Conferences that Work

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

I’m indebted to Martin Sirk for sharing remarkable information about an 1828 conference designed by the German geographer, naturalist, and explorer Alexander von Humboldt. Read what follows to discover that Humboldt was also a meeting designer way ahead of his time! Martin Sirk Modern meeting design!

Meeting Design 83

Meeting Design Meeting Conference Conference Design 83

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

The function of such meetings is primarily top-down : effectively communicate management objectives, answer questions, and get employee buy-in. As a result, many conference attendees have not encountered these designs before and have not experienced how effective they can be in creating valuable connections and learning with their peers.

Meeting Design 88

Meeting Design Conference Meeting Conference Design 88

Conferences that Work

AUGUST 29, 2016

BizBash consistently uses the term “event design” to mean “ visual design” As an example, consider the 2016 Design Issue. The cover proclaims “What’s Next in Event Design?” Instead, let’s broaden our conceptions of what meeting design is.

Logistics 54

Logistics Event Design Conference Design Conference 54

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

I still believe that these events, when well-designed and facilitated, offer the best attendee experience for the majority of conferences that are held today. 2—Poor unconference design Half a century ago, as a lowly graduate student, I attended tons of traditional academic conferences.

Preparation 106

Preparation Venue Conference Attendee 106

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.

Conference 64

Conference Conference Design Meeting Design Education 64

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. “Over dinner, I realized I was not the only one joining this conference for the first time.

Conference 62

Conference Meeting Design Proposal Retreat 62