Types of sessions at NetHui

We have different types of sessions at NetHui. They’re colour-coded on Sched so you can easily sort through them. 

Plenary/Panels

Plenary/Panels (blue) are the mainstage events. These are hour long conversations between groups of smart, interesting people delving into some of the complex issues facing us today. These will be livestreamed to all participants via Sched, and available to the public after the event is over. You’ll be able to ask and upvote questions, and many of the panelists will be attending the rest of NetHui, so keep an eye out for them in other sessions. These also include the brief interludes of witty banter and profound reflection from our fabulous MC as we transition between different parts of the day. 

Lightning talks

Lightning talks (green) are short (up to five minute) pre-recorded talks and presentations. Instead of a long keynote or two, we’re taking advantage of the digital format to get more people and ideas on stage. These are intended to get you thinking and give you some other perspectives to throw into the mix during breakout streams. Many of the speakers will be keen to chat further about their ideas, so keep an eye out for them in Slack and Sched. 

Breakout sessions

Breakout sessions (orange) are the digital version of the discussion sessions that are the heart of NetHui. Now that we’re no longer limited by physical venue space, we’re trying out a new approach of more rooms, each focused on a particular issue or theme throughout the whole event. They’ll have the same facilitator team and notetaker throughout, and they’ll have a plan for building on each breakout session. Check out the session description on Sched for more details on each. The law of two feet (clicks?) still applies, and you’ll be able to move in and out of rooms at your leisure - while some folks may want to commit to one stream throughout NetHui, it’s also more than okay to check out a different one at each session. And, of course, there will be a Barcamp stream for discussion ideas that pop up throughout the event. 

Social

Social (yellow) sessions are time set aside for meal, tea, and bathroom breaks, as well as informal gatherings. For instance, the team behind Shouting Zeros and Ones will be hosting a book club during the lunch sessions. And of course, we’ll have a space where everyone can introduce the pets (or houseplants) keeping them company if they’re tuning in from home. There’s room for more, so get in touch when the Slack team is live if you’ve got ideas. 

Side Events

Side Events (red) are the digital version of the old Day 0 and Partners Day - these are things that are of interest to NetHui attendees but don’t quite fit the sessions formats above. Think research forums, workshops, meetups, roundtables, and more. These are organised and run by partner organisations, so you’ll need to register for them separately to your NetHui ticket (and they might use different platforms). Many of them are free, but all have limited space, so check them out and sign up early!

If you’d like to organise a side event, drop us a line at nethui@internetnz.net.nz.