Electric dreams

We’ll always be together, however far it seems. We’ll always be together, together in electric dreams.  –   

This oldie keeps creeping into my mind lately.  Maybe a sign that I have been attending too many hybrid events as a virtual attendee? (or a sign that I have a longing for 80’s songs, plus the tons of make-up and big plastic earrings that went with them)

Actually it is wishful thinking. Even though organizers are making a lot of effort to include virtual attendees in a face to face event, we are still lacking in contact. We are not together.

2 things that I might help:

Better timing: Give us enough time to plan and prepare. Often a virtual ticket is offered at the last moment.  As an afterthought or on purpose?  I understand that you want people in real life in the real conference room, but when a virtual ticket is presented a few days  before the event, I cannot plan a day for it. Least of all connect with other (real live) attendees before the event.  It leaves me with only bits of content and a few new tweeps to follow,  and you with a lack of ROI –we both lose.

More tools: give us the chance to network, let us connect through Hangouts or Skype .… I would love to see a Hangout Corner at an event, where the f2f delegates can get to meet the virtual ones. Surely we could try something here? Add to all your learning lounges?

Just imagine: an event where ALL  delegates are visually present in the room. Looking at each other, and knowing that they are part of the same audience. No more awkward pauses after the speaker asks : “any questions from the virtual audience?” …not knowing if they are present at all.

As a virtual attendee I know how to be engaged . Now I need to be seen.  For now, it is an electric dream.

Engaging all senses – virtually

Hybrid visitors, virtual participans, online attendees… is seems that more and more events are in need of connecting  their audiences in other ways than classic face to face encounters.

A new kind of events in need of a new kind of meeting perception?

Sure.  

Not in the least because an online attendee has a different experience of an event: some of the senses that “make” the event are lost. What about smell, taste, touch? Is a virtual attendee resticted to vision and hearing?  Are we missing out?

Some days ago I participated in a brainstorm about the senses for virtual attendees. A brainstorm that was mainly virtual in itself: we used Google Hangouts to connect  event professionals from different countries .The summary is on youtube and blogs, but there was one discussion in particular that  sparked my imagination.

We were talking about the loss of some senses for virtual attendees and came up with the “Virtual Handshake”. A way to make you feel welcome in the event.  Anyone used someting like that before? A toolkit with components of all senses, partly  send to you via oldfashioned mail, to give you an extra “feel”of  an event?

Message in a bottle?

Just imagine. You are attending an event online, and you have your “Virtual handshake”. The kit has a pen of the venue, napkin, USB,  maybe some Catalist Ranch style goodies or so,  all stuff that an attendee uses at the venue. 

And then the kit has an online  part as well; including an instruction how to get the screen the way you want it, how to give speakers a virtual handshake (would love to see some alternatives to the smileys ), how to engage with the other attendees (explain Hangouts!!), choice of break music, suggestions for snacks and drinks…… all sent to you well before the event starts.  

How would that change your participation? Feel more included and make you stay online longer? Give a sense of belonging? Have a better experience?  Engage all senses?

Would love to try it one out some time!

A social media thank you (with a cool project)

No really, seriously. In the old days a researcher like me would sit at a desk, read reports, conduct market surveys, make some calls,  flip though telephone books full of conferences and events, and check real phonebooks and directories for companies and contact persons. I still have them. The books that contain all doctors who might be interested in bidding for a conference with us.

Then for years I googled the world, subscribed to databases that gave the extra edge and used my own data for the necessary link to my venue. Oh and made some calls. Still at the same desk, by the way.

Until social media. The search for knowledge became a personal conversation, the sharing of information an international chat, and making friends just a Hangout away.. really. I do not make “some” calls anymore. I am in a continuous conversation. Wow. And this conversation inspires, challenges, surprises and irritates me. Great. Keeps me on edge. Gives a new angle to data. And opens up new ways of collaboration. Lots of them.

Example:  the other week I co-organized a Google Hangout brainstorm with and joined by an international group of event professionals, all contributing to research questions and sharing insights that we all can use.

Isn’t that something – a  shared project that combined great conversations with a test of Google Hangouts for use in hybrid events. We reported results the same day via YouTube, but the whole experience gave me energy to last much longer . I’ll be writing some short posts on the outcomes, by the way. Giving it back to the collective, and hopefully leading to new conversations.  Which I will be having at my desk, by the way. Not everything changed. Just a lot.

Curious about the brainstorm? Ruud Janssen, Babs Nijdam and Gerrit Heijkoop were the initial collaborators, and we were joined by 27 event professionals, most of them on line. Check the results out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feIIUTcCiQg

What’s next? I don't know but love to find out :-)