In a recent Twitter poll, I asked: If you’re attending a 2-day event, what would you rather see instead of 100% standard 25-minute talks? The goal was to collect honest feedback and explore ways to make the Checkout Summit more engaging.
The results were interesting: practical workshops won with 42.1% of the vote, followed by lightning talks (26.3%), unconference sessions (21.1%), and “Other” (10.5%).
Clearly, there’s appetite for something beyond the traditional speaker-audience setup. And since we’re in the early planning stages, these insights are valuable.
I’d like to share a few thoughts on each format, how they might fit into the Summit, and what this could mean for the event experience. A mixed format could be the winning formula — and this poll is just the first step in shaping something different.
Why We Asked This Question
The standard tech conference format — 25-minute talk after talk — is safe, familiar, and scalable. But it’s not always the most effective. Attention drops, interaction is limited, and even the best speakers can feel lost in a sea of slide decks.
That’s why I put the poll out. A 2-day WooCommerce-focused event deserves more than just passive listening. If people are flying in, booking hotels, and spending two full days together, the schedule should reward them with energy, variety, and meaningful takeaways.
Let’s unpack the poll options and what they could look like in Palermo.
Practical Workshops (42.1%)
This was the clear winner. Workshops allow for deep, focused learning in a small-group environment. Attendees don’t just listen — they do.
A hands-on workshop could mean building a custom block, setting up performance monitoring, or writing a WooCommerce plugin from scratch. Each would need 60–90 minutes, a good facilitator, and ideally pre-installed software or a GitHub repo.
The challenge? Space, logistics, and timing. You can’t fit 300 people into a workshop. But you can offer limited signups, run them in parallel rooms, and rotate topics.
I’m seriously considering dedicating half a day — maybe Friday morning — to optional workshops, followed by talks in the afternoon. The logistics are tight, but the value is clear.
Lightning Talks (26.3%)
Fast-paced, 5–10 minute talks are a great way to squeeze in more voices and keep things moving. They work well for case studies, product showcases, or “here’s a thing I learned” style shares.
I like lightning talks for their energy and accessibility. People who aren’t professional speakers still have a chance to get on stage. And attendees get a burst of new ideas every few minutes.
These could be scheduled at the end of each day — maybe a 45-minute block featuring six talks. Or as a lunch session, with everyone staying in the main room.
Lightning talks also leave space for humor, storytelling, and surprise — all things a traditional schedule often lacks.
Unconference Sessions (21.1%)
This was a niche choice, but it opens the door to something powerful: giving control to the attendees.
In an unconference format, people pitch topics the morning of, vote on what they want to attend, and then split into small groups to discuss. No projector, no slides — just dialogue. It’s especially effective for community building and idea sharing.
The tricky part is the setup. You need whiteboards, markers, breakout spaces, and a good facilitator. It’s messy by design.
But imagine this: late Friday afternoon, instead of zoning out during another talk, you’re sitting with 15 others discussing “How to price Woo plugins” or “What I learned switching to headless.” That’s worth trying.
Other Ideas (10.5%)
This group didn’t reply with specifics, but “Other” opens the door to formats like:
- Live code reviews
- AMA (Ask Me Anything) with experts
- Panel debates
- Site clinics
- Speed networking
It’s worth following up with these voters — or even re-running the poll with more niche options. The main takeaway is that variety matters. No one’s asking for more talks. They’re asking for more formats.
One thing is clear: a 2-day WooCommerce event shouldn’t just be a lineup of back-to-back talks. We don’t need to reinvent the conference — just remix it.
By respecting people’s time, attention, and curiosity, we’ll make the event more memorable. And ultimately, more useful.
If you voted in the poll — thank you. And if you have more ideas, keep them coming. This event will be better because of it.
