What’s the best format for my event?
This article is to help you design an event that is more engaging for the participants, and more valuable for everyone.
Found yourself organising a Team Meeting? An Away Day? Training? Conference? …?
The easy option is to come up with an agenda of things you want people to hear, and put in an hour for Lunch (that gets squeezed to 45 minutes because the morning sessions overrun), and a couple of 10 minute ‘comfort breaks’.
Abi Goodfellow and I came up with some ideas to guide you through organising your event:
The format, or combination of formats, depends on what you’re trying to achieve. There are many axes (or goals) you could consider. Two of the most significant are whether you’re trying to tell people what you want them to hear, and/or whether you’d like people to network and learn from each other.
On the following spectrum that we’ll add to as new ideas appear (feel free to add an idea as a comment):
↑ More optimised for Broadcasting messaging
Keynote presentation
Executive briefing
Presentation with Question & Answer
Panel ‘discussion’
‘Interactive’ workshop
Presentations then clusters around themes
Introducing people to each other individually
Co-working e.g. Unbound
Hack day
Unconference e.g. ResponsiveOrg unconference
Meetup with short presentations and drinks
Drinks/beers/coffees etc. e.g. ResponsiveCoffee
↓ More optimised for Networking and Learning from Each Other
There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers, but there are trade-offs. For example, the more you broadcast and speak at attendees, the more they may learn from you (if they find you interesting), though the less they will learn from each other.
Here are some other things you might like to think about:
- Will your participants be able to co-create the event with you?
- In the ‘usual workplace’ or out? Maybe a creative/inspiring venue?
- Will you have special guest speakers?
- Will there be a public invite on the web?
- Will you encourage participants to tweet and share in other public ways?
- Will it be free for attendees or will they need to pay?
- How will attendees connect with each other before/during/after the event?
- What time of day? Breakfast, lunch, during work, afterwork, or weekend?
- How will you get feedback in a way that attendees will actually enjoy?
- Will you have follow-up activity, such as a curated summary of the event?
- Will it be event feel formal or informal? Will people be encouraged to vote with their feet (move to altenative sessions if they feel they are not learning or contributing)?
- Would your approach be within participants’ comfort zone? Should it be? (suggested by William Beer)
Have something to add? Post a comment on here, or tweet with #ResponsiveOrg for it to be added to the digital version.
