Rovers: Personally, I'd rather the rovers be effectual than considerate. I've seen a lot of complaints about rude staff members, but I don't think people realize how frustrating it can be working an event like FanimeCon. I have respect for anyone who's willing to give up precious con time to be staff. If you can be authoritative without being rude, great, but if people are listening to you, don't be afraid to raise your voice a little, and give specific instructions. Incidents that come to mind:
Final Fantasy Cosplay Gathering: Photographers were being told to move back, so they did. But they didn't move back far enough, so they were told again. And again. And again. Someone should have just said where they wanted people to move back to from the beginning.
H-night lines: Signs/better direction was needed. Having people wrap around the walls was fine, but it got confusing where the end of the line was and what line was in, I was hearing that there were H lines and Yaoi lines... a few signs with arrows would have really helped.
Swap meet registration: Hopefully feedback already happened at the staff level and I'm just reinforcing it. I know there was a HUGE improvement in handling between the first and second night, so next year, do what was done the second night... with two minor adjustments, if you want people to know their number for when they show up, please post it on the website, and tape the signs showing where you want people to go on the pillars, don't just lay them on the floor where they're easy to miss.
One-way doors: Not a bad idea, they really help with traffic flow. Just put the "entrance only" signs on the INSIDE of the doors where people trying to leave can see them. Props to the staffer who was simultaneously trying to keep the swap meet registration in order while telling dozens of people they can't exit there- including people who had already exited. She was stretched pretty thin.
Swap meet suggestion - Free Stuff Area: We had a lot of stuff we were just giving away once it became clear it wasn't selling, and other people were doing the same. Maybe use one of the unused spaces as a dropping point for stuff nobody wants? It could even stay there for the rest of the con for people who don't get a chance to visit the swap meet.
Walkway lane: Great idea, too bad people blatantly ignored it and stood, sat, and posed for pictures in it or walked the wrong way. Have more of them in the high traffic areas.
Registration: I've read that having your badge number printed out ahead of time is huge time saver, so why not alter the registration process to favor those people who did just that? Devote a couple of the registration people to deal exclusively with people who brought their print out. I'm envisioning the main line-up working the same, except it splits in two when you get into the main registration room, with print-out people forming one line and non-print out people going to another. In theory, the print-off line will move faster, (which will lead to print-out people registering before non-print-out people ahead of them in line) giving people who took the time to print out their badge number a visible benefit, and encouraging everyone to do the same and making it easier on staff. Everybody wins.
In conclusion, I live 3500 miles away from San Jose (Hawaii, Alaska, and parts of Russia and Greenland are closer) and I thought going to the con was worth it. Rovers & staff did a great job overall, and I think you should all be proud of yourselves. It wasn't a bad job of people controlling things. If you want to see a bad job of people controlling things go watch Gimmie Shelter.
Edited 'cause it was all bold and added the bit about the walkway
Edit 2: added the registration bit
Final Fantasy Cosplay Gathering: Photographers were being told to move back, so they did. But they didn't move back far enough, so they were told again. And again. And again. Someone should have just said where they wanted people to move back to from the beginning.
H-night lines: Signs/better direction was needed. Having people wrap around the walls was fine, but it got confusing where the end of the line was and what line was in, I was hearing that there were H lines and Yaoi lines... a few signs with arrows would have really helped.
Swap meet registration: Hopefully feedback already happened at the staff level and I'm just reinforcing it. I know there was a HUGE improvement in handling between the first and second night, so next year, do what was done the second night... with two minor adjustments, if you want people to know their number for when they show up, please post it on the website, and tape the signs showing where you want people to go on the pillars, don't just lay them on the floor where they're easy to miss.
One-way doors: Not a bad idea, they really help with traffic flow. Just put the "entrance only" signs on the INSIDE of the doors where people trying to leave can see them. Props to the staffer who was simultaneously trying to keep the swap meet registration in order while telling dozens of people they can't exit there- including people who had already exited. She was stretched pretty thin.
Swap meet suggestion - Free Stuff Area: We had a lot of stuff we were just giving away once it became clear it wasn't selling, and other people were doing the same. Maybe use one of the unused spaces as a dropping point for stuff nobody wants? It could even stay there for the rest of the con for people who don't get a chance to visit the swap meet.
Walkway lane: Great idea, too bad people blatantly ignored it and stood, sat, and posed for pictures in it or walked the wrong way. Have more of them in the high traffic areas.
Registration: I've read that having your badge number printed out ahead of time is huge time saver, so why not alter the registration process to favor those people who did just that? Devote a couple of the registration people to deal exclusively with people who brought their print out. I'm envisioning the main line-up working the same, except it splits in two when you get into the main registration room, with print-out people forming one line and non-print out people going to another. In theory, the print-off line will move faster, (which will lead to print-out people registering before non-print-out people ahead of them in line) giving people who took the time to print out their badge number a visible benefit, and encouraging everyone to do the same and making it easier on staff. Everybody wins.
In conclusion, I live 3500 miles away from San Jose (Hawaii, Alaska, and parts of Russia and Greenland are closer) and I thought going to the con was worth it. Rovers & staff did a great job overall, and I think you should all be proud of yourselves. It wasn't a bad job of people controlling things. If you want to see a bad job of people controlling things go watch Gimmie Shelter.
Edited 'cause it was all bold and added the bit about the walkway
Edit 2: added the registration bit