Conferences that Work

AUGUST 6, 2018

Ah, the ubiquitous conference one-hour lecture. As an example I’ll use a three-day conference I’m currently designing. Here are three session formats we’re using for the middle of the conference arc. In my experience, each of them is far more effective than a traditional conference lecture.

Conference 252

Conference 2010 2011 Conference Design 252

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 26, 2018

Traditional conferences focus on a hodgepodge of pre-determined sessions punctuated with socials, surrounded by short welcomes and closings. Such conference designs treat openings and closings as perfunctory traditions, perhaps pumped up with a keynote or two, rather than key components of the conference design.

Conference 179

Conference Conference Design Meeting Design Education 179

Conferences that Work

AUGUST 29, 2016

BizBash consistently uses the term “event design” to mean “ visual design” As an example, consider the 2016 Design Issue. The cover proclaims “What’s Next in Event Design?” 3 — Conferences That Work. Read the full article at Conferences That Work.

Event Design 136

Event Design 2010 2016 2009 136

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

Software testers do peer conferences right! They even call them a peer conference , rather than unconference , a term I don’t like.) As evidence of software tester conference awesomeness, I offer three examples below. a short history of the peer conference. The 2022 SoCraTes peer conference. But first…. …a

Conference 156

Conference 2022 2004 Meeting Design 156

Conferences that Work

JUNE 12, 2017

Clients invariably ask me to help design their meeting after they’ve chosen a venue! Read the full article at Conferences That Work. Face The Fear—Then Change Your Conference Design! Want to see my 6 minute 40 second Pecha Kucha presentation Face The Fear—Then Change Your Conference Design!

Venues 221

Venues 2010 Meetings Conference Design 221

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

I’ve been promoting the Conferences That Work meeting format for so long, that some people assume I think it’s the right choice for every meeting. two meeting types and three situations when you should NOT use a Conferences That Work design: — Most corporate events. Many corporate events have a tight focus.

Meeting Design 120

Meeting Design Conference Meetings Conference Design 120

Conferences that Work

JUNE 27, 2016

In this two-part article I’ll share a little of my experience and takeaways, followed by their relevance to event design ( red ). Although that opportunity had to be passed up—PCMA made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: facilitating the 2015 PCMA Education Conference —I made it to the 2016 workshop. How I got there.

2015 192

2015 2012 2016 2010 192

Smart Meetings

DECEMBER 28, 2023

How emerging AI and other technology will boost event humanity by putting attendee needs at the center of conference design Attendees expect more from events today and emerging technology is helping to deliver on those demands. We need to build that technology into our events to give them flexibility.

2024 277

2024 Event Technology Technology Social Media 277

Bizzabo

NOVEMBER 15, 2018

The most authoritative 2019 tech conferences directory on the web. Searching for top technology events to attend in 2019? Or looking to wrap up 2018 with an exceptional conference? Scouring the internet for event information could be an overwhelming task. In other instances, summits function exactly like conferences.

Tech 168

Tech 2019 Conference Technology 168

Smart Meetings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

Bring in the Local Flavor Attendees often travel far and wide to conferences, and while a lot of their time might be spent inside an exhibit hall or hotel ballroom, many attendees want to feel connected and experience the local culture, cuisine, and entertainment.

Food and Beverage 246

Food and Beverage Entertainment Sustainability Hotels 246

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

Events and media consultant Julius Solaris shared at the Unforgettable Experience Design Summit that he was initially very enthusiastic about unconference format events. He thought conferences would eventually adopt unconference models. The solution to this is to design your unconference before choosing the venue.

Conference 280

Conference Venues 2023 Consulting 280

Conferences that Work

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

I’m indebted to Martin Sirk for sharing remarkable information about an 1828 conference designed by the German geographer, naturalist, and explorer Alexander von Humboldt. Read what follows to discover that Humboldt was also a meeting designer way ahead of his time! Martin Sirk Modern meeting design!

Meeting Design 245

Meeting Design Meetings Conference Conference Design 245

Conferences that Work

MAY 20, 2019

Events operate by stories Like science fiction, events also create futures, and events operate by stories. Just as good stories have a story arc , coherent events have a conference arc. The promise of events springs from the reality that we are the stories we tell about ourselves.

2010 180

2010 Conference Design Conference Events 180

Conferences that Work

JULY 2, 2018

Recently, a client asked for help designing a new conference. Thirty minutes of discussion with three stakeholders revealed they hadn’t yet settled on the event’s specific purpose, scope, and format. It’s an honor to work on a classic Conferences That. Conferences That Work goes to Japan!

Meeting Design 192

Meeting Design 2012 2014 Meetings 192

Conferences that Work

OCTOBER 31, 2016

Another issue of an occasional series— Dear Adrian —in which I answer questions about event design, elementary particle physics , solar hot water systems, facilitation, and anything else I might conceivably know something about. There’s no single answer for this design decision that’s optimum for all circumstances.

2010 120

2010 2011 Conference Design Conference 120

Conferences that Work

JULY 18, 2016

I’m in San Antonio, Texas, having just run two 90-minute “panels” at a national association leadership conference. At the conference sessions I design and facilitate, everyone is “up there” instead of “down here.” Read the full article at Conferences That Work. Panelist time!

Consulting 120

Consulting Sponsorships 2010 2011 120

PCMA Convene

APRIL 18, 2017

In that future, she predicts, “very abstract things” like conferences will fulfill a growing need in society. . ” Here’s more from the interview: Where do face-to-face events fit into this new society? But if you want wisdom, you go to a conference. It’s a business for the future. “And screens.

Banking 66

Banking Conference Tech Conference Design 66

Connect Your Meetings

JULY 9, 2019

I have a combined deep industry knowledge with experience design and project management, while maintaining excellent stakeholder relationships to elevate customer engagement in my company’s annual conference. When I moved to the Washington D.C.

2019 40

2019 2007 Healthcare 2018 40

PCMA Convene

MAY 1, 2017

When she speaks at the PCMA European Influencers Summit in Monte Carlo, Monaco, next month, Martinez will be pointing the audience of European business-events leaders toward the future — a world in which artificial intelligence and robots are commonplace, and a focus on right-brain skills will be increasingly important.

Tech 56

Tech Conference Banking Consulting 56

Event Leadership Institute

JANUARY 31, 2018

Events & Programming Coordinator | Firestone | Firestone, CO. Wedding & Events Manager | Sundale Trail Ranch | Red Feather Lakes, CO. Special Events Manager | Family Centers | Greenwich, CT. Conference & Event Specialist | Yale University | New Haven, CT. Senior Designer | FIRST | New York, NY.

2018 40

2018 Hospitality Trade Shows Hotels 40

Event Leadership Institute

DECEMBER 31, 2017

Event Marketer | Kitchen Magic, Inc. Special Events Manager | Family Centers | Greenwich, CT. Meeting & Events Planner | Carlson Wagonlit Travel | Hartford, CT. Conference & Event Specialist | Yale University | New Haven, CT. Event Manager, External Speaker and Production | SpectraForce | Stamford, CT.

2018 40

2018 Trade Shows Entertainment Event Management 40

PCMA Convene

JANUARY 31, 2017

And just as Airbnb has redefined what it means to be a traveler, Airbnb Open 2016 created a new idea of what it means to be a conference attendee. Actually, forget conference, convention, or any of the typical terms associated with participating in business events. A NEW SENSE OF BELONGING.

Travel 40

Travel Education Conference Hospitality 40

PCMA Convene

JANUARY 3, 2017

The underlying philosophy of the storytelling-technology conference “is to celebrate the changing nature of the audience,” Melcher said. “In To set the stage for collaboration and the exchange of high-level ideas, Melcher found that he had to think about reinventing not just storytelling but conference design. “We

Meetings 63

Meetings Speakers 2016 2015 63

Conferences that Work

OCTOBER 3, 2016

We don’t usually think about the learning models we employ during conference sessions, and I believe our events would be better if we did. Conventional conferences assume a ready supply of experts to whom we listen while they cover the learning that has been advertised at their sessions.

Conference 289

Conference 2007 2011 2014 289

Velvet Chainsaw

JANUARY 12, 2018

So, when you read the word design , what pops into your mind? Fashion Designers? Interior design? Graphic design? Meeting and conference professionals? Go back and read that last phrase: meeting and conference professionals! Do you see yourself as a conference, meeting or event designer?

Conference 247

Conference Healthcare Education Fashion 247