On Friday, May 24th, CITCON kicked off with the dynamic duo of hosts: Jeffrey Fredrick and Paul Julius. In their opening speech, they delved into the concept of the open space conference. The fundamental idea behind CITCON is that there are no predefined topics on the agenda. Instead, participants actively shape the content by proposing discussion topics. Once these topics are presented, attendees vote on which sessions to join. As Jeffrey aptly put it, the participants truly make the conference come alive.
The evening continued with participant introductions, where everyone shared their excitement. Notably, many voices buzzed with anticipation about artificial intelligence (AI).
The hosts also introduced the “Law of two feet”. This ingenious rule allows attendees to exercise their autonomy: if a session doesn’t resonate with them, they can simply use their two feet to walk away and explore another topic. It’s a refreshing departure from the traditional sit-and-listen approach—one that acknowledges the diverse interests of the audience.
Day 2
The second day commenced with a delectable breakfast at the conference venue. Participants then consulted the Flip chart to locate the meeting rooms where various topics were being discussed.
The range of topics was impressive, spanning from “Failure Stories That Became Success (or Not)” to the intriguing “Dark Chocolate Tasting.” Personally, I engaged in discussions about the “AI Curse or Blessing,” “Content Creation,” and “Your Leadership War Stories.” Interestingly, the session on “Cat Color Genetics” garnered unexpected popularity, surprising both the presenter and the enthusiastic participants.
In summary, my experience at CITCON was overwhelmingly positive. Despite my initial concern that the topics might be too technical (given my non-technical background), I found the conference accessible and engaging. The event was impeccably organized, the food delightful, and the beverages refreshingly cold. As the official proceedings concluded, we eagerly headed to the dinner, still buzzing with the energy of shared insights and connections.
Highly recommended for both tech enthusiasts and non-tech folks alike! 🌟
Author of this article is Ouro´s HR and Social Media Specialist Mari Tarkiainen