…
EU Form Storm
Yes - trying to organise a form-storm for Edge applications to the EU thingy (deadline 11th Dec).
- Groups all hack on their own projects together - in physical and virtual space
- We pitch to each other
- We hack, black hat and praise
- We submit
4 Likes
Now, this sounds interesting!
[fortyfoxes], could you clarify? Which WU thingy are you talking about? Any links?
i think i got it. I’ll try to be a bit more clear.
@alberto! I think @fortyfoxes means this by the EU thingy. And a main thing to work on while Form Storming. Form Storm and make all that goes through purely ER.
Am I getting it right? So there is this in the first round of that EU thingy, so mb good I ping @matthias.
Apart from this, it can be other forms and applications, but to have a bit of a core in the Form Storm, lets say it is a main thing.
What I meant when posted the Form Storm is peer reviewing any other possible calls for applications edgeryderians can possible go for. Sort of. But this is optional. Sorry for a vague language of the original post. I’m trying my best to be less vague in comments.
Example: (bear with me, I’m trying to figure out what the Form Storm can be, I just have a hunch about it being a good thing we can do and that ER has features enabling us to do that)
ER X has a project she’s been working on that needs funding. There is a call for applications which fit this project. Deadline is set.
Would it be benefitial for X to participate to the Form Storm?
- to get constructive critisism, advice and peer review
- to find buddies if there is bigger capacity/scale needed.
- to just simply have a specific timeframe to get stuff done, because FormStorm is an event fixed in time.
ER O has rather raw idea which sort of could be turned into actionable, but not quite enough for a project, more of an element. O joins a Form Storm and the Xs project seems like this O’s element can be modified and added to the application. ER Y and Z have no ideas or projects at the moment, but bloody good at reading text and looking for key words and being consistent and gone through similar process few times in the past. N is a freaking optimist and full of courage. N also has other special skill which can be useful in a Form Storm. Whatever. It might be something else. Bear with me, please.
I suggest we do a hangout on that any time soon, before I completely drown in vagueness of my posts here. I promise to be clear during hangout.
2 Likes
Not vague at all
@k11, I get it. This is clear, and makes perfect sense. It seems we have another candidate sociotech innovation, just like the community call and the Twitterstorm. We should try it – or rather YOU should, because I don’t want to be in conflict of interest.
Not easy to design it, though. A Google Doc per project, with a shared chat to coordinate (“X, please come on project 1, we have a question for you”)? Or even without, with people simply keeping six or seven project GoogleDoc in as many browser tabs, and bouncing around them? Or coordinate on Twitter + hashtag?
This is so interesting. Wheee! 
Storm attempt of prototyping&infrastructuring
This is probably the best complement I got sinse a while “@k11, I get it. This is clear”. (thanks, Alberto! +that kind of hug)
So far, the step I see to get to the eye of the Form Storm is to prototype it asap. I’ll try to do that around next week. During the prototyping I want to have a look at multiplatformness. The important thing that I would like to keep in mind and I believe in is that simplicity beats features. So the multiplatformness test is to make sure that features don’t beat the simplicity. I’ll stick to those we’re using so far.
• Lets say during the actual Strom: 1 google doc per project where the application is to be filled. One hashtag (formstorm) on twitter for quick communication/pinging. Google Hangout for discussion is small groups, Skype for one on one conversation if needed.
• Prior to Storm:
- One Doc (or post) describing in a short and comprehensible way what the hell is the Form Storm for and about, and who is envolved and why. (I’ll work on it, shall pray for clarity of expression)
- popplet if required (for those like me who are into mindmapping) - it can be The General One Something Like That + 1 per application, or more, or less. Or non. + Pads or/and more googledocs
• If someone who has more wisdom about the ER taskmanager jumps in, will be cool. I don’t feel particularily confident with this beast yet, but willing to go there if buddy up with someone (inhibition from diving, I suppose)
The next, or a parallel step can be some kind of infrastructuring. I would like to figure out who is in and who does what, and how people are linked to projects ans processes. I probably wouldn’t be able to grasp it all, but the rough idea or a mindmap of these, to me is probably is the most important step to insure the balance between simplicity and features.
• Again The General One Something Like That popplet might be useful to see who are the people, what are they doing, and other related stuff (I can look at and refresh my understanding of all this craziness)
• I have to be transparent about the fact that I will be missing out on a lot of relevant stuff, so if people who know stuff relevant to the Form Storm will be pinging me, it will be very very handy. And if people knowing other people whom I should be pinging will tell them to ping me and/or send them to the popplet. For shorter messages/pointing direction towards relevant stuff the easiest for me will be @ed on twitter. Longer chunks of info for example with multiple links - email. Adding to the general popplet.
Please, add elements which are leading towards the transformation into a superorganism which (not me) will be doing the Form Storm.
Yes, I’m in!!
This is a great idea, and boy don’t we know help with completing funding applications would come in handy ?:))
I’m up for helping both as a participant in the storm and also if you need another hand with designing a process and call for participation. Michael, Dorotea and David have suggested a post Lote3 community call and hangout this Tuesday at 12 pm, would you be available? https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/crhkaecsiu35pqvjac26dlce5ng?cfem=1
I agree with the idea of multiplatformness and testing different channels to coordinate, however i’m in doubt about the privacy issue: would most people be ok with sharing their work-in-progress online and linking to it throughout the web as part of the coordination and collaboration work? especially if it’s a competition based on ideas, like EU Social Innovation? i honestly don’t know, just putting it out there for consideration…
Looking forward to this, let’s do it 
fund application formfilling activity
This is cool: my vague language lead to several interesting interpretations.
One is creating forms for internal communication (@nadia’s comment) - it actually gave me a couple of ideas on what kind of internal communication forms I would like to create.
Another one (and one I was thinking of originally while writing this post) is the mutual-supportish/constructive critique/getting-things-done online event dedicated to applications for funds. @fortyfoxes’ suggestion is to focus on one with the deadline Dec the 12th (brief info on that will be helpful, so we can proceed with the storm)
It can also include other applications, if anyone has something in mind (project&possible source of support), and want comments from the edgeryder-platformers for the reason of feeling stuck, or for any other reasons.
So my suggestion: any of us, who come across this post and want to build a formstorm, can have a look inside of their head for whatever projects they would like to realise. And for possible means to realise them projects apart from individual craze; such as, for example, an afore mentionned call for applications.
Then we choose a date and get it done in a 12, 24, 48 hours or may be 1hour 15min.
Glossary: (…as far as I get it)
formstorm - online hackatonlike fund application formfilling activity with hangouts, pads&docs, popplets, people, edgeryder platform and a lot of swearing.
2 Likes
Form Storm: Collaboratively going after EU funding
Group, process, wikis and spreadsheets and checklists for collaboratively building and submitting EU Research Funding and Tendering funding applications: If we have a core of things that Edgeryders can offer, and spreadsheets to calculate budgets for each one, then we can enter several calls, offering basically the same things presented slightly differently in each call. If we actually win one or more calls the people driving each application can coordinate with each other to ensure:
- the activities are as aligned as possible with initiatives/projects that community members are excited about working on, and generate revenue for them where possible
- activities complement each other in terms of timing, input and output
- that work is done as cost effectively as possible (without underpaying people) and any surplus after running costs are covered goes back into community e.g. in form of travel fund for events.
I have just returned from Vilnius where I participated in the presentation of a set of funding programs called Horizon 2020: the Eu’s new program for research and innovation. It’s an event where the funding body describes what they will be focusing on in the different funding calls, and where representatives of different organisations meet to find organisations to apply for funding with (usually you need to be part of something called a consortium to be eligible for funding).
After going to the various sessions and speaking to some people I met while there, I think it may make sense to go about testing the above strategy on this round of calls which opens in December (and which we would need to start preparing for from now).
So I’ve set up a group for everyone who wants to try it out together here: https://edgeryders.eu/horison-2020-eu-funding-application-collaboration-space
Group Access
Nadia, I can’t enter the group and am forwarded to a Access Denied page. Is that easy to fix? I’m happy to contribute to a useful application basis. Could jump in around the beginning of Dec. Would like to push on the combinations of topics like e.g. Climate, GMO, (Bio)Diversity, Health, Youth, Fair Business… What do you think about a short ER questionnaire where we could get an overview from the community?
Hey, Caroline
Hey, I had this before: try to click around and enter from different sides. I didnt create any closed groups, if you’re talking about Form Storm, I’m sure. It will be great if you join in! Lets make a hangout this week? 14th-16th, someth like that. I want to prototype the FormStorm this week to see how it goes and ways to run it smoothly. Any thoughts on forms themselves or the format of the event, please, ping me!
Closed so search engines dont pick up work in progress
The group is focused on getting work done and needs to be accessible only to people working on the specific applications. Because the processes are competitive and entries should not leak to others applying for the same call until after the closing date when everything has been submitted. Anyone who wants to join in on the work can email me: nadia@edgeryders.eu.
Caroline I’ve already added you so you should be able to access it now.
Thanx, Nadia.
Which group you guys mean, by the way? Can you add me too, plz, if it’s a FormStormy one. Or am I in?
And what about a hangout? Would you like one? Make it 14th of Nov?
it’s the one for Horison 2020 applications
here, this one: https://edgeryders.eu/horison-2020-eu-funding-application-collaboration-space
sweet
Thanx. I’m in, whatever I can do, and however a FormStorm activities might be helpful.
London
So, can we pencil a date for a Form Storm/General get together? I’m voting 30th Nov - 1st Dec. In London.
@fortyfoxes can we do this at Somerset House? Do you want to merge with your others plans (I know we’ve discussed offline but felt like it made sense to bring it onto this thread for expanded discussion).
@k you going to come to London? @ilariadauria is going to be in London during this period and we’d planned to work together on unMonastery with
@la_gaia so feels like a good fit. I’m happy to structure a bunch of stuff around unMonastery, particularly a number of applications we wish to make.
Plan for those not planning to travel to London, others self organise where there’s a small mass of individuals in any given place, we have 2 google hangouts setup for different areas of focus between cities projected into the spaces - I’d be excited to see if it’s possible to run a workshop with multiple people on both sides in different cities.
Next steps?
Ok yeah, One in Brussels too
I know [guaka] is interested in exploring funding for a hitchgathering in France next year and Louise Hain is in Brussels too. Also [Alberto] is here so we can do a nice little gathering here. If someone wants to join us we have a guest room availalable that sleeps two people. Also, [Thanasis] in Greece wants to collaborate around the Horison 2020 applications as well as at least two more people I met in Vilnius and can loop into the conversation.
Distributed FormStorm
I think FormStorms might come in different flavours:
-Official Real Life FormStorm
-Official offline/online FormStorm
- and unofficial versions/tests
How about the offline/online Official or the unOfficial One on the 30nov-1dec, then the Official Great Real Life FormStorm about a week-5 days before dec the 11th? (or the 9th, because I’ve heard something about the deadline on the 9th, but it is a different one from the SocInnov EU competition which is dec the 11th, as far as I remember)
Lets talk possible locations for the Great Real Life FormStorm in the FormStorm general pad. Have a look and make suggestions. @k11 is not going UK because Kafkian hassle, but anywhere in the EU will be great. We also suggested that not to do it in Matera, because we thought a more neutral space will be more appropriate and we want it closer to the international airport ideally with no long bus journeys involved. For example Berlin, or near Berlin sounds good. Looking for an appropriate comfortable space in the hood (please check FormStorm pad)
But all above is optional and can be changed.
Speaking of the unOfficial ones -I think more we test storms the better the Official Great One will be. There is a lot of stuff to test and prototype, specially for the online ones: tools (not to little not to many), number of people, time management&facilitation, sound quality, sound quality, sound quality, screen sharing on GoogleHangouts and more.
I have a hangout sign language on my wishlist: when the sounds cuts off the speaker or the listeners can show something with their hands to signify that there is no sound or the sound is crap, without typing it into the chat. First of all because its annoying to switch between the chat and the video on the mobile devices, secondly because the chat ges interupted with the rant about not hearing anything or hearing too much. Its a distraction.
Apart from that I have othr things on a wishlist, I’ll write it down and share before I get carried away in this comment which should be about fixing dates and locations.
For an Official Online FormStorm @aden and I can try to do it from either the HUB CPH, if they will find it fun, or from the friendly space in Malmo run by very edgerydery people called The Friendly (offering me an office space with giant cushions). I will find out about HUB cph. The Friendly Grupen are totally up for it: they have a projector and can join as FormStormers with the funds they were planning to storm.
There are other places in Malmo and Copenhagen which can be good for an Official Distributed offline/online FormStorm.
Synthethise 1 event to get us going
Obviously, ideas are not lacking and everything sounds good in theory.
My suggestion: if we want to do something before the social innovation competition, whose deadline is in 3 weeks! we need to focus on 1 event (we can detail how formal it will be in the writeup) and announce it properly in your new FormStorm group: WHAT, WHY, WHO, WHERE, WHEN (kind of like a press release?) otherwise we dont know who’s doing what and how can the rest of us help (?). If we can’t organize it physically, we can do it online - semi private with only people registered having access to each other’s applications right?
And then we could roll out a simple registration procedure by which people can let us know if they’re coming and what they’d like to work on - could simply ask them to leave a comment to the post. Aggregate everything into a short summary before the event and there you have it.
Unless it’s clear and all in 1 place I don’t even know how to communicate it outwards, who to invite, where etc 
I can put in 1-2 hours today or tomorrow to help with writeup, if you need me.
Joining the Popplet
Hi…can I please be added to the popplet as a collaborator?
When were you planning on having the next ‘hangout’?