Since I ask this every year...

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Aurabolt
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Since I ask this every year...

Post by Aurabolt »

And to avoid confusion I didn't put this question in the topic title: Why is Convention Feedback only on the last day and after the con's over?

I feel like it would be meaningful to host a 2nd one mid-con for those who either don't come Sunday or can't make Convention Feedback. I'm thinking Saturday afternoon could work. If not, then put a box at the Info Table on the 2nd Floor for folks to leave comments and feedback. Then again a post-con web survey could also work. Hmm.

...I know this is gonna sound weird coming from someone who attends convention feedback every year but I figure I get this out the way here on the foruns before I forget again and bring it up at the feedback session. LOL.

Speaking of, I need to finish writing my review of AB2016 as well. Whoops X.X
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Re: Since I ask this every year...

Post by pulsedemon »

Do you figure there's some essential feedback we're missing between the session at the end, the forums, the email contact form, and all of social media?
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Re: Since I ask this every year...

Post by Aurabolt »

This may or may not be helpful and I hinted at this in another thread last night but alot of the same types of questions I see asked in the Convention Feedback Thread and on Social Media are asked and answered in the Feedback Session.

I think something that could be done to help circulate information is adding a Post-Con FAQ to the main site. This page would contain questions and answers that have been asked over the years both commonly and uncommonly. Unlike the regular Convention FAQ, the Post-Con FAQ would answer specific questions often asked or raised immediately after each con. Some questions may not be answerable right away such as questions around Con Security (Most common topic since 2013) but some questions such as "Why can't AB be at the BCEC?" can be answered. Yes I know there's a thread for that specific question but dropping a link on the main site would be helpful for those who may not know about it.

As for what it would specifically contain, a recap of questions asked at the Feedback Session would be a good start. In the days and weeks post-con, questions gleaned from other channels can be added. It's a no-cost option as representatives for most of the departments are present for the feedback session anyway.

To anwer your question more directly, yes definitely.

I'm not going to pretend to know the process for all four of those channels, what feedback is received, when it's received, when it's reviewed and when it's passed on the the relevant departments. I do know it couldn't hurt to be a bit more aggressive in collecting feedback. At the very least, you could make it very hard for the usual crowd to keep saying "AB doesn't care" or "AB doesn't listen to anyone".

In addition to my new Post-Con FAQ idea and my add a 2nd feedback session idea, a post-con survey like the one done over the last few months could also work. You could bulk email everyone who pre-registered the link and provide a link from here for everyone else. You'll get a TON of data from literally thousands of folks post-con that you can use next year ^_^

Just a few ideas.
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Re: Since I ask this every year...

Post by pulsedemon »

Sure, I guess it's possible to read anything differently than the way its intended. It's not like nobody pays attention to feedback at all. I assure you, we spend a lot of time going over it all.

The case against the BCEC (off the top of my head, probably missing some stuff):
-not enough smaller meeting rooms
-less accessible via public transit
-fewer hotel options
-fewer food options

The case for the BCEC (same as above)
-more doors (unfortunately, this is an important part to work with the security theater they impose)
-more loading dock space (I nearly wept)
-a cheaper parking lot

Also, like I said, we're already in contracts through the next 10 years. We have to look that far out in order to get the Hynes and the hotel space we need. If all we have are vague promises that the BCEC will have more stuff around it in 10 years (the same way we've heard that about the BCEC for as long as its existed) that's not enough to go on.

As for a feedback FAQ, it seems like an okay idea. I don't think it'll help much to essentially 'prevent' a question being asked. I mean, how many people would read that and then how many people would expect 'oh, this is clearly fully current and answers my question fully'? Another session on Saturday requires people that would be at the Sunday session that are actually busy running the show on Saturday. I barely ever have time to spare even on Sunday, since it's right in the middle of move-out, for example. Would a 'feedback' session where nobody could give an answer about anything be at all worthwhile?
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Re: Since I ask this every year...

Post by Nemra »

I'd like to just chime in that there will be a post con feedback survey.

I't something we've already been working on for this year.
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Re: Since I ask this every year...

Post by Aurabolt »

You raise a good pont there Chris. Hope you know by now I actually get it ^_^

Would a mid-con feedback session be effective? Maybe. Same could be said about the post-con feedback session when you think about it. After all, you can only fit so many people in 206. Also like you said, the feedback session is held while most of the staff and volunteers are packing up everything and moving things out of the Hynes as quickly as possible. Is a mid-con feedback session realistic to try? Probably not. Doesn't mean there isn't value in collecting feedback mid-con though.

...Just so you know I'm against AB being at the BCEC.

I don't think it's an appropriate facility for what AB is about. AB is not PAX or Comicon. That's something those who want AB at the BCEC don't get or care about. It's not as "simple" as getting the biggest facility available. There's alot of other factors that need to be taken into consideration. For one, the format AB is known for wouldn't work at the BCEC. Yes, it's a much larger space but the tradeoff isn't worth it at the end of the day in my opinion.

The Dealer's Room is just one part of Anime Boston. The programming itself, the guests and the congoers themselves are the bigger draws. While yes, there would be more room for more vendors AB is Waaaaay more than that ^_^
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Re: Since I ask this every year...

Post by pulsedemon »

There are positives and negatives to both buildings. The reasoning about why you brought it up here, though, I'm not sure I understand. Regardless, you've made some salient points. Know that they're heard, know also that there may be reasons why all feedback might not be weighted as a do it now ultimatum, even if that's the way it's meant.
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