An unconference, according to the Wikipedia entry, is a "conference where the content of the sessions is driven and created by the participants, generally day-by-day during the course of the event, rather than by a single organizer, or small group of organizers, in advance." While unconferences are becoming popular (because they provide an excellent, flexible venue for ideas, networking, and participation), they have been around for decades, with the best-known format articulated by Harrison Owen as "Open Space Technology ".

More Resources

• a good description of what it is like to attend an Unconference from MashUp Camp
• Dave Winer's quotable explanation of the rationale for the format