Spending time together, positively at EuroIA

Alastair Somerville
3 min readAug 12, 2022

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I am glad to be running a new workshop at EuroIA conference in Marseille at the end of September. You can read about the conference, all the workshops and talks, and buy tickets (there are only 100) on their website EuroIA22.

I now try to provide pre-workshop information to prospective participants and this post describes both what is included and how to download the booklets.

Information Architecture and Meaning in Time/Place workshop

Workshop participants talking while sitting around 3d time/place model and map

I want to provide pre-workshop information for 4 reasons and have created a downloadable folding A4 booklet for participants.

The topics in the booklet are:

  1. Workshop content
  2. Self Care
  3. Triggers
  4. Listening

Here is why each topic matters.

Workshop content

Workshops, like most experiences, are a mixture of positive anticipation and negative anxiety. Explaining what the content of the workshop is going to be beforehand is a way increasing anticipation while reducing anxiety.

Self care

I try to help people think about their own needs and support their autonomy. Self care is about raising awareness about what might be problematic (in emotional, sensory, personal and social terms) and offering actions.

Triggers

In the workshop especially I am aware that there may be triggers and stressful content. Talking about information moving thru time means that some quite toxic historic topics may be encountered. I am not able to control what might happen in the workshop but I can take direct responsibility for action if something does arise.

Listening

Finally, listening matters in any workshop. I try to be explicit about the importance of listening and talking in workshops (using a Code of Conversation) but I am trying out some new cards on opinions and lived experience.

Strong Opinion and Lived Experiences cards next to booklet

Download the booklet

If you are thinking of attending my workshop, I advise you to download and read the booklet. It is not essential but it should help make the experience more positive for you and the other participants.

The booklet is available now as a downloadable A4 pdf for printing at home of work.

There is a colour version and a Black & White version depending on what type of printer you have.

There is also a Screen-Only version if you do not have a printer or do not wish to print a copy.

The following links are to Dropbox.

Color Pdf version

B&W Pdf version

Screen-Only Pdf version

Originally published at https://acuity.design on August 12, 2022.

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Alastair Somerville
Alastair Somerville

Written by Alastair Somerville

Sensory Design Consultant, usability researcher and workshop facilitator. www.linkedin.com/in/alastair-somerville-b48b368 Twitter @acuity_design & @visceralUX