FOF Mumbai — An Inside Look at our Shortlisting Process
We know. This has been one of the most requested write-ups from us in a long time. At Friends of Figma Mumbai, we believe transparency and communication is one of the keys in building a successful community. This is our first blog here on Medium and we felt this is the right time we gave you an inside look at our event shortlisting process.
At Mumbai’s biggest design community, we are thrilled to see the enthusiastic response to our events. We consistently receive hundreds of registrations, and while we would love to invite everyone, practical limitations like venue capacity and budget constraints require us to be selective.
To maintain a balanced and beneficial experience for all, we carefully consider several factors in our shortlisting process. Here’s a detailed look at these factors:
1. Basic Criteria
a. Community Membership
Being a member of our community is a non-negotiable requirement. It is free and rarely takes a minute. This will also keep you updated on our upcoming events and announcements. You can become a community member here : https://friends.figma.com/mumbai/
2. Event-Specific Criteria
a. Event Type
The nature of the event (e.g., networking, speaker sessions) influences the audience selection to ensure attendees gain the most value.
b. Domain : Design/Development
Depending on the event’s focus, we prioritise attendees from relevant domains. For example, developer-centric events will prioritise developers.
3. Audience Diversity
a. Professional/Student Status
We balance the presence of students and working professionals but may prioritise one group based on the event’s theme and goals.
b. Years of Experience
We aim for a mix of experience levels but may prioritize specific seniority levels depending on the event’s objectives. For example. if it’s an event focussed on basics of Figma, we’ll prioritise Entry and Mid Level Designers. If it’s a Leadership event, priority will be for Design Leaders, and so on.
4. Logistical Constraints
a. Venue Capacity
We adhere to venue capacity limits to avoid overcrowding and ensure a smooth experience for all attendees.
b. Reserved Seats for Sponsors, Venues and Community Partners
Some seats are reserved for Figma customers, venue and community partners, as part of our collaboration agreements and event sponsorships.
5. Community Engagement
a. Support on Social Media
Active supporters who engage with our community and share about our events on social media are given slight priority.
b. Volunteering
We often need volunteers for our events and prioritize those who have helped in the past or show a willingness to assist.
6. Attendance, Registration History & FCFS
a. Attendance at Previous Events
To give everyone a chance, new attendees may be prioritised over those who have attended past events. We maintain a database of all attendees that have registered/attended our events till date.
b. Previous Registrations
Persistent registrants who haven’t been selected before may be prioritised, recognising their continued interest.
c. First Come, First Serve (FCFS)
Based on the above-mentioned factors, when there are multiple attendees and we have a few final slots available, we use FCFS to allot tickets accordingly.
We’d also like to break a myth which surrounds our events in general.
FCFS doesn’t guarantee you a ticket.
Because if we adopted FCFS, our events would be sold out within minutes, and most of the community members wouldn’t even get a chance to apply for the event, let alone attend them.
We also keep registrations open for a day or two at least to ensure everyone gets a chance to apply to and attend our events. We understand that all of us have a busy schedule and hence, we don’t want this to be another rat race.
Based on all the above factors we create our final attendee list.
To give you an illustrative idea, this was the attendee split for the Config Watch Party 2024 event which we did for 110 attendees. Out of this 35% of attendees were attending a FOF Mumbai event for the first time.
In the spirit of transparency, we’ll document attendee breakdowns for each event in this article, starting with our next one.
TL:DR- How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Selected?
So as you know now, there are so many factors that go in to shortlisting attendees for an event. While it’s a time consuming process, we feel it’s the right thing to do to ensure a wholesome community experience. In case you are just here to know how to maximise your chances to get a ticket, here are some pointers for you:
- Join Our Community: Ensure you are a member of our Bevy Chapter page. It’s free, quick, and keeps you updated with our latest events.
- Engage on Social Media: Follow us on social media, share about our events, and engage with our posts. Active community members are given priority.
- Volunteer: Express your interest in volunteering for our events. Volunteers are often given priority for attendance. Please note that, not every event will have volunteer spots and even if there are, they will be quite limited.
We understand that not being selected for an event can be frustrating, especially when you are eager to learn, network, and grow with us. We truly appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment to being a part of India’s Fastest Growing Design Community.
Our goal is to ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to benefit from our events and to create a dynamic, inclusive, and enriching environment for all members.
Your support and understanding make a significant difference in helping us improve and continue offering valuable experiences. We encourage you to stay connected, keep engaging with us on social media, and participate in our community activities.
Together, we can build a stronger and a close-knit design community.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below or reach out to us directly on our socials. Your feedback helps us grow and serve you better!
Hoping to see you at our next event,
Team FOF Mumbai