Organizational challenges

The organization of conferences is a logistic challenge requiring a combination of planning, implementation and coordination skills. High quality of the conference is related to the experience and competences of its organizers. Preparation of a successful meeting often requires the involvement of many forces and resources and coordinating the work of a large team of people. Like any project, the conference should start with two basic things — the conference plan and the project budget. If we have already established this, then in the second place we start to think about the location, course, suppliers and subcontractors of conference services. This is a serious challenge for the organizers.

VENUE AND LOCATION
The success of the event depends on the choice of the place where it will be organized. Many organizers forget that a conference means many hours spent in one place. Therefore, this place must be properly prepared for guests. The appearance and standard of the place seem to be a key element here. They testify to the taste and prestige of the event. It would also be good to combine the subject of the event with the specificity of the place, eg a modern conference center can be a suitable place for a conference on new technologies.

The location of the meeting is of great importance both for the organizer and for its participants. When choosing a place, pay attention to such details as number of seats, parking, sound system or acoustics. A well-organized conference should take place where it is easy to reach and park. If the planned event is to have an international character, it is worth paying attention to the convenient access to the meeting place or to provide participants with transport. A conference facility, it is worth booking it a few months in advance.

CATERING COMPANIES
In addition to the conference itself, the quality and nutrition of the guests is an important element. Meetings with meals is an opportunity to make contacts and renew old friends. It is worth to think well about our priorities and, above all, ensure that everything is at a decent level. Depending on the type of conference being organized and how long it takes, one should consider how many guests need to provide accommodation and whether catering is necessary. The course of coffee breaks, lunches or dinners must be planned in a relaxed atmosphere, without too many queues or long waits for a meal. It should be ensured that the places for issuing and serving meals are enough in relation to the number of participants. An important element in planning the place of organizing the conference is also accommodation. If the standard of the rooms doesn’t meet the expectations of the guests or the quality of the food will be poor, there will be a disgust that may affect our subsequent actions even for many years. That’s why it is worth checking the reputation of the selected conference center in person.

SOUND EQUIPMENT
In the case of conference facilities, it is now standard to offer state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and advanced multimedia services. It is worth noting what equipment is available in the price of renting the room, and for which you will have to pay extra. It is often the case that the cost of renting a room seems attractive, while after adding any additional costs related to the sound system and other equipment, the price ceases to be competitive.

TARGET AUDIENCE AND PUBLICITY

Having a sound business method, workable idea, conducive environment, best of speakers and adequate catering are not enough criteria to come to a conclusion that a conference was a success. The attendees are always the determinant factor. Many supposedly great conferences eventually fail because they failed to reach the target audience and in good time. For instance, of what success would be an academic conference which have about 70% entertainers and religious leaders in attendance? It is worthy of note to carefully design the intent of a conference, decide on the target audience and reach them appropriately via adequate publicity. The people themselves are the body of the conference, all other factors are mere appendages.

CONFERENCE STUFF
It is very important that the conference is visually matched to the subject of the conference. The conference materials that each participant receives, among others, are needed for this. identifiers, certificates or folders with the conference program. It is also worth renting a graphic artist that will design logos or banners. In addition, frequent practice, especially at large conferences, is the employment of external guest services. It is necessary to properly train the team and familiarize it with the subject and character of the event. The inability to provide necessary information to guests has a negative impact on the image of the organizer and the entire event. It should also be remembered that inviting guests from abroad should be made available to translators. You should keep in mind the theme of the conference and choosing an interpreter who can deal with such a challenge.

FINALLY
Organizing an ideal conference is a big challenge and a big logistical effort. Efforts to make the whole project successful, depend to a large extent on the selection of appropriate subcontractors and effective planning. Event managers spend a lot of time looking for the above-mentioned things and there is always a great risk of choosing an unworthy performer, especially if an event is organized in a new city. Therefore, during the organization of the conference, you should devote a lot of time and especially think about choosing the right place and responsibilities that accompany it.

Authors,
Sandra Waskowska, Dare Shonubi