TL;DR
UnConferences aren't new — they're a rebrand of Open Space Technology (OST), invented in the 1980s by Harrison Owen.
"Technology" was added to the name as a sales tactic to make the format palatable for corporate budgets.
Same format, different wrapper. Consultants say "OST." Tech and Web3 founders say "UnConference" or "BarCamp."
The lesson isn't about meetings — it's about how naming decides whether your idea gets adopted.
One of my recent rabbit hole explorations went through different possibilities for organizing events with small to mid-sized groups of people.
Just putting it out here to show how much context and branding matter for different audiences. You can literally sell the same thing and ideas in different packages.
You think the "Unconference" is a modern invention of the tech world.
You go to these events where the agenda is empty, the participants build the schedule, and you feel like you’re on the cutting edge of decentralized coordination. You aren't.
You are actually taking part in a corporate experiment from the 1980s that needed a marketing makeover to survive.
Here is the uncomfortable truth about the event format you love.
The Unconference is the direct descendant of something called Open Space Technology (OST).
It was created by Harrison Owen in the mid-80s. He realized the same thing we all realize at boring conferences: the best conversations happen during the coffee breaks.
So he designed a meeting format that was entirely coffee breaks. No speakers. No panels. Just people and circles.
But there was a problem.
Corporate executives in the 80s weren't going to pay for "a gathering where people just talk." It sounded too soft. Too hippie.
So Owen added the word "Technology" to the name.
He literally branded it Open Space Technology to make it sound scientific, repeatable, and valuable to the "suits."
He hacked the perception to sell the chaotic reality. And it worked.
Today, we have a linguistic split that proves how powerful naming is.
If you are in the Corporate/Consulting bubble, you hold "Open Space Technology" meetings. You shouldn't need them, but most likely, you have facilitators and talk about "holding space." You also visit https://openspaceworld.org/ to get smarter.
If you are in the Tech/Web3 bubble, you host an "Unconference" or "BarCamp." You talk about "hacking the agenda" and "participant-driven content."
It is the exact same thing.
We are just using different wrappers for the same social physics.
We obsess over terminology to signal which tribe we belong to.
But if you strip away the "Technology" branding from the 80s and the "Un" prefix from the 2000s, you are left with the only thing that actually drives innovation:
Getting smart people in a room and getting out of their way.
Don't let the branding fool you. The "science" was just a sales pitch. The magic was always the people. And I believe that magic will always stay with people, even when we'll have magical tech. 😉
Unconferences aren't new. They are a rebrand of Open Space Technology (OST) from the 1980s.
"Technology" was a sales tactic. Harrison Owen added the word to make the format sound scientific enough for corporate budgets.
Bubbles define the name. Consultants say "OST." Tech founders say "Unconference." It’s the same mechanism.
Structure creates freedom. Whether you call it tech or not, the value comes from removing the keynote speakers.
Can you use this idea for your own project or product? Think about it.
Till next time, let's BUILD BETTER!
BFG
2094 — How I Chose Business Name: Psychology of Brand Naming and Recall — the science of stickiness and how even the order of words decides destiny.
Your Brand Message Is Quietly Killing Your Business — fix it in an afternoon with a story-brand approach.
Market Sophistication — Your Market Has Already Decided How to Ignore You — diagnose your market's awareness before writing copy.
Lean Canvas Adapted For Web3 Projects — derisk your thinking and planning with the Web3 Lean Canvas.
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