values. Methods used in Dublin include a detailed logistics checklist and a staff trained to work with artists, technologies, guests, and emergencies, all at the same time.
. Sample Showcase Schedule (Second Life Artist Series; Real Life Simulcast Series)
. Sample Concert Production Timeline (Pre-Event, During-Event, Post-Event)
. Sample Troubleshooting Procedures (Sim Lag, Sim Crash, Stream Loss, Griefer Hassle)
. Sample Showcase Metrics (Sim Count; Listener Count by Hour, by Country)

Case Study - Dublin Fashion Showcases
. Dublin Fashion Showcases are held six times a year featuring established and new Second Life designers. For models and guests to enjoy a uniquely themed visual experience, a hosting venue requires a committed agent to scout the designers, organize the models, and run the show; and a staff trained to appreciate the value of the show, chat up the crowd, and deal with all the issues of a high-attendance, high-lag event with aplomb and good cheer.
. Sample Showcase Schedule (Theme Series; Designer Series)
. Sample Fashion Show Program and Book
. Sample "Why we do Fashion Shows" Write Up for Staff

Case Study - iCommons Summit in Second Life
. In 2007, a nonprofit organization promoting the growth and sharing of international knowledge bases ("commons") agreed to a proposal by Linden Lab and USC Center on Public Diplomacy to sponsor production of its annual conference in parallel in Second Life. Goals included reaching more people via virtual reality to promote awareness and use of new principles and methodologies for broader sharing of intellectual property.
. The challenges of producing this social event included, how to provide an authentic "conference experience" for Second Life residents not physically present at the real world conference, and how to engagingly present the "key messages" of the conference using in-world displays technology. A third challenge included, how to attract and orient more people into Second Life "in time" to be able to participate in the virtual conference.
. Sample "New to SL?" Registration Application Interface and Orientation Stations
. Sample "In World Conference Schedule" (Detailing Coordination of Real Life and Second Life Events)
. Sample "Critical Path Preparation Schedule" (Detailing Coordination of Real Life and Second Life Staff)

Summary of Learnings and Wrap Up
. Establish Goals and Measures of Success Up Front
. Establish Logistics Checklists and Follow Them
. Acquire or Develop Trained Staff (People Persons; Logistics Persons)
. Make Clever Use of Information Displays (Advertisements, Signage)

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Staff Confidential: This area is for managing conference preparation and implementation.