Results Phase 2:
USER EXPERIENCE AS A KEY SUCCESS FACTOR:
HOW TO CREATE EVENTS THAT ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
Results Phase 2:
USER EXPERIENCE AS A KEY SUCCESS FACTOR:
HOW TO CREATE EVENTS THAT ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
»How can I in future make sure that everyone is happy when they go home, with the feeling that the event was really worthwhile for them personally?«
What makes a successful event?
What do attendees need?
While the first phase of the “Future Meeting Space” research project looked at venues and overall event design, phase 2 analysed the needs and experiences of event attendees to find out what makes events successful.
The following questions were asked:
What kind of event attendee types do exist?
How does the use of different methodical and technological elements impact attendees?
How do the methodical and technological elements impact the success factors user acceptance, knowledge transfer, learning success and experience value for different attendee types?
To get the answers, we carried out the “What kind of attendee type am I?” online survey.
RESULTS ARE MADE UP OF THREE COMPONENTS:
Attendee types | Event success factors | Recommendations for action for successful events
Attendee types
From the variety of people attending events, the following six archetypes were identified: younger and older, mostly female and mostly male, quiet and extrovert, either more or less tech-savvy as well as either more or less ambitious attendee types.
»However, how can you make sure that everyone is happy when they go home, with the feeling that the event was really worthwhile for them personally?«
Success factors
The core result of the study are six success factors that were identified. They are all interrelated:
Satisfaction
The satisfaction index is a kind of “meta” index that fundamentally expresses whether event attendees feel that attending the event was worthwhile and whether their expectations have been fulfilled.
Knowledge transfer
Knowledge transfer is a crucial factor for events: Were attendees able to acquire new knowledge, was their understanding of a topic considerably improved and were they able to apply the new information in their everyday working life?
Networking
The networking index describes if attendees were provided with networking opportunities, if it was easy to strike up conversations in these moments and if taking part in the event enriched their own networks.
Interaction
The interaction index reflects the intensity of interactive formats: Did attendees use such formats? Did they provide them with new knowledge and inspiration? Did interactive formats serve the purpose of visualising results?
Digitalisation
The digitalisation index covers interactive formats or event apps as well as virtual tools, digital visualisation tools or the integration of external individuals, e.g., via livestreaming, holography and VR.
Disruption
The disruption index is a completely new factor when looking at events. It asks whether the event was surprising, triggered change or created a sense of community and therefore remains in people’s minds.
»What can we learn from this?«
RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION AND ATTENDEE TYPES
Encourage networking
Attendees on the quiet side (types 1, 4 and 5) need support to facilitate communication with other attendees so that they have the same chances to make business connections.
Active integration
Swapping seats can help more reserved attendees as well as active integration and guidance in communicative situations.
Simplify technology access
For the less tech-savvy attendee types 4 and 5 event planners should provide help to make access to new media and technologies easier.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION FOR ALL ATTENDEES
Event design
Events should not last for too long as this does not influence, for example, the potential for networking. Cost and benefit need to be considered.
Technology
It is important to use innovative formats and technology to connect, visualise and present. Light and sound are supporting elements.
Knowledge transfer
Speakers that can cover a topic from every angle are key to knowledge transfer as well as interactive formats such as fishbowl discussions, feedback apps or small groups.
Visualisation
New formats such as writable walls or large-scale projection screens but also visualisation aids that attendees made themselves intensify the development of knowledge.
Disruption
The disruptive character of an event considerably impacts its success: Events that change CVs and organisations create lasting memories.
Interaction
New content and interaction between attendees and also between attendees and speakers improve knowledge transfer and also have positive effects on the disruption factor.
SUMMARY
Knowledge transfer is key to ensure attendees are satisfied when they go home.
Disruption: Events that turn into an experience and change us as attendees create lasting memories.
It is important to cater to the different attendee types and integrate all of them – be it analogue or tech-savvy, younger or older, quiet or extrovert.
Alongside the lead partners GCB and EVVC and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO as project manager the “Future Meeting Space” innovation alliance consists of the following research partners in phase 2:
The Education Foundation of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) provides additional funding.
