Conferences that Work

MARCH 25, 2024

Since 2005, I’ve written three successful books on meeting design and facilitation and over 800 weekly blog posts on a wide range of topics. My books continue to sell, and this blog is the world’s most popular website on meeting design and facilitation. Attendees loved my events! Nothing worked.

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Booking Meeting Design Consulting Conference 80

Conferences that Work

JULY 2, 2018

Thirty minutes of discussion with three stakeholders revealed they hadn’t yet settled on the event’s specific purpose, scope, and format. The needs assessment trap Conference design clients who “know what they want” have already decided on their “ why? Conferences That Work goes to Japan!

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Meeting Design Logistics Conference Design Consulting 76

Conferences that Work

AUGUST 29, 2016

The following year, David was kind enough to honor me in his flagship publication BizBash as one of the most innovative event professionals. Whenever I’ve had the pleasure of meeting David (not often enough!) The cover proclaims “What’s Next in Event Design?” 2 — Elementary Meetings.

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Logistics Event Design Conference Design Conference 54

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 26, 2018

Traditional conferences focus on a hodgepodge of pre-determined sessions punctuated with socials, surrounded by short welcomes and closings. Such conference designs treat openings and closings as perfunctory traditions, perhaps pumped up with a keynote or two, rather than key components of the conference design.

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Conference Conference Design Meeting Design Education 64

Conferences that Work

AUGUST 6, 2018

As an example I’ll use a three-day conference I’m currently designing. The participants are four hundred scientists who work all over the world and only get to meet en masse every few years. Want to see my 6 minute 40 second Pecha Kucha presentation Face The Fear—Then Change Your Conference Design!

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Conference Conference Design Publishing Education 93

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

So this is what we did: Read the full article at Conferences That Work Related posts: Face The Fear—Then Change Your Conference Design! Want to see my 6 minute 40 second Pecha Kucha presentation Face The Fear—Then Change Your Conference Design! given at EventCamp Twin Cities on September 9, 2010?

Conference 57

Conference Conference Design Education Meeting 57

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

After I talked about my meeting design work with pioneer tester James Bach at the 2004 Amplifying Your Effectiveness conference, the testing community somehow adopted the term peer conference for their get-togethers. I miss hanging out with the folks I got to know at these events. And that’s what happened.

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Conference Meeting Design Proposal Retreat 62

Conferences that Work

JUNE 27, 2016

In this two-part article I’ll share a little of my experience and takeaways, followed by their relevance to event design ( red ). In Lessons From Improv , and other posts I’ve shared how improv shines a powerful light on core practices that improve events. Read the full article at Conferences That Work.

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Conference Design Event Design Conference Entertainment 76

Conferences that Work

NOVEMBER 2, 2020

Traditional conference designs also adopt this model. Eventually, a transforming idea or event allows a period of transition away from chaos, via integration and practice , towards a new status quo. Team members don’t show up at meetings or answer messages. Obviously we can make plans to initiate change.

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Booking Production Publishing Conference Design 89

Conferences that Work

JULY 18, 2016

Each session was designed to discover and meet wants and needs of the executive officers and volunteers of the association’s regional chapters’ members in an area of special interest. Read the full article at Conferences That Work. Face The Fear—Then Change Your Conference Design! Session goals.

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Panel Audience Consulting Conference 63

Endless Events

OCTOBER 19, 2018

After all, event industry blogs are accessible, provide information about events from around the globe and cover every aspect of event planning. You can find bigger and better ways to deploy events, the latest in event tech, and follow where other event profs’ careers are taking them. Endless Events.

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Trade Show Events Planner Trends 333

Bizzaboo

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

Whether you’re planning a flagship conference event, trade show, or intimate sales kickoff, staying on top of the latest developments in the event industry is not just important — it’s table stakes. It equips you with the knowledge and insights to ensure your events align with current trends and expectations. Read Now 2.

Management 52

Management Trade Show Event Planning Trends 52

Conferences that Work

JANUARY 11, 2021

How to help solve participants’ obvious, complicated, and complex problems at conferences. For each domain, I’ll include examples of meeting processes you can use to satisfy participants’ problem solving wants and needs. Evaluate event production company abilities for a game-changing event I’m planning?

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Conference Human Resources Meeting Production 136

Conferences that Work

OCTOBER 31, 2016

Another issue of an occasional series— Dear Adrian —in which I answer questions about event design, elementary particle physics , solar hot water systems, facilitation, and anything else I might conceivably know something about. Read the full article at Conferences That Work. Let’s explore this in more detail.

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Conference Design Conference Publishing Education 70

Conferences that Work

OCTOBER 3, 2016

We don’t usually think about the learning models we employ during conference sessions, and I believe our events would be better if we did. Conventional conferences assume a ready supply of experts to whom we listen while they cover the learning that has been advertised at their sessions.

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Conference Speakers Advertising Booking 112