Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 20, 2017

And yes, I admit it, during the second day of my vacation while enjoying the harmonies I hear, I’m jolted to think about religious meeting design…. Religious services are thought to be around 300,000 years old — by far the oldest form of organized meeting that humans have created. Include lots of communal activities.

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Meeting Design Meeting Speakers Conference 61

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

I’ve been promoting the Conferences That Work meeting format for so long, that some people assume I think it’s the right choice for every meeting. two meeting types and three situations when you should NOT use a Conferences That Work design: — Most corporate events. Well, it’s not.

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Meeting Design Conference Meeting Conference Design 88

Conferences that Work

OCTOBER 11, 2021

I think it’s also a meeting problem: “The real problem of humanity is the following: we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology.” And so it goes with meetings. It’s why businesses sponsor meetings. All meeting design needs to recognize this reality.

Meeting 115

Meeting Technology Technology Manufacturing 115

Conferences that Work

JUNE 14, 2021

Why are our meetings still full of lectures? 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. It’s just the opposite. No related posts.

Meeting 126

Meeting Remote Meeting Design Conference 126

Conferences that Work

APRIL 11, 2022

Over the years I’ve designed and facilitated hundreds of meetings. One of the most common issues I address that is rarely acknowledged openly is the tension between the wants and needs of suppliers and practitioners at meetings. But what happens when both suppliers and practitioners at meetings attend sessions ?

Meeting 118

Meeting Vendor Sponsors Attendee 118

Conferences that Work

AUGUST 29, 2016

Whenever I’ve had the pleasure of meeting David (not often enough!) However, one recurring theme in David’s magazine irritates me, because it perpetuates a common misconception in the events industry. 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

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

What are the fairest rules to use when running meetings? ” I think it’s reasonable to concentrate on fairness to participants : the majority of those involved with the meeting. All meetings have rules, whether overt or covert, conscious or unconscious, that influence how they proceed. Status and power at meetings.

Meeting 129

Meeting Conference Speakers Booking 129

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

MAY 24, 2021

Are online meetings reducing our collective intelligence [CI] ? New research about online meetings. Translation: in the experimental setup used , the researchers found that online meeting participants were: better able to avoid interrupting each other; and. ” Artificial online meetings. I don’t think so.

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Online Meeting Conference Consulting 118

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 ). One of the talks that impressed me the most was ‘Participant experience design – how do we create meetings which move people more deeply?’

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Events Conference Speakers Attendee 148

Conferences that Work

JANUARY 25, 2021

How can we design the optimum balance between control versus freedom at meetings? Unless your constituency is bound to your event via a requirement to earn CEUs, members can withhold their attendance or avoid sessions at will. — ” —Adrian Segar, Who owns your event? You’ve been kidding yourself all these years.

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Meeting Logistics Conference Online 122

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 7, 2022

Companies bombard me with offers to check out online meeting platforms. Butter is an online meeting platform that is designed to support the facilitation of great interactive meetings. So here’s my review of Butter, a meeting platform for facilitators to shine. The usual caveats. Butter — the big picture.

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Platform Meeting Online Production 62

Stova

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

A hybrid event is one that combines a face-to-face (F2F) event at a physical location with a “virtual” online component for remote attendees. There will likely be reduced travel funds available for event attendance due to economic downturns. The onsite group has social connectivity, focus, and high sensory input.

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Remote Audience Events Meeting Design 111

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 84

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. Instead make your entire conference a braindate!

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Conference Trends Event Design Meeting Design 107

Brightspot Incentive Events

MARCH 18, 2021

Transforming an In-Person Sales Kickoff into a Virtual Meeting. Face-to-face events, conferences, and meetings were postponed or cancelled for the near future. Virtual Event Platform and AV Partner. March 13, 2020 is the date that changed the world forever. Virtual Conference Production.

Virtual Events 52

Virtual Events Meeting Speakers Platform 52

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

I’d argue that hiring me is the most effective and cost-effective way to improve any event. Since 1992, I’ve designed and facilitated hundreds of conferences and thousands of meetings. From small, high-level, high-stakes get-togethers to association regional and national meetings of every size.

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Sponsors Registration Conference Attendee 80

Conferences that Work

APRIL 25, 2022

Hosted by CSAE Manitoba , this free one-hour online Participate Lab will introduce you to the design of participation-rich events through the direct experience of participatory meeting techniques and formats. All are welcome to attend this event at no charge (both CSAE members and non-members). Where & When.

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Online Registration Meeting Design Conference 116

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 Online Education 63

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 ).

Meeting Design 114

Meeting Design Booking Meeting Publishing 114

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

Conferences that Work

FEBRUARY 17, 2020

. ‘And the men [sic*] who had the same or similar problems to meet in the actual running of their employers’ businesses found that an exchange of views and ideas benefitted them without hurting their employers.'” Whether you’re a community of practice, a consultant, or a meeting designer, this simple aphorism applies!

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Consulting Meeting Design Benefits Training 145

Conferences that Work

JUNE 28, 2021

Here’s my Powerful Panels interview with good friend and meeting panel doyen Kristin Arnold. During our 25 minutes together, we discussed various panel formats, their value, and how to structure and design powerful panel discussions into the larger context of meetings, conferences, and events. 0:00 Introduction.

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Panel Meeting Design Conference Audience 124

Conferences that Work

MARCH 14, 2022

Meetings of every kind offer these opportunities. Personal meetings like these, whether brief or extended, between good friends or strangers, are fundamental. Read any of my books to learn specific techniques and designs that create meaningful and valuable conversations during meeting sessions.).

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Meeting Design Conference Online Audience 65

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

Events and media consultant Julius Solaris shared at the Unforgettable Experience Design Summit that he was initially very enthusiastic about unconference format events. But Julius didn’t see them catch on and now focuses on other aspects of the meeting industry. So, why aren’t unconferences more popular?

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Preparation Venue Conference Attendee 106

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.

Events 72

Events Attendee Audience Conference 72

Conferences that Work

JUNE 18, 2018

Experienced meeting planners know that every meeting has its share of unexpected surprises. Minimizing surprises like CoffeeGate is default behavior for meeting planners. We do not want events to be poorly planned and/or executed, because the inevitable result will be unhappy attendees and chaos of one kind or another.

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Meeting Conference Planner Attendee 70

Conferences that Work

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

Here’s a standing invitation for event and hospitality teachers. I will meet online with your class for free. As an experienced facilitator and designer of participant-driven and participation-rich meetings, I love to share what I’ve learned during my four decades in the meeting industry.

Hospitality 75

Hospitality Online Education Events 75

Conferences that Work

MAY 11, 2020

I’ve been designing and facilitating participant-driven and participation-rich in person meetings — aka peer conferences — for almost thirty years. Because participants love these meetings ! Now the covid-19 pandemic has forced meetings online. Zoom has rapidly become the dominant platform for online meetings.

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Online Conference Platform Attendee 150

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. Instead, build social learning into your meetings as much as possible. Humans’ true superpower.

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Booking Conference Meeting Design Online 113

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. Answering it gives every person present, in turn, an opportunity to share what they would like the ensuing meeting to be about.

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Conference Attendee Meeting Design Booking 62

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!

Booking 62

Booking Retreat Sports Meeting Design 62

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. A one-sentence distillation: learning is a process not an event.).

Panel 67

Panel Meeting Design Conference Hospitality 67

Conferences that Work

APRIL 1, 2019

This (slightly edited) interview by JT Long appeared in the March 2019 issue of Smart Meetings Magazine. 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.”

Booking 97

Booking Conference Meeting Design Speakers 97

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. The conference designers invented a way to create “highly engaging, interactive and fun” poster sessions.

Conference 62

Conference Meeting Design Proposal Retreat 62

Conferences that Work

MARCH 21, 2022

This coming June will mark my 30th year of designing and facilitating participant-driven and participation-rich meetings. So I designed the workshop as an “ Ask Adrian Anything ” about meeting design and facilitation. I’ve shared the why? and the details of how I typically run this format here.

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Online Platform Communications Communications 139

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 68