Nothing to add, thanks Johanna Halfmann for sharing your thoughts with us and great to have you with us!
I went somewhere, met some people, and learned some things. – That would be the summary of my post. Let me elaborate on my personal learnings. 1. Networking as an Introvert The first part of any interaction with someone new is the hardest for me. Having only the first impression to approach someone or being approached by someone makes me very uncomfortable. It somehow feels forced, and my imposter syndrome kicks in immediately: “Surely this expert will notice that I don’t know anything.” But I was lucky, and at the CMSCamps, there were literally two icebreakers in the room: 🍦 ice cream provided by Hygraph and the ❄️ AC programmed to freeze us to death. Both did a great job because who doesn’t like ice cream, and everyone was getting cold. As an introvert leaving my comfort zone, I can say that the setup matters: putting effort into creating a welcoming, engaging, but not overwhelming space so that more people feel comfortable entering and opening up. 2. First Time Being a Speaker This is, again, about me leaving my so-called comfort zone and doing something for the first time. I was asked by Janus to share a project at the CMS Expert Group. I took the chance and went for it. My first task, however, was to debate with my inner imposter about how risky this adventure would be because: when I say things out loud in a room full of experts, they can hear me, and they will see through me as an imposter! But I decided to focus on the “they can hear me” part of my fear and realized that this was, in fact, my (feminist) goal: I wanted to take up space. Yes, I am a female introvert in a male-dominated field, but I’m also a CMS UX Expert. With great support, I was able to channel my inner expert and even enjoy myself. 3. The Format Bar Camp This un-conference format was new to me. Having no agenda and no idea who else would be there was not necessarily a good starting point for me! Volker, however, is deeply in love with this format and truly believes that this openness is what sparks the interdisciplinary workshop magic – and he was proven right. Having sessions about topics that are relevant to me and that I’m passionate about, with other experts regardless of their backgrounds, led to surprising conversations and to me learning a lot. 4. As a Woman in Tech Yes, men still take up space (by being fast and loud) more easily, and men still hold the more powerful positions in tech compared to women. This event wasn’t an exception. But my personal experience of this weekend was a positive one. Observing the group, I saw that everybody participated. I saw people moderating discussions more inclusively and trying to involve everyone. I never felt rushed by dominant and fast paced participants, which allowed me to collect my thoughts and add to the conversation myself. As a result, I felt invited, seen, and heard. Thank you to everyone involved in the organization of these two events and to everyone for the thoughtful and insightful discussions.