How do you balance technology and tools with the human and emotional aspects of your events?

Begin with the end in mind. When your meeting is over, what will be your yardstick for success? Technology is just the road to your destination, and it's easy to pick the wrong road. Know where you're going before you choose yours.

Ma démarche privilégie toujours l'aspect humain dans un événement. La technologie doit être au service de notre objectif de faciliter les liens entre les participants. Je constate que trop d'événements proposent des plateformes numériques pour les visiteurs, mais ces outils ne permettent pas toujours d'atteindre un objectif final optimal. L'événementiel reste un métier de service, et c'est le concept de l'événement (conférences, benchmark entre visiteurs, déjeuners) qui donne de la force aux échanges de la communauté d'intérêt rassemblée. Donc, oui à la technologie, mais c'est le contenu intrinsèque de l'événement qui va vraiment donner le ton.

The growth in sophistication of technology / software applications, combined with their concomitant increases in availability and cost decreases, leaves many people with the impression that the more and bigger the technology / software solution, the better. This is not the case. When choosing technology / software solutions, event managers need to be very specific and detailed regarding the end state solution they are trying to achieve, and what "points of pain" they are trying to relieve. In my experience, selecting event technology / software that expertly deals with one single issue, is far more efficient, effective, and economical, than an "all-in" solution that attempts to be "everything to everyone".

I agree. We are using the Reserve and Social Tables at Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre, both economical and easy to use planning and room design softwares.

First off, forget about technology. Focus on what improvement you want for your event and it’s stakeholders, specifically, and then look for a solution. No-one gets up in the morning and says “I need some new tech or a new platform”. Technology is an enabler. It may help to improve the on-site experience or it might help your team to be more efficient. Whatever it is, think about the outcome you want first.

Technology and emotional connection don't need to be mutually exclusive. Platforms like Meetup, CouchSurfing, VolunteerMatch, and Braindate have demonstrated this synergy over the years. The question is: how can you design your events around meaningful connections, and then leverage technologies to amplify the impact you want to have? For instance, we use our backend data to greet participants by name when they arrive at the Braindate Lounge. Folks aren't used to feel seen at major events: it's a simple gesture that clearly sends a strong message!

Sometimes ensuring the best quality means outsourcing. Some of my most successful events have involved collaboration both with internal teams and external vendors. While I managed all of the logistics "on the ground" and functioned as the orchestral conductor, they managed the technology for registration, rehearsals, hotel room bookings, and pre-recorded videos.

Completely agree. Rather than "re-creating the wheel" by developing custom solutions, leverage the solutions, knowledge and cost efficiencies of already available solutions/expertise. In the end, this is a far more cost effective solution, and frees organizational resources to focus on those internal processes and activities that are critical for success.

From my experience in event planning, it's better to pick a few good tools rather than getting lost in a sea of tech options. It's like having a Swiss Army knife that does a lot of things well, rather than carrying a separate gadget for every task. For example, using one platform that handles sign-ups, talks between teams, and gathers feedback is simpler and less confusing than juggling many different apps. Sticking to easy-to-use, reliable tools keeps things running smoothly, letting us focus on creating a great event rather than wrestling with technology.

I couldn't agree more, and this is especially critical for online events. Allotting time for the team and external stakeholders to conduct a dry run before the event can have a significant impact on the event's overall success. Dry run events serve as valuable opportunities for troubleshooting any potential tech issues and allow event organizers to prepare a troubleshooting manual. It can even help determine whether scheduling tech support on the day of the event is necessary, all of which can be accomplished through thorough dry runs.

In rolling out tech tools for events, I've found that a little training goes a long way. It's like giving someone a new recipe to try - a quick walkthrough can help avoid any cooking mishaps. Offering simple online tutorials or having a quick demo session before the event can help everyone get comfortable with the tech we're using. It’s also smart to have a “dress rehearsal” to test everything out. This way, we can catch any glitches before they cause a hiccup during the real deal. And just like having a backup plan in the kitchen, having a tech-savvy help desk on standby can quickly sort out any issues, keeping the event on track and stress levels down.

Una cuestión muy interesante la búsqueda de este equilibrio porque en todas partes hay personas que les gusta y otras que no el uso de la tecnología aplicada al trabajo. Es un error muy común que los directivos de las empresas decidan qué herramientas basadas en IA se van a utilizar para la gestión de eventos, sin haber consultado previamente a las personas que tienen que utilizarlas diariamente, sin el feedback previo de las necesidades reales y además teniendo que vencer la resistencia al cambio de su aplicación.

Provide comprehensive training to your event team and stakeholders on how to effectively utilize the chosen technologies and tools. Conduct thorough testing prior to the event to ensure everything runs smoothly and troubleshoot any potential issues in advance.

Ensure that your team and stakeholders have received adequate training to use event technology properly. This encompasses your team, presenters, sponsors, and attendees. Provide training through tutorials, webinars, and demos, as well as continuing assistance via FAQs and help desks. Conduct dry runs and rehearsals, and put backup plans in place to deal with any technical difficulties that may occur.

Balancing technology and human connection in event planning is a vital but challenging task. For me, it's all about creating authentic experiences. Whilst tech helps us to boost engagement, personalisation should remain as the heart of the event. I've worked to achieve this by understanding my audience and their quirks to tailor the approach where possible. Apply tools carefully which foster real connections and importantly recognise and amplify those voices who participate through the use of data and feedback. During my experiences where tech has complemented human emotions, you are consistently left with a memorable and emotionally impactful event.

when you understand your audience, you know what to personalise to them. You can, for example, repurpose your speaker content from the show to turn it into blogs, articles, podcasts, video clips and so on, to offer tailored content year round to your audience. AI helps you speed up this process, but it's important to utilise the human touch, something we do at Waves Connects, when creating appropriate and relevant content.

Ensure technology enhances, not complicates, your event. Ensure everyone accesses necessary info effortlessly. Facilitate attendee networking and learning within the app. Provide educational content, sponsor engagement opportunities, and gamification. Balancing tech with human aspects enriches attendee experience without overwhelming them.

While technology can streamline processes and add value to your event, don't overlook the importance of human interaction and emotional engagement. Encourage active participation, facilitate networking opportunities, and create memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression on attendees.

A fun??o principal de um evento é de ser uma ocasi?o para reunir pessoas em torno de um objetivo comum. Quase sempre, este objetivo deve ser voltado para atender as necessidades e/ou desejos dos participantes; o evento é para eles. Daí, as ferramentas digitais s?o um forma de facilitar a realiza??o do evento e agilizar a maioria dos processos; jamais substituir conteúdo ou atividades que unam as pessoas. Independente de ser presencial, online ou híbrido, a tecnologia proporciona experiências que ficam na memória, agilizam o acesso a informa??es e experiências e geram maior engajamento; jamais substituir o conteúdo ou as intera??es humanas. As ferramentas, humanas e tecnológica, se complementam para gerar melhores resultados a todos.

After the event, gather feedback from attendees, sponsors, and stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of the technology integration and its impact on the overall event experience. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and refine your approach for future events.

Regularly assess and improve your use of event technology. Conduct post-event surveys, interviews, and focus groups to reflect on your goals, outcomes, obstacles, and triumphs. Analyze measurements, KPIs, and ROI, comparing them to benchmarks and industry standards to discover strengths and opportunities for development. Utilize these insights to develop action plans and best practices for future occurrences.

I think we sometimes overthink this discussion as we should be utilizing technology that helps with human engagement! The conversation tends to be an either-or versus a realization that technology used correctly can help deliver the experience and emotional delivery desired. The goal has not and will not ever change as human beings will always long for and engage with programming that allows for connection and moving the human experience.

When hosting virtual meetings across multiple time zones from California accross Europe to Australia, the window for having everyone engage at the same time is limited. We found using a SharePoint Engagement site containing site summaries, pre-recorded talks, and shareable slides added tremendous value and faciltated laser-focused discussions during the core four-hour period.

Technology is adapting and changing every day. When integrating it into any event, ensure that it is adding value and supporting your event goals. It is so easy to get stuck on the gimic train. Just be sure that the tech you are using is telling the right story that your brand wants to tell.

I think that the key is to balance technology and human elements by using tech to enhance, not replace, personal interactions. Use tools for efficiency (e.g., registration, feedback) while maintaining personal touches like face-to-face networking, empathetic communication, and personalized experiences. Ensure tech supports the event's emotional goals, such as creating memorable moments, fostering connections, and addressing attendees' needs, without overshadowing the human connection.

In addition to the other comments: be aware of technology overload. The basic tech that an event needs is registration (only collect essential information), apps that provide subtitles, feedback collection and anything else is a 'nice to have' (but I'm open to other views). For example, networking doesn't need an app - if space and time are available, visitors will network. Covid lockdowns may have turned visitors off event tech so this low tech approach may be more successful. If post registration emails are part of the tech in this question, I'd recommend a limit - they can be off-putting.