Community calls are a great way for us to come together, make introductions, talk about projects, and chat about what's on our collective minds. You can find the call issues here and recordings on BitcoinTV and YouTube.
After having organized 20+ calls, we established several practices outlined here in Q&A form.
How often are calls?
We have them every third Wednesday. The easiest way to stay up-to-date is via our calendar. During in-between weeks, we host Design Review and Design Guide Jam Session calls.
Calls are officially 1 hour, but many times go over by 15-30 minutes for those who want. When calls are on Jitsi, there is also an open pre-call for casual conversation that starts 1 hour earlier.
What time of day are calls?
They are usually at 17:00 UTC. For the first 6-7 calls, we voted on the time. Since the result was always the same, we standardized it. However, we can adjust if this doesn't work for many.
What format do the calls have?
We have used various formats, from structured presentations to wide open discussion. All have been interesting, so we are picking each call format based on what is appropriate at the moment.
Some examples:
- Update on what happened since the last call
- Focus on important community topics like governance
- Project show and tell
- Introductions
- Coffee chat (open discussion)
- Allow anyone to suggest topics for discussion
How are calls announced?
- An issue is created 1-2 months earlier
- They appear on the calendar
- Two #announcement messages are sent out on Discord, the first one 1 week ahead, and the second one 1 day ahead of the call
- A regular Discord post in the #general channel is sent out shortly before the call
- For Twitter Spaces, the Space is shared via a Tweet when it starts
What tools do we use?
For most calls, we have used Jitsi, which is open-source, doesn't require you to create an account, and is available as web, mobile and desktop applications.
More recently, we have experimented with Nostr Nests and Twitter Spaces to experiment with the audio format and allow for a more publicly accessible conversation.
Are calls recorded?
We did not record Jitsi calls initially but started to do so due to community requests. Calls are only recorded if all participants agree, and are uploaded to our BitcoinTV account, and YouTube channel in the Community Calls playlist.
Calls via Nostr Nests and Twitter Spaces are automatically recorded by Twitter and public in nature. They are audio-only, but we still post them on our video channels (with a static image for the visual).
Are calls transcribed?
We post short, concise summaries in the call issues. Personally identifiable information is removed. The types of notes taken differs based on the call format and the person(s) volunteering to take notes.
Recordings uploaded to BitcoinTV or YouTube should include timestamps, so viewers can more easily understand what was discussed and jump to topics that interest them.
What else?
- Calls should not be used to make decisions as that would exclude too many people, and group dynamics might affect the result
- Real or fake names are fine
- Lurking is fine although participation is encouraged
Things to consider when hosting calls
- It can be a two-person job. One person to lead the conversation, and a second person to post on Discord and Twitter/Nostr, take notes, keep an eye on time, etc
- It's a community call - make sure to open the floor to everyone interested in chatting
- In open chat sessions, it is helpful to quickly gather topics at the beginning. This helps participants understand what to expect and makes it easier to manage time
- Announce the 1-hour mark of the call, make it OK for anyone to continue chatting or leave
- Nostr Nests and Twitter Spaces calls initially require inviting speakers and co-hosts, pinning relevant Tweets to the space, and tweeting links that were discussed
- Twitter Space recordings can be obtained by downloading an archive of the Bitcoin Design account, which takes 24 hours until it is available
- Nostr Nests calls need to be recorded by a participant during the call
Who organizes calls
This is currently handled by Christoph. Reach out if you'd like to help or have feedback.