MORE PERSPECTIVES FROM THE COMMUNITY
Sina Bünte, Founder of DigitalMind.events
In the evolving landscape of conference design, technology, such as AI, takes centre stage as a transformative force, capturing the attention of association planners.
At the PCMA Convening Leaders Tech Playground, held in January 2024 in San Diego, and which I supported on-site, innovative AI solutions were showcased.
For example, Spark, a generative AI platform, revolutionises backend operational tasks in event planning. Notably, its session summary tool swiftly distils key takeaways, streamlining post-session insights that can be shared with participants immediately.
Wordly, another standout, elevates participant experience through real-time AI translation to speech or text in multiple languages.
Event planners should also remain vigilant about the data they collect, leveraging its potential to personalise participant experiences and identify preferred content, thereby optimising engagement and fostering a more tailored and memorable event atmosphere.
Another technology solution showcased at the Tech Playground was Joi, an event planning and scheduling software which helps planners to move away from spreadsheets and streamline the programme development.
Associations must embrace the potential of new technology such as AI-driven innovations, as they not only enhance efficiency but also redefine the participant journey.
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Silke Schlinnertz, Healthy Venues Ambassador
Creating Healthier Experiences
By advocating positive change, the Healthy Venues initiative contributes to overall well-being and encourages a healthier and more conscious approach to events. It has three components – healthy catering, promoting activity and workplace health.
Healthy Venues takes a holistic view of the event experience, from healthy snacks in vending machines to encouraging people to take the stairs instead of lifts.
For instance, rearranging buffet orders from the healthiest to the least healthy can encourage unaware or reluctant guests to make healthier choices, as the first ones seen are the most chosen.
Promoting a less sedentary lifestyle by encouraging quick activities, such as asking the audience to stand when applauding, will keep them energized and active.
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Colm Clarke, Partner at Exempla / Programme Development for ASIS International, European Bureau
Don’t neglect the educational programme when thinking about innovation. We’ve seen great success at ASIS Europe – an event for corporate security professionals – with scenario-based workshops which emphasise collaborative learning.
Small groups work on challenges such as the first 30 minutes after a ransomware attack or presenting risk intelligence to business leaders. A subject matter expert will facilitate and give guidance on best practices – or – if a real-life case is used, they compare what actually happened to the participants’ responses. These are 90-minute sessions but the time flies by and the combination of learning and networking makes a great experience.
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Victoria Matey, Event Psychology Advisor, Matey Events
Applying behavioural science and psychology to event planning, aka ‘event psychology’, is a strategic approach that holds the key to more significant and lasting impacts for attendees, stakeholders, and organizers. As experiences inherently start and resonate in people’s minds, they should be designed for how people think.
- Using behavioural archetypes rather than traditional marketing personas, for instance, leads to a deeper understanding of target groups.
- Understanding cognitive overload and applying research on optimal break times for both online and in-person results in a more balanced event programme.
- Integrating insights about sensory engagement – like the influence of colours on time perception, the impact of scents on memory, or factors contributing to sensory overload – can yield innovative solutions for better inclusivity and engagement.
- Recognising human biases such as scarcity or social proof, and learning about decision-making can help create more effective communication strategies with the event audience and extend the impact beyond immediate business objectives, fostering long-term behavioural changes like sustainable habits that persist well after the event ends.
Designing every aspect of an experience through a behavioural science lens is not just preferable but vital to achieve the most profound and sustained impact of our events.