#SDCC tips Assumptions – it’s NOT too early to plan

This isn’t a complete list of assumptions but it’s something to think about and help you prepare.

Over the course of these posts, I’ll be harping on some points endlessly.  That’s part of the methodology.  Preparation is only worth what you put into it and what you get out of it. You can be grossly underprepared and you can be over prepared.  Both will cause you to your waste time and money.

Assumptions are those things that should discussed to ensure everyone is on the same page. Level setting and sanity checks are part of it also.  False assumptions lead you down a dark path and if not caught soon enough you might not recover.

So you create your list and review them with your friends and fellow SDCC veterans.

Here are some easy ones to get your brain warmed up:

Tickets, Hotel, Travel Plans, and Budget – the first assumption is you will be able to obtain all of these.

The second assumption is they will not change.  The flight won’t be cancelled, or your budget won’t be cut or the hotel overbooked.  (Side bar – with American Airlines filing bankruptcy – what happens if they reduce flights or close up?  That is a new Risk – does your current handling plan cover that scenario?)

Language – English is the official language of the geek.

Monetary – all prices and sales are in US Dollars.

Large ticket items can be purchased with a Credit Card.

Dates – the convention will NOT arbitrarily change the date or duration of the convention.

You will NOT be dragging a Booth Babe back to the hotel.

Past SDCC has had free Wi-Fi - this year should too.

No matter how well you plan, you cannot see, do, or buy everything.

Some negative assumptions:

You can take your roller board bag into the convention center since you will be buying a lot of stuff. (You can’t. Every other convention allows this. In reality SDCC will not allow this.)

You cell phone will work to call friends and family. (In reality it’s spotty coverage.)

Everything on display at a booth is free to take home. (Many of the independent or small press tables do not have freebies or samples to hand out.)

The swag has value. (Remember, the swag that was handed out was free. They handed out tons of it. The swag has limited value and that value has a short shelf life.)

That should start you off on the right foot.

Good luck,

AH