https://youtu.be/_0QT1kiYpUk

This retrospective reviews the work done and performed during EthDenver. This feedback is taken from the Harmony Event Operations team and other Harmony core team members and contributors. It is not meant to be exhaustive, but it does provide some guidance and accountability into what worked and what did not.

Initiatives that worked that we should continue:

1. Running Harmony-driven events, once per region per year, much like “Paris Blockchain Week”.
2. Hosting on-going side-events, seating / meeting areas, with constant light food and beverages. (i.e. the Harmony Hub).
3. We need to double down on wristband / culture plays, but with the addition of a “call-to-action”. For example: download the 1Wallet.
4. We should do initiatives like Project X again. I believe the team walked away from that experience 10x more knowledgeable about the funding process. Ultimately, we do all of this to get great projects to build on Harmony. By decentralizing the funding process as we did, we were able to scale out the number of people we had on the ground that were scouting great projects. Every Conversation started with “What are you building... can we help?” That is huge.

Initiatives that DID NOT work that we should stop:

1. Having everyone show up at the same events. Gets crowded and we won’t get the optimal network effect. We should spread out.
2. Party less. While fun, it is not only disruptive but it exposes us to criticism from the community that we are spending too much on partying vs. working.
3. Ignoring or putting on hold daily tasks like responding to grant applications. We can’t ignore the community because we are at an event for 2 weeks.
4. We need to stop winging our presentations and start scripting them. We need to work with talented people to make sure that every time we hit the stage we are walking away knowing for sure that we hit a home run. We need to orchestrate every keynote for maximum impact in the shortest amount of time.

Ideas for improving at later conferences:

1. The hacker space should continue throughout the entire conference. Other projects rented coffee shops next door during the main event Thursday through Sunday - we should do that as well.
2. A “Blue Out” day where we ask everyone to wear our swag. We gave out a ton of it and we could have done more with it.
3. Capture more emails and contact information. Next years “deadmau5”-level event should require everyone to download 1Wallet and get an NFT as their ticket.
4. A/B Test our promotional materials. Every “wallet download” or interaction should be marketed in multiple ways to really see where the engagement is coming from.
5. Video team needs a rental car for temporary stowing of gear and quick transport between events.
6. Every location needs a proper location scout complete w/ videos/photos of all potential venues, restaurants, promotional signage opportunities and places NOT to go. Main flagship parties need to have the best locations scouted WAY in advance to secure the best of the best.
7. We MUST HAVE developers at the booth. We should NEVER rely on volunteers to man the booth. We need to have someone on hand that can answer the hard technical questions. If devs aren’t available, volunteers need to pass a competency exam that can show they can converse w/ attendees.