[Team Meeting] Offsite before JupyterCon in May 2023

[sgibson91]

Context

JupyterCon will be happening 10-12th May 2023 in Paris, France: https://www.jupytercon.com/ We are planning to have a team retreat at this event, so that we can get together in-person! This is a tracking issue to organize our efforts around this.

Logistics

• Slack channel
• Guide and agenda

Links from the meeting

• Team notes taken by SuperBloom
• Workshop slides
• Assets we created during the meeting
• Meeting to brainstorm potential collaborations with Fernando around Jupyter for Health / SolyrOS

### Planning
- [x] Plan the days and times that we'll meet as a team
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/meta/issues/548
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/713
- [ ] #684
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/731
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/723
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/672
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/738
- [x] Transportation guide for Paris
- [x] Have the meeting and share notes here

### Retrospectives and follow-ups
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/741
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/732
- [ ] Retrospective for logistics and planning of our meeting to reduce work and stress
- [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/meta/issues/583

[colliand]

Good idea!

[damianavila]

I proposed the same in Slack a few days back: https://2i2c.slack.com/archives/C01GLCC1VCN/p1664916619187119 And over there @choldgraf and @yuvipanda agreed.

We should definitely do it given the fact a big chunk of our team lives in Europe. Time flies pretty quickly, so we should start planning around it ASAP, IMHO.

[sgibson91]

This is probably something we could ask that executive assistant firm to plan for us?

[damianavila]

Let's add Camille to this conversation when https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/590 is completed.

[jmunroe]

I chatted with Camille about this briefly yesterday. She had the suggestion of renting a larger AirBnb-type place so we could all be co-located (likely cheaper and potentially better for team building).

With JupyterCon being May 10-12 (Wed-Fri), perhaps reserving May 8-9 (Mon-Tue) as our team retreat makes sense? I've dropped dates in the 2i2c Team Calendar provisionally. Feedback is welcome if other agree meeting together before JupyterCon is better.

[damianavila]

She had the suggestion of renting a larger AirBnb-type place so we could all be co-located (likely cheaper and potentially better for team building).

For the 2 days or the whole week?

With JupyterCon being May 10-12 (Wed-Fri), perhaps reserving May 8-9 (Mon-Tue) as our team retreat makes sense?

I like those days! I guess 2 days is enough (depending on what we want to achieve) given that we will be in contact through JupyterCon as well, right?

BTW, it is super important we decide on the dates ASAP because getting reasonably priced flights will be hard as time pass by...

[choldgraf]

+1 from me on those two days. I'd also recommend that we just get an AirBnB for the group that covers all of the days people will be here, unless some people really prefer to have their own apartment / living arrangements. I think 2i2c should reimburse regardless, though it will definitely be cheaper if we can get one big place.

@jmunroe can you ask Camille to ping each team member to ask them if they're planning to come and which days they'll need a place to stay? If we don't get any hard nos on those earlier days, I suggest we just plan around those dates.

(I will not stay at the AirBnB since I've got an apartment here, but will make an effort to be there as much as possible depending on how infant life is going)

[jmunroe]

I’ll coordinate with Camille to get confirmations from each team member.

If we can find a place that is close to JupyterCon then the whole week would be grand. But there may be more options for a larger place for the first few days if we consider splitting up our accommodations. I’ll work with Camille to start on the details

[damianavila]

One additional piece, there will be sprints over the weekend: https://twitter.com/JupyterCon/status/1613847257106849793?s=20&t=ce7IWme623KqvtP8gchRGA.

On a personal note, I will travel with my partner. If we go with the shared big space, we do not have any problems with that option, but I want to make sure the rest of the team is conformable with that idea (my partner will be out, sightseeing, most of the day, or inside her laptop, and she is nice 😉... talking seriously, I want to be sure we are not "interfering" with the team dynamics somehow).

[choldgraf]

Some planning in progress

I wanted to update this issue because there has been some movement on it over the past few weeks. I spoke with @jmunroe, and he mentioned that he has been working with Camille to look into hotel accommodations for our team at JupyterCon. He's also looking into meeting rooms and places we can have team conversation.

In addition, I've added an issue to discuss the content and agenda for this meeting, since I think it's particularly important we are thoughtful about how we spend this time together (#672).

I've updated the top comment with this new information.

[damianavila]

Having definitive dates is super important (a priority, IMHO) at the time to get reasonably priced flights. Are there any updates/discussions about the (most probably) dates, @jmunroe? Or that is actually tied to hotel accommodations and spaces/meeting rooms?

[yuvipanda]

Yes, extremely important to have dates sooner than later too :) I realize now I have a preference for after jupytercon rather than before, but happy to go with whatever works.

[sgibson91]

I was under the impression that we had already confirmed the dates for 8th/9th May as these are in the Team calendar

[Camille-Gonzalez-VA]

Hello all,

Sarah sent this over to me & I am here to clarify some things. Sorry for the delay! I will try to answer all your questions below:

James & I are actively working with Emma Major Schroeder she is a travel agent. Her expertise is in corporate travel planning so planning for yearly retreats is her thing! She has asked for the basics to start looking into accommodations including flights which I see mentioned above. For now, arrival will be Sunday, May 7 and departure will be Saturday, May 13, now this could change depending on costs. But this is what we are aiming for. I am hoping we can have a better understanding of the costs and itinerary this month. I can definitely update this once I have the info from her. Nothing is tied down yet besides the decision to stay in a hotel instead of an Airbnb, but again we are hoping to start confirming everything by the end of the month. Emma has requested some information that I will be sending her way soon about each individual that is participating, I have most questions answered since I created a directory when I started but please be on the lookout for an email from me today or tomorrow, I might need more information. Emma, James, and I are not only looking into flights, hotels, and transportation we are also looking at possible group activities and catering or "where-to-eat spots".

I hope this answers most of your questions. I hope I will be updating this very soon!

[jmunroe]

As Camille mentioned, I'd like to take responsibility for the planning of the logistics of both our team retreat and participation at JupyterCon (with me leaning very heavily on Camille on how to actually get this organized!)

Based on the discussion in this issue in mid-January, I am proposing that we continue with the schedule (as indicated in the Team Calendar):

May 8-9 (Mon-Tue) - Team Meeting/Retreat May 10-12 (Wed-Fri) - JupyterCon

The actual "content" of the the Team Retreat:

• [ ] https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/issues/672 is an important issue that I would invite the whole team to be involved in the planning.

But for the logistics (travel, accomodations, food, ground transport, etc.), I propose that Camille and I handle the details and present a comprehensive plan for approval by @choldgraf / team leads.

2i2c does not (yet) have a formal travel policy. Since CZI is one of major funders, I am using their travel policy as guidelines. We are not bound to this policy but I think it makes reasonable suggestions.

As Camille mentioned, travel days would be nominally Sunday May 7 and Saturday May 13 but I'd suggest flexibility of up to 48hrs if that makes more sense based on travel costs/jet lag concerns. If you are intending on extending your visit to Paris/France/Europe please communicate that with Camille and myself.

I have agreed to contract a travel agent to assist us with this event. The alternative of having each one of us independently 'book' our travel, pay for it, and then seek remimbursement seems like an excessive amount of administrative work that is better centralized.

[sgibson91]

Are we organising group registration for JupyterCon as well, or should we each handle our own registration?

[sgibson91]

There are currently early bird prices but no information on how long that will last for https://www.jupytercon.com/tickets

[sgibson91]

I just found a blog that says the full-price tickets kick in on March 1st, so I recommend everyone get their own now

• Link to full blog post: https://blog.jupyter.org/jupytercon-2023-early-bird-passes-still-available-and-scholarship-applications-have-opened-c1bae085125a
• Link to relevant text fragment: https://blog.jupyter.org/jupytercon-2023-early-bird-passes-still-available-and-scholarship-applications-have-opened-c1bae085125a#:~:text=if%20you%E2%80%99re%20thinking%20of%20attending%20jupytercon%202023%2C%20now%20is%20the%20time%20to%20act.%20early%20bird%20passes%20are%20still%20available%20and%20provide%20substantial%20savings%2C%20so%20make%20sure%20to%20grab%20your%20pass%20before%20the%20full%20price%20kicks%20in%20on%20march%201st.%20

[jmunroe]

I'd rather the tickets be purchased as a block (using a Ramp credit card) so that we do not have team members need to be reimbursed. Understood that 'March 1' is the cut-off for early-bird pricing.

I also see that there is the option of 'sprints' on May 13-14. Please let Camille know if you are planning on staying for that as well so that we can set up accomodations and travel correctly.

[sgibson91]

I was more worried about the amount of time it would take to collect all the info and do it in one go, given the close timing for the price hike.

No sprints for me, but I already communicated with Camille that I will be staying in Paris until the Sunday.

[damianavila]

2i2c does not (yet) have a formal travel policy.

FYI, there is an incoming PR with some guidelines: https://github.com/2i2c-org/team-compass/pull/673

[Camille-Gonzalez-VA]

UPDATE: This week we are working on transportation (plane tickets or train tickets depending on what you chose) We are also narrowing down which hotel you would be staying at. Updates to come, for those of you that I am still missing some needed info I pinged your emails so please check those out. If any of your original needs change please let me know! Thanks, talk soon!

[choldgraf]

Channel for team communication

I've created a slack channel called #team-meeting-paris-2023 as a place to coordinate before and during the meeting. I've also invited Eriol and Katie from superbloom to join so they can participate as well.

[damianavila]

The meeting was held in Paris a few months ago, closing now.