Data Day as one of five MORPC signature events which focuses on convening data practitioners, data analysts, and data users from across the region. The event is a single data conference style event with 200+ attendees, 2 keynote sessions, and 16 breakouts sessions, along with ample time for networking and socializing. See more information at https://www.morpc.org/event/dataday
This repository is used to plan for Data Day 2027 and store documents and data about the event. It is accompanied by a GitHub project for tracking issues and tasks
The folder represent key areas of focus in the planning process and mirror labels for issues.
All relevant materials will be organized in their respective folders.
For more information regarding Data Day, please email jinskeep@morpc.org
This task list is the working master timeline for Data Day 2027, anchored to the Thursday, February 18, 2027 event date at the Center for Workforce Development at Columbus State Community College. This is our third straight year at this facility. (CSCC's official address for the space: The Conference Center, 315 Cleveland Avenue, 4th floor, Columbus, OH 43215.) Target months are planning guides, not hard commitments; firm up exact dates as the cycle progresses.
Maintenance note: After every pull request merges, review this schedule and update task status, dates, and checkboxes to reflect what changed.
Last reviewed: September 14, 2026.
- Hold recurring internal Data Day team meetings
- Internal Data Day team meeting — Jul 2026
- Internal Data Day team meeting — Sep 2026
- Internal Data Day team meeting — Nov 2026
- Internal Data Day team meeting — Jan 2027
- Internal Data Day team meeting — Feb 2027
- Provide Data Day updates at quarterly RDR meetings
- RDR Q3 update — Jul 2026
- RDR Q4 update — Oct 2026
- RDR Q1 update — Feb 2027
- Maintain ongoing planning, documentation, and timeline upkeep
- Select a date for the event — Thu, Feb 18, 2027
- Secure the venue
- Select a venue — Center for Workforce Development at CSCC (third straight year at this facility)
- Book the venue
- Select a theme for the event — "Plotting What's Next" (see Theme/theme-concept-plotting-whats-next.md; subhead and palette locked)
- Prepare day-of logistics (after agenda + registration are set)
- Order event signage (early Feb 2027)
- Build slides for breaks, session intros, and keynote intros (Feb 2027)
- Stage laptops for session rooms, loaded with slides (Feb 16, 2027)
- Finalize catering (by Jan 2027)
- Set up registration / name tags (event day)
- Stand up the Champions program (Jul 2026)
- Name a Champion Coordinator and the deliberative core (RDR / small steering group) (Jul 2026) — Coordinator: Jordan Inskeep. RDR sets direction; the Coordinator handles between-meeting judgment.
- Recruit and onboard a diverse Champion pool — broad open call + targeted asks (Jul–Aug 2026) (in progress: broad call sent to 205 contacts; 7 sign-ups against the 12–20 target; targeted asks not yet sent)
- Build the sign-up form with the checkbox menu of the five asks (Jul 2026) — live form; spec in signup-form.md
- Build resource kits (kit-before-ask gate)
- Keynote criteria one-pager + "suggest a keynote" form (Aug 2026)
- Sponsorship brochure + one-line tier/benefit summary (Aug 2026)
- CFP promo kit (slide, social graphic, copy, "why present" blurb, key dates) (Sep 2026)
- Registration promo kit (email + social copy/graphics per push) (Oct 2026)
- Facilitator / day-of cheat sheet + run-of-show (Dec 2026)
- Run the schedule of asks
- Ask 1 — Connect with potential keynote speakers (Aug–Oct 2026)
- Ask 2 — Share the CFP & recruit session speakers (late Sep–early Nov 2026)
- Ask 3 — Solicit sponsors (open to all Champions; shared contact log) (Sep–Nov 2026)
- Ask 4 — Encourage registration (Nov 2026–late Jan 2027)
- Ask 5 — Take a day-of role (assign Jan, execute Feb 18, 2027)
- Recognize & evaluate
- Recognize Champions at and after the event (Feb 2027)
- Collect Champion feedback and run program evaluation (Feb–Mar 2027)
- Recruit keynotes — active emailing, in-person and initial Zoom meetings (Sep 2026; supported by Champions Ask 1)
- Finalize keynotes (mid-Nov 2026)
- Get keynote bios and headshots (Nov 2026)
- Communicate final details — confirm topic/session, send panel questions, collect slides (Jan 2027)
- Explore options for lightning rounds and shorter breakout sessions (Aug 2026) — resolved in ways-to-participate-draft.md: lecture, workshop, panel, intern lightning talks, posters
- Prepare the Call for Proposals (after theme is set)
- Update/finalize the call for session proposals (Sep 2026)
- Convert the CFP to an online form (Oct 2026)
- Design the CFP promotion slide (Oct 2026)
- Update the CFP website section (Oct 2026)
- Launch and promote the CFP
- Email the CFP to the list (Oct 2026)
- Promote the CFP — including at the Summit on Sustainability (Oct 2026; supported by Champions Ask 2)
- Update the website with the CFP (Oct 2026)
- Select sessions
- Close the call for session proposals (mid-Nov 2026)
- Vet and select sessions (Dec 2026)
- Confirm/notify selected session speakers (Dec 2026)
- Build the agenda and materials
- Finalize the agenda / session schedule (Jan 2027)
- Update the website with the agenda (Jan 2027)
- Collect session slide decks (Jan 2027)
- Design/print brochures (early Feb 2027)
- Upload slide decks to session laptops (Feb 2027)
- Collect lists of previous and potential sponsors (Aug 2026)
- Integrate with MORPC-wide sponsor asks (Aug 2026)
- Update/finalize the sponsorship package and tiers (Sep 2026)
- Design the sponsorship brochure and update the website section (Sep 2026) (in progress: 2027 brochure drafted and site section live; brochure PDF not yet linked from the page)
- Recruit sponsors (Sep–Nov 2026; supported by Champions Ask 3)
- Confirm sponsorships (Jan 2027)
- Invoice sponsors (by event)
- Collect the email list for the registration blast (Oct 2026)
- Open registration (Nov 2026; supported by Champions Ask 4)
- Stand up the Eventbrite site
- Update the website with registration
- Close registration (Feb 7, 2027)
- Send final attendee email / final instructions (Feb 12–13, 2027)