Adams Book Sprint Book Annotation Draft

Basic Logistics

Lets look at basic Book Sprint logistics, forgetting for the moment sprints which are located in multiple (remote) spaces.

For a basic set-up you need the following:

Venue
This should at minimum be a room free of distractions.
Table
You need a table big enough for everyone to sit around and enough chairs for everyone.
Internet Connection
A good internet connection.
Computers
It is a good idea if everyone has a computer to work from.
People
5-10 dedicated souls.

That is the bare minimum set up. You might be able to strip it down even further if necessary - perhaps you can´t get a room with no distractions etc. However I would recommend you consider the above as a basic starting point and only compromise down if you have good reason.

The Ideal

The ideal set-up looks quite different. Usually, due to budget or other constraints, the reality lies somewhere between the basic and ideal set up. If you have the resources then you can turn the sprint from an endurance test into a real experience that people relish and will never
forget. Lets look at an ideal Book Sprint (I have been fortunate to run several sprints with resources at this level and it makes a big difference).

Venue and Accommodation

Ideally the venue also houses the accommodation and cooking space. Having it all under one roof means less time spent traveling which makes sprinting much easier. The first real sprint I did had great accommodation and a great venue for working but we lost about 2 hours everyday traveling between the two. 25 minutes by train might not sound much, but when you add packing up and walking to and from the train it soon becomes an hour. This is not only wasteful but it adds to the fatigue of sprinters.

On several occasions I have hired a vocation rental (holiday home). For one sprint we hired a large home in upstate New York which had 5 bedrooms, a large lounge, a large kitchen with a dining table, a dining room which we used for the sprint room, a lovely balcony, and a huge
backyard. This cost considerably less than hotel accommodation and was much more fun, comfortable, and efficient. The one drawback was that we needed to arrange travel to and from the house, but this was solved with some good logistics so that everyone arrived the night before the sprint and left the morning after. If there is somewhere close to the venue which might make for an interesting afternoon group adventure then this is even better (more on this later).

A place in the country is preferable to one in the city since there are less distractions and it is more fun and much more relaxing. In the country sprinters can also escape into their own space more easily by going for a walk which is necessary from time to time for sanities sake.
Whatever you do, never have the sprint venue in one of the participants work places. Also don´t make the mistake of making the sprint a ´spectacle´ by placing it in a public space (for example, as part of an exhibition) since this will dramatically reduce the efficiency of the
sprint.

Lastly, make sure you have 24 hour access to the sprint venue. It is very important that the sprint team quickly finds its own rhythm and this will be severally compromised if they have to fit to a venues normal 9-6 schedule.

Food

Provide food generously and cater for each individuals dietary needs. Food is not only a nutritional necessity but the main meals should be a good time to have a break and clear everyones heads. In a few sprints there have been people hired to do the cooking of the main meals and this was fantastic, mainly because the food was extraordinary.

Eating at restaurants slows down the entire process considerably and can break the flow. Restaurants can be ok if there is a set menu and it is prepared and delivered when the sprinters arrive.

However my preferred option is to cook at the sprint venue. I like this option because I like to cook and also because it gives me a much needed regular break from facilitation.

Whichever option you choose you will need to know the food preferences of all sprinters well before the sprint and plan accordingly. You should also provide ample snack food and drinks for consuming between meals.

Internet Access

It is pretty important to have a fast internet connection. Writing and saving text does not require much bandwidth but placing images and generating/downloading PDF can consume a lot. In addition, your sprinters probably want to email, message or call friends, family and business associates via the net. Having a good connection means you don´t cause them unnecessary any frustration.

However, if you do find yourself without a good connection or you are planning to do a sprint somewhere with no net access then Booki can be downloaded and installed on your own computer and you can share access by setting up a local network. Before trying this make sure you have installed Booki and know how to set up a local network well before the event.

It is also important to have both wired and wireless connections available. Wifi is the best option as it allows for a greater amount of flexibility if sprinters want to change working spaces. However its always a good idea to have at least one connection available via ethernet cable in case someone has issues with their wifi card (more common than you might think).

Data Projector (Beamer)

It is really useful to have a data projector especially in the early stages of the sprint. Being able to collectively view the Table of Contents while you create it is essential. Later the projector is useful for discussing the progress of chapters and working out structural issues. It is of course possible to use a large monitor and have everyone gather around it, or to ask everyone to look at Booki on their own computers during these periods however these two options are much less efficient.

Power Requirements

If you are having sprinters come from other countries then it is a good idea to have the appropriate power adapters ready in case anyone has forgotten theirs. It is also good to have more than enough extension cables and multi-socket boards. Bring socket boards with surge protectors if you have a choice (especially important if you don´t know how stable the power supply is).

Chairs

Bring good chairs. Sprinters will probably spend 10-14 hours a day on them so they need to be comfortable. Check before with everyone to see if there are any special requirements.

Table

Make sure you have one continuous table space that everyone can work around. This is hugely important. Don´t make the mistake of breaking the group up into smaller separated tables unless there is a clear need (ie. there are two different sprints happening at the same time). Sprinters need to see each other and talk easily to each other. For generating the right environment the table is probably more necessary that almost any other single piece of equipment.

EDIT