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event-101

Event 101

Purpose of this document is to provide useful tips for creating offline/hybryd events for bigger audience. It can work as a checklist when preparing your own event too!

For organizers

Time

Please be aware that not everybody lives in the same timezone, especialy important when inviting guests for keynotes or talks

Communication

as soon as you know the date of the event - announce it!
- use email aliases targeting your audience > When sending emails remember to provide proper json+ld schema!
  
  This will ensure your email won’t get missed so easily and can be used by AI and calendar solutions. Check out https://schema.org/Event for examples!
  
  Reuse the same email subject to ease finding missed emails for your audiance. Remember to send emails using BCC for privacy!
- use public chat channels targeting your audience
- use social media if appliable
create slack/teams/discord channels for speakers, attendees and organizers
- #event-speakers (private, only for speakers)
- #event-organizers (private, only people that are involed)
- #event or #event-YEAR (public)
create calendar entries for attendants
- with agenda
- with all necessary links
create calendar entries for organizers
- to talk about orgniazing stuff periodically
create calendar entries for spakers and organizers
- at least one chance to meet and talk about speakers requirements
- schedule an online rehearsal if required
use slack/teams/discord reminders for people involved

Guests

Remember to ensure that keynote speakers or special guests will be arriving onsite (if you have hybrid event) it’s not motivating when most important ones miss the oprutunity to see whole event and i.e. just call-in to kickstart it.

Webpage

use github and gh-pages for fast-start start

create a domain (event.comapny.io / event.io) for event if not yet created
under the domain create a webpage with most importat informations:
- agenda
- venue
- registration (if possible)
- video streams (if possible)
preserve event history, provide folders for each year for people to explore in the future (event.company.io/2022; event.company.io/2023)

Recording

hire a recording company to have your event recorder by professionals
use YouTube as most feature-rich platform world-wide
- subtitles
- live chat
- playlists
- ability to easily cast stream on screens
- playback (for for the late)
- ability to have private playlists accessible for whole organization
use stream studio software like OBS or StreamYard

Venue

The venue of the event should be large enough to be held in comfortable conditions for everyone. This means that you have to match your requirements, the size of the place and the number of participants.

Stage:

ensure stable network connection
- if wireless - it’s a good idea to have 2 of them (for speakers and audiences)
red dot / tape the floor for speaker to know where to stand
prepare a feedback screen for speaker to see notes/slides
- or at least prepare a clock for speakers to see
prepare phisical hints to show from first row
- “repeat the question”
- “you have 5 min left” (if no clock)
- “speak to the microphone”
invite all speakers to seat in the first row
prepare microphones for speakers, announcers and audience (so they can ask questions and announcer doesn’t have to make too much jogging)

Provide participants with information about the place (communication):

where it is
from what time you can come
where is the entrance
how can you tell if this is our event (e.g. directions with event logo)
how can you get to the place (e.g. by bus, how to get from the trian station, is there a car park (if not, it is also worth mentioning))

Provide on site:

place appropriate signs and directions in key locations (e.g. toilet access, specific room, registration; maps are welcome)
take care of graphic consistency - all signs and additional information should be identifiable with the event, i.e. be in the same color convention and / or contain the event logo (especially important if more than one event is organized in a given building)
if possible, provide the option for participants to go outside to fresh air during breaks
if necessary, provide a suitable place for people working at the event and / or for speakers to prepare, take a break or freely discuss further activities
if possible, provide a place and / or people to whom participants can contact with questions and problems related to the event

Hardware

provide slider/clicker
have additional cables and converters
setup microphones and test sound before the event

Slides rules

Please provide informations to speakers about slides format i.e. resolution, color scheme, sound availability, file format etc. and how to deliver it to organizers.

Procurement

Using SAP? Remember to add vendors beforehand before you issue any Purchase Order.

Journalist

ask or hire somebody to photograp the event, give this person some time to prepare
notes, photos and movies from the event are good material for your event history webpage

Breaks

Remember that your audience needs regular breaks - they will be tired and won’t be able to focus on presentations even after 90 minutes of continuous active listening. The break will also be useful for people actively working at the event.

Short breaks:

Provide at least 10 min breaks, so that everyone has time for drink and go to the bathroom.
If your event is held in more than one room, attendees must also have time space to move to the room that interests them.

Long breaks:

Provide at least one long break during the day that can be used for lunch and rest.

If possible, provide participants with the option of going outside to fresh air during breaks.