Conferences that Work

JULY 2, 2018

Recently, a client asked for help designing a new conference. Thirty minutes of discussion with three stakeholders revealed they hadn’t yet settled on the event’s specific purpose, scope, and format. Great — a client who doesn’t know what they want! From my perspective this is actually a great problem to have.

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Meeting Design Logistics Conference Design Consulting 76

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

When the attendees are the owners, meeting designs that build and support community are the obvious way to go. Such owners, whether they be individuals or for-profit or non-profit entities, rarely have the same objectives for the event as the attendees. But, all too often, attendees are not the conference owners.

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Audience Meeting Manufacturing Meeting Design 82

The MICE Blog

JULY 27, 2022

One of the presentations that highly inspired me to think differently about event design took place in 2019 at the MICE Forum at ITB Berlin (Organised by VDVO ). According to Felix, the term ‘participant experience design’ is a work in progress.

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Events Conference Speakers Attendee 148

Conferences that Work

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

Because good event design is about how a conference works. Participant-driven and participation-rich meeting designs incorporate a braindate’s purpose — one-to-one or small group connection around relevant content — organically into every session.

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Conference Trends Event Design Meeting Design 106

Conferences that Work

JANUARY 10, 2022

For too long, we’ve equated a meeting’s “success” with its size. ” But if we concentrate on increasing attendance, we overlook getting the meeting design right. Improving an event’s design makes the meeting better for all the stakeholders: meeting owners, sponsors, and participants.

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Meeting Meeting Design Online Sponsors 131

Stova

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

A virtual component offers the possibility of opening up to a much larger audience with new and/or geographically dispersed markets not easily available at a F2F event. There may not be enough space to hold large events at venues due to reduced occupancy from onsite physical distancing guidelines.

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Remote Audience Events Meeting Design 111

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Presentation versus interaction at meetings. But our meeting designs, in large part, haven’t changed to reflect this shift in cultural awareness. It has remained in first place ever since. Society, as reflected by books in English, now talks about interaction about twice as often as presentation.

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Meeting Publishing Meeting Design Booking 120

Conferences that Work

AUGUST 24, 2020

Here are five meeting design books I especially recommend. Into the Heart of Meetings: Basic Principles of Meeting Design ( ebook or paperback ). Into the Heart of Meetings: Basic Principles of Meeting Design ( ebook or paperback ). Intentional Event Design ( ebook or paperback ).

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Meeting Design Booking Meeting Publishing 113

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

So, if you’re one of the thousands of people who have purchased my books or the hundreds of clients who have benefited from my meeting design and facilitation services, please don’t keep me a secret! That’s my job, and I have a great track record. Get in touch , and I’ll make your conference better!

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Sponsors Registration Conference Attendee 80

Convene by PCMA

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

We’re tapping the talent of PCMA’s staff so they can share the design thinking and process behind the innovative experiences they create for PCMA events. In other words, we’re showcasing the event professionals behind the events for event professionals. I don’t know if nervous is the right word.

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Events Attendee Audience Conference 72

Conferences that Work

APRIL 25, 2022

Ask Adrian Anything: using a fishbowl sandwich to facilitate group discussion on meeting design and facilitation. Creating the right program. Consolidating learning. Facilitating individual and community growth. This workshop is limited to 100 attendees, so register now !

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Online Registration Meeting Design Conference 116

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 17, 2020

Finally, as a meeting designer I’m convinced that using meeting formats that facilitate and support sharing amongst peers of relevant information is one of the most powerful ways to improve the effectiveness of meetings. Share information; don’t hoard it.

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Consulting Meeting Design Benefits Training 145

Conferences that Work

JUNE 14, 2021

When the leading candidate for the Mayor of New York City has this take on how people learn, perhaps it’s not so surprising that we’re still sitting through endless broadcast-style sessions at meetings and conferences. Learning researchers and our best teachers and meeting designers have known this for a long time.

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Meeting Remote Meeting Design Conference 126

Conferences that Work

OCTOBER 11, 2021

All meeting design needs to recognize this reality. And simple workshops that support connection (which may be emotional) between participants around relevant content provide better learning experiences. Emotions run us; our rationality comes in a distant second. Institutions. The things we do reflect our culture.

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Meeting Technology Technology Manufacturing 115

Conferences that Work

JUNE 28, 2021

Don’t just read about these formats, but experience them at a well-designed, well-facilitated/moderated event to truly learn how great a meeting can be. We covered a lot in a short time, but there’s much more to learn about Powerful panels and good meeting design!

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Panel Meeting Design Conference Audience 123

Conferences that Work

MARCH 14, 2022

Given the fundamental human need to tell, meeting stakeholders owe it to participants to create opportunities and environments for rich conversations in the sessions, rather than just the gaps between them.

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Meeting Design Conference Online Audience 64

Conferences that Work

JUNE 12, 2023

We are actors, impresarios, meeting designers, diplomats, teachers, musicians, creative directors, facilitators, management experts, sports team owners, fundraisers, journalists, experiential marketers, retreat leaders, event producers, philanthropists, coaches, and dealmakers!

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Booking Retreat Sports Meeting Design 62

Conferences that Work

APRIL 11, 2022

First, you need to understand before the meeting what your practitioners and suppliers want, need, and expect. As a meeting designer, if a meeting is going to include both practitioners and suppliers I always ask my clients about the relationship between these groups and their wants and needs.

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Meeting Vendor Sponsors Attendee 118

Conferences that Work

JUNE 7, 2021

Why am I writing about social learning on a blog that’s (mainly) about meeting design? Which means, to create the best meetings we need to maximize the social learning that takes place. [Hint: We’re not more intelligent than other species.]

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Booking Conference Meeting Design Online 113

Conferences that Work

JUNE 12, 2017

I love my meeting design clients, but there is one mistake I see them making over and over again. Clients invariably ask me to help design their meeting after they’ve chosen a venue! Here’s why they do it, and why it’s a mistake. Read the full article at Conferences That Work.

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Venue Meeting Conference Design Meeting Design 83

Conferences that Work

MARCH 15, 2021

Recently, I’ve been appearing as a guest at college event planning and hospitality courses to talk about meeting design. (I Rather than lecture for an hour, I’ve been using an Ask Me Anything (aka AMA ) meeting format. I love to do this. Teachers, please contact me , it’s free!)

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Panel Meeting Design Conference Hospitality 67

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

To conclude When designed and executed well, unconferences tend to endure. The one that began my meeting design journey , has now been running (apart from a COVID hiatus) for 31 years. If I can help you design and facilitate an unconference for your organization, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Preparation Venue Conference Attendee 105

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

A freewheeling Ask Me Anything about meeting design that delivers optimal learning, connection, engagement, and action outcomes? Rather, we’ll discuss beforehand what you and your students want and need. A session on a specific syllabus topic you choose?

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Hospitality Education Online Events 75

Conferences that Work

JULY 3, 2023

Back in 1992 , I developed The Three Questions as a fundamental opening process for participant-driven meetings and conferences. I’ve written about The Three Questions in all my books , and the links above and this video provide introductions so I won’t describe it further here.

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Conference Attendee Meeting Design Booking 62

Conferences that Work

JUNE 3, 2019

At the time, I had no idea that what I instinctively put together for a gathering of people who barely knew each other would lead to: a global design and facilitation consulting practice; over 500 posts on this blog, which has now become, to the best of my knowledge, the most-visited website on meeting design and facilitation; three books (almost!)

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Conference Consulting Meeting Design Website 67

Conferences that Work

JUNE 13, 2016

Why mention this on an event design blog? Well, the most effective aspect of China’s online censorship regime illustrates what happens when you don’t incorporate covenants into your meetings. The Chinese government runs a massive online censorship program. Tech In Asia explains: “Imagine being near a steep cliff.

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Meeting Conference Education Online 63

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.

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Conference Meeting Design Proposal Retreat 62

Conferences that Work

APRIL 1, 2019

I was an amateur in the meeting industry, and that led to some mistakes, but it also gave me a fresh perspective at a time when meeting design wasn’t really a “thing.” I discovered that people love the format, and that led to writing the book 10 years ago.

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Booking Conference Meeting Design Speakers 96

Travel Daily Media

AUGUST 16, 2020

Marina Bay Sands has launched a state-of-the-art hybrid event broadcast studio at Sands Expo and Convention Centre in a first for the industry, as the award-winning venue paves the way to redefine the future of meetings. The post Marina Bay Sands unveils industry’s first hybrid event broadcast studio appeared first on Travel Daily.

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Certification Events Audience Tourism 40

Conferences that Work

JULY 31, 2017

Although I have good reasons to champion meeting designs where the participants get to choose what they want and need to discuss and learn rather than a program committee , there is invariably a place for some predetermined presentations at conferences. Read the full article at Conferences That Work.

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Meeting Conference Booking Meeting Design 78

Brightspot Incentive Events

MARCH 18, 2021

To execute a successful virtual event, our team was tasked with developing a strategy that enhanced meeting design, optimized the attendee’s experience, and increased attendee engagement. Virtual Event Platform and AV Partner. Another Successful Virtual Meeting.

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Virtual Events Meeting Speakers Platform 52

Conferences that Work

MAY 11, 2020

In person meetings have vanished overnight. It’s time to implement what we’ve learned about great face-to-face meeting design and process into online meetings. Meetings will never be the same. So I won’t repeat myself here; read them for full details!

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Online Conference Platform Attendee 149

Meeting Tomorrow

FEBRUARY 19, 2019

Imagine that each event has a “window” into all the other locations, and that the focus can be shifted from place to place–like a group video chat but with an event in each window. There are a number of meeting design elements that need to be accounted for, but the cost savings and expanded participation seem well worth it.

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Trends Event Apps Events Planner 57

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 7, 2022

So here’s my review of Butter, a meeting platform for facilitators to shine. In this review of Butter, I’ll share a big picture overview, what I think is Butter’s finest feature, an example of how to implement a meeting design in Butter, and my closing thoughts. Meeting design case.

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Platform Meeting Online Production 62

Conferences that Work

MAY 24, 2021

This occurred during the first Meeting Design Practicum in Utrecht, The Netherlands: more details here ). In 2016, I experienced my first escape room. Two teams competed to escape two identical rooms. Both teams included people I hardly knew.

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Online Meeting Conference Consulting 118

Conferences that Work

MARCH 13, 2017

Every time I find myself wishing for an external event, I realize that I’m way better off focusing on something I can control instead. This is all very well, but it begs the question: what can meeting designers do to make it easier for attendees to participate more at meetings? Seth Godin, What Would Happen.

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Attendee Education Booking Meeting Design 80

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 26, 2018

Participant-driven and participation-rich peer conference designs improve on traditional events because they don’t treat openings and closings as necessary evils but as critical components of the meeting design. Let’s examine each phase of the peer conference arc in more detail.

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Conference Conference Design Meeting Design Education 63