Minutes: Wed., 27 Aug 2008

The first meeting of MadTech occurred, Wednesday, 27 August 2008, 6:30pm at 2052 Atwood Avenue.

Attendance
Alnisa, Peter, Gale, Lance, Frank, and Molly

Notes
Most of the meeting was spent discussing how to format future meetings; things that can be done to encourage group growth; and purpose and intent of meetings. I introduced three (3) possible meeting types: a) the social meet, b) the presentation, and c) the case study.

1. The Social Meet Just the opportunity for nonprofit staff, volunteers, and consultants and other service providers to get together, form networks, discuss issues, etc.
2. The Presentation Educational opportunity, selection of various topics. Where individuals would possible self-select for attendance, since meetings would be topical.
3. The Case Study More of a working meeting, where an issue from a specific nonprofit would be pre-selected, discussed and brainstormed during the meeting. Then people would volunteer to work with org representative for up to 5 weeks after meeting to create an action plan.

Random Thoughts

• Recommended that The Presentation type meetings be combined with the social meetings. Limiting presentation length to 30-40 minutes, then have time for mingling etc. One perceived benefit for this, is that if people self-select to attend meetings by topic: Drupal or Google Apps, etc. Then nonprofit professional and techies alike would both be interested in the tool and that could be used as socializing fodder.
  
• Recommended that we try to have some of the presentation done in-house (from Mad-Tech members) so that people realize that they can give back to the group; and they don't need to be a super expert. Just know and love the product of choice.
  
• Recommended that for Case Study meetings that people might be interested in Time Banking, and we could possible work with Time Banking-Madison.
  
• People liked the idea of intermingling a 'working' type meeting which thrives on everyone communicating, and dealing with real world issues.
  
• Recommendation of having firm limits and requirements: selected nonprofit and their issue agree to the limitations of assistance, their responsibility; possibility of requirements to present back, and making developed action plans 'public domain', 'creative common' or 'open'.

Final decisions were to focus on two primary meeting types: (a) the combined educational/social meeting; and (b) the case study meeting Conversation than turned to the next meeting.

It was agreed that the 4th Wednesday of the month were good days, and that we would book Escape Java Joint for next meeting. The Atwood Apt. Community Room was great, but lacks internet access. Which is a must have. Also agreed to add new poll to site to identify topics for future meetings.