The Event’ and ‘Event Management’ has been a feature of society from the very beginning of time.
Events are integral parts of society allowing for a break from the monotony of daily life and providing a platform for cultural expression and appreciation, socialisation, networking, entertainment and enjoyment.
It is therefore important to evaluate the different aspects of ‘The Event’ and ‘Event Management’ to optimise the execution and enjoyment of these occasions.
The Event Management Industry
In the past 25 years, the Event Management Industry has undergone a rapid evolution.
There was a time, in fact, when the Event Management Industry did not exist, and the role of the event manager would have been a prominent feature of the hospitality, tourism, marketing or communications industry.
The Event Management Industry emerged as the demand for events became too overwhelming for otherwise occupied professionals to undertake.
“the steady rise in demand for professionally planned and managed events…has resulted in a market for specialised event management professionals” (Yeoman, T., Robertson, M., Ali-Knight, J., Drummond, S., McMahon-Beattie, U., 2004)
The demand for ‘specialised event management’ was a result of social, economic and political progress.
· There was an overall increase in wealth in the western world and so people had disposable income to spend on events
· Peace between countries and advancements in the technological and financial means of travel meant that people could experience new places, new cultures and new recreational activities
· Education and exposure to alternative cultures made people more aware of their own culture and traditional practises
The very nature of the Event Management Industry is to respond to these demands. For ease of organisation, events have been divided into 4 categories
1. Leisure Events
2. Personal Events
3. Cultural Events
4. Organisational Events
This separation means that Industry professionals can best understand what their client wants from the event.
However, “Events Management can be seen as an art, rather than a science” (Shone, A., & Parry, B., 2004)
Although certain structural formats can be put in place to ensure ease of organisation, the very nature of the Events Management Industry, is creativity, uniqueness and individuality of the event.
This is what makes events stand out and what makes the Event Industry prosper.
“Event Management is the capability and control of the process of purpose, people and place” (Roy, Walters & Rashid, 2013)
The ‘purpose’, ‘people’ and ‘place’ with alternate from event to event depending on the social, cultural and economic elements that are at play.
The Event Management Industry is highly dictated by the above elements as it influences how the events are managed and also the type of event that is primarily sought after. Music events and festivals are a huge output of the Irish Event Management Industry
In addition to this there is a huge push for Events that promote and include locally produced food
“Not only are international event attendees looking to taste real Irish food, local Irish attendees are looking to know the farmer and land where the food has hailed from. The event industry in Ireland is looking for artisan food from Ireland and in particular artisan producers local to the conference area.” (O’Sullivan K., 2015)
The Events Management Industry is innovative and exciting by nature.
It is constantly in flux and is influenced heavily by the context in which it is established.
The Event Leader
Because the whole concept of ‘Event Management’ is so contextual and is always changing, the importance of an effective Event Leader is paramount.
The event leader is involved in every aspect of the event and the overall responsibility for the event falls on their shoulders.
“their role is diverse…including developing the event ‘concept. Purpose and objective’ and including aspects of marketing, budgeting, risk assessment and management, but with little emphasis on design” (Shone, A., & Parry, B., 2004)
In contemporary event management, things can change daily, even hourly and so the event manager must be on top of everything so that problems can be identified and solved as quickly as possible.
Whether the event leader is working alone, or sitting at the head of a committee, they must be constantly monitoring, reviewing and controlling milestones for ease of event management.
“it is the task of the event manager to identify, predict and manage the range of impacts, so that in the balance, the overall impact of the event is positive” (Yeoman, T., Robertson, M., Ali-Knight, J., Drummond, S., McMahon-Beattie, U., 2004)
In short, the Event Leader must be the ‘all-seeing’ manager; observing the past, being active in the present and prophesising the future.
In no way is the role of the Event Leader an easy one and it take a a certain kind of person to be able to carry out these duties
The Event Leader must be;
-
· Adaptable – Changing circumstances of an event, including cancellation of a venue, new team members, cuts in budget etc., will mean that the event leader needs to be able to adapt to working with possible fluctuation in resources and still successfully manage an event.
-
· Able to Multi-task – the very nature of the job of Events Manager is that every role is being observed and aided by the events manager, Multi-taking is a must.
-
· Able to Time-Manage – Events are organised on a fixed time scale and so milestones need to be set and reached, and the Events Manager must be capable of organising this.
-
· Strong at Team Building – There is no point in having an Events Manager who cannot build team morale and inspire the best work from committee members. If the team does not work well together, the event can become a disaster.
-
· Good at Problem Solving – In the organisation and management of any event, obstacles and challenges are sure to present themselves. The Events Manager need to be able to solves these problem with ease and move on as quickly as possible to meet deadline.
-
· Resolve Conflicts – In times of stress and high pressure, conflicts may arise whether it is between the client and the events teams, the venue and the attendees etc. The Events Manager needs to have the skills to resolve these conflicts efficiently maximising the positive impact of the event.
“Events Management has to be effective, and events managers must be good communicators and good delegators in situations that may be constantly changing” (Shone, A., & Parry, B., 2004)
Event Tech and the future
Between the 1950s and 1970s we saw the beginning of the digital revolution and since then we have seen how the development and expansion in technology has changed the world we live in.
The Event Management Industry is no different.
“While technology is improving the design of the events management industry, it is also changing and developing the way artists work” (Yeoman, T., Robertson, M., Ali-Knight, J., Drummond, S., McMahon-Beattie, U., 2004)
Events are being elevated by Event Technology.
What people want to experience and how they want to experience is changing with the changing digital interface.
Here are some examples of Technologies used at Events to improve attendee experience;
AI (Artificial Intelligence) – This is the development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. Facial recognition technology is being used to register attendance of guests to an event. This speeds up the registration process and also acts as an additional barrier of security for the event. The facial recognition can be used for recognition on social media improving networking capabilities for the attendees. Voice recognition can also be used to answer attendee questions or can be used to translate certain things for non-native speakers.
VR – VR (Virtual Reality) is an artificial, computer-generated simulation or recreation of a life like situation or environment. VR is an immersive experience where the real world is blocked out by headsets and replaced by an alternative audio-visual computerised simulation. VR is used in many events in a training capacity, for gaming or just for general entertainment
AR– AR (augmented reality) is a technology that marries computer generated images with reality. AR does not remove you from your surroundings as VR doe AR was used in Coachella 2012 when event organisers produced a hologram of deceased rap legend, Tupac Shakur, performing along-side the living ‘Snoop Dog’ and ‘Dr. Dre’
Smart-Mats – Smart mats are strategically placed around the event. When stepped on these smart mats record the number of people that crossed over them. This calculates traffic numbers in real time
But what does this mean for the future of Event’s Management?
The introduction of Event Tech to the Event Management Industry means events are becoming far more immersive and are tending towards the multi-sensory experience as opposed to the passive experience it may have once been.
It is important that your attendees get the most out of the event that they possible can and Event Tech makes this possible.
“Clued in event managers can tap into this science to create a high impact, multi-sensory event that is sure to engage attendees on all levels. Triggering the senses stimulates a new way of thinking, feeling and behaving. Thinking about the senses helps us to think about the attendee experience and how a multisensory approach to planning can amplify the impact we can create.” (2016, The Future of Events – Multi- Sensory Events)
Attendees can use Event Technology to interact and experience the event like never before.
Engagement through VR and AR means that visual and audible senses can be stimulated as well as smell in come cases.
AI allows guests to socially interact with the content of the event and online forums mean that their valued opinions and beliefs can actually become part of the event itself.
“Recognizing that the people at events really are the event and that their issues and their internal world should be of paramount concern.” (Solaris, J., 2018)
It seems strange to say but the use of Event Tech will actually ensure that Event Managers embrace the human side of the event world. The technology will appeal to what makes humans, human and ensure optimal enjoyment of the event.
Conclusion
The Event and Event Management has been a feature of society from the very beginning of time.
This is the case because organising and managing events is an integral trait of being human.
We love to gather together and create an occasion and share with each other, what we have created.
Creativity is at the very core of the Event Management Industry, culture and socialisation it’s driving factor.
Management of the Event is of utmost importance for the event reach its maximum potential.
And the Event Manager is key for this success.
But,
The most important thing about the event is the experience.
Whether we experience an event through Virtual Reality in 2025, sailing virtual seas with simulated pirates or whether we are part of the torchlight procession making our way from the bride’s parents house to the bridegroom house in Rome AD337.
The world that is created in an event and the world that is being experienced is the key to optimising the execution and enjoyment of these occasions.
——————————————————————————————————————————-
Bibliography:
· Yeoman, T., Robertson, M., Ali-Knight, J., Drummond, S., McMahon-Beattie, U., 2004, Festival and Events Management; an International arts and Culture Perspective, Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann Ltd, Oxford
· Shone, A., & Parry, B., 2004, Successful Event Management; A Practical Handbook, C&C Offset, China
· Roy, Walters & Rashid, 2013, Events Management; Principals and Practise, Sage, London
· O’Sullivan K., 2015, Latest Trends in Event Management Companies in Ireland, GoWest; Custom Travel, Conference and Event Management Ireland, online article accessed at: [http://gowest.ie/index.php/2015/09/10/latest-trends-in-event-management-companies-in-ireland/] 09/04/2018
· 2016, The Future of Events – Multi- Sensory Events, Grooveyard, online article accessed at: [http://grooveyard.ie/multi-sensory-events/] on 09/04/2018
· Johnny, 2017, An Immersive, Multisensory Dining Experience at Ginza Steak Restaurant, Spoon & Tamago, online article accessed at: [http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2017/04/18/sagaya-ginza-teamlab/]
· Solaris, J., 2018, Events Trends Watch: The Largest Trends Database of 2018, Event Manager Blog, online article accessed at: [https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/event-trends?utm_source=EventMB+-+All+Posts+Subscription&utm_campaign=0c84a1d788-Event+Trends+Watch+-+23%2F01+usa&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c297bc4951-0c84a1d788-98318669] on 09/04/18
