CBS-magazine June, July and August 2016 (EN) by Communications Business Solutions

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Nr 50 June - July - August 2016

Change of Associations Network to The Association of Association Executives During the Associations World Congress that took place in April in Berlin, Damian Hutt announced the change of name of Associations Network to The Association of Association Executives and many developments.

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The Roadmap for Meetings of the Future The meeting room of the future… There was re-

Smarter Collaboration Starts Here

Equipping a Huddle Room?

Research shows that active collaboration of participants to a

The way we work changed, and so did the way we

meeting fosters innovation and improves team performance.

cently a global survey about it, which brought the

collaborate. More people than ever practice telework, and

the “intramural” collaborators work in open and shared spaces.

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collaboration of known leaders in the domains

of conference room design, audiovisual, accommodation of conventioneers, and management/ planning of congresses.

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Fish & chips swim into a digital world Famous Fish by Costi teams up with AOPEN for world-first

Google solution. Australian seafood favourite Famous Fish

by Costi has cast its net over the digital world, transforming

its stores with interactive menu boards and express ordering technologies from digital signage leader AOPEN and platinum partner Nuon.

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How to Engage Your Audience

Investing in Digital Signage is Investing in the Future Page 15

Safeguard your events and beat the competition Page 15

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The Roadmap for Meetings of the Future The meeting room of the future… There was recently a global survey about it, which brought the collaboration of known leaders in the domains of conference room design, audiovisual,

accommodation of conventioneers, and management/planning of congresses.

ig names were implied, such as Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Microsoft, Development Councilors International, Showgizmo, Corbin Ball Associates, Sli-do, Warwick Conferences, MGSM Executive Hotel & Conference Centre and PSAV. Good people!

Developing the Access to Interactive Technologies

Finally, 47% declare that it is important to have modular meeting spaces. Currently, the last point (modularity) is considered the most important element when evaluating a meeting room, followed by the access to interactive technology and the existence of networking spaces. It is important to realise that the future is oriented towards research of interactive

The results are telling. 75% of respondents estimate that an effort will need to be deployed to obtain a richer participant experience. In the same line of thought, more than 77% indicated that the access to interactive technologies will need to be developed, with a goal of improving public participation. An audience that interacts is more motivated, less subject to being distracted (emails for example), and retain key information better.

technology.

Internet for Everyone! A good meeting room will also need –corollary to what we wrote about– an excellent network with large bandwidth, as well as good acoustics and lighting. We know that acoustics, when well optimized, let you follow discussions without getting tired, and the quality of lighting is an important tool for focusing the attention on what really matters. When it comes to choosing the ideal meeting spot, the presence of high technology is a determining factor. In the future, there is no doubt that even planners will choose locations that insure a large bandwidth (to the internet and the business network) for all the conventioneers. It is not a small task and it implies important investments for updates in a lot of rooms!

Five Advantages of the Videoconference Deploying a videoconference system in a business can, a priori, seem like an expensive

operation.

ince a while, it is not a problem anymore. You can easily find a fitting system without breaking the bank. But what are the advantages of an appropriate system?

their behaviour and echos in the world of business. They like tools of simple and instant use.

A More Complete and Precise Communication

The profitability of the team is improved. Collaborators constantly search for more efficient collaboration solutions. The videoconference reached a stage where it is almost child’s play to install and its use is really natural. The users can choose the applications they wish to use at their work station, and now, connecting themselves to users of different solutions is not a problem anymore. The permanent interaction is guaranteed. Numerous projects imply the power to permanently interact, to practice

A recent Frost&Sullivan study, addressing business leaders, has shown that 58% of businesses of today use videoconference, versus 41% three years ago. According to experts’ opinion, videoconference offers five important advantages. The speed of communication is part of these advantages. The email is not the fastest way to communicate anymore. It is easier to communicate a message via videoconference than by email. The message will be understood better, since the context, missing in emails, will contribute greatly: the tone of the voice, body language, and total interactivity avoid the classic downsides of written text, which can be interpreted the wrong way even when sprinkled with smileys. Of course, the “digital natives” (born between the 80s and middle of 90s), now part of the professional world, add a lot of weight to the side of videoconference. Additionally, their affinity with new technologies influence

Accessing “Continued Collaboration”

“continued collaboration”. Modern videoconference services propose virtual workspaces that are permanently available, no matter where the collaborators are, and allows them to store data that needs to be shared. The BYOD brought a large mobility. Cloud based videoconference services, simple, reliable, low-priced and robust, guarantee an instant availability, no matter where you are, on tablets, computers, and smartphones.

Equipping a Huddle Room? The way we work changed, and so did the way we collaborate. More people than ever practice telework, and the “intramural” collaborators work in open and shared spaces.

hen they feel the need to have small meetings or to contact their distant collaborators, they do so in small rooms called “huddle rooms”. These small spaces can be furnished with material adapted for videoconference purposes.

It Is Not a “Reduced” Meeting Room Let’s remember that a huddle room is a small space that may host a maximum of six people. There is currently close to 50 million of these rooms in the world (according to Wainhouse), compared to 2 million existing videoconference rooms. Huddle rooms are highly useful for impromptu and informal meetings, to exchange ideas on the fly, that we estimate their number will grow another 20% in the next four years. Theoretically, a huddle room is not a “reduced” meeting room, even if, with budget cuts, many users consider them as such. In practice, the differences are not as obvious. Most of these huddle rooms contain a table, chairs, and a phone. They usually have a phone extension, some even have flip charts and a few

have flat screens to display the content of notebooks. Rare are the ones equipped with traditional videoconference solutions.

Keizershoevestraat, 26 2610 Wilrijk - Belgium Tel: +32 478 948951 Fax: +32 3 2397516 Email: jp.thys@cbsmedia.biz Website: www.cbsmedia.biz Publication Manager Jean-Pierre Thys Editor Jean-Claude Lesuisse

The Need to Share Content This may change in the near future, since the demand for videoconference solutions is growing larger. Many manufacturers are starting to propose collaboration solutions, even videoconference solutions specially adapted to huddle rooms. The widespread of these huddle rooms changed the way businesses desire to use presentation solutions. By going from a classic meeting room to a huddle room, we pass from a “structured model of collaboration” to a “continued collaboration”. Effectively, you do not reserve a huddle room like you would reserve a traditional conference room, you use it when you feel the need to, informally and “spontaneously”. A good example of collaborative solutions that are highly appreciated is the possibility, for the participants, to share content, which means connecting their own devices (BYOD, tablets, smartphones, and laptops) immediately, without having to gesticulate at the screen of the huddle room.

Translation Babel Ophoff Vertalingen Printing Lowyck Publisher Jean-Pierre Thys Keizershoevestraat, 26 2610 Wilrijk - Belgium Communications Business Solutions is published 5 times a year. Online registration forms on our website will be considered for a regular free copy. Subscription Print: 55 € (Belgium) – 60 € (Europe), 85 € (other continents). All reproduction rights reserved for all countries. Reproductionof the texts (even partial) is prohibited without permission of the publisher. Member ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Communications Business Solutions is available in print in french and dutch and online in english, french and dutch.

Smarter Collaboration Starts Here Research shows that active collaboration of participants to a meeting fosters

innovation and improves team performance.

ctive collaboration ensures everyone is working towards the same goal and increases employee retention since people prefer to belong to a team and contribute to the team’s goals. Information sharing is essential to collaborative environments. Different kinds of content (desktop, docs, images, videos, and apps) need to be shared, presented, and commented on “directly”, without constraints.

Using YOUR Own Equipment This can be done with all the modern and mobile tools that we know and use today.

We must not forget that the easier it is to use the equipment, the more participants will use it, especially with THEIR devices.

It is achievable in large meeting rooms as well as “huddle rooms” (small spaces hosting two to six people). The general idea is very simple: each collaborator must be able to, at any time, share the data on the screen – or the big screen – and everyone must be able to interact.

Collaborating Without Sacrificing Security

The solutions must, effectively, take into account the devices that the collaborators use, in line with the concept that we call BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): portable PCs, tablets, mobile phones, and other netbooks must be welcome and must be possible to connect and be used with the equipment in a very simple way.

With this small box, we collaborate wirelessly, in real time, in the simplest way possible. The number of users is… unlimited! At the same time, Coalesce functions with every peripheral, whether it is a laptop, a tablet, or even a smartphone with iOS or Android. For mobile devices, you only need to download the free app!

Coalesce, from Black Box, allows you to go one step further with the active collaboration.

Every connected user can share an unlimited number of elements simultaneously: desktop, applications, documents, images, or videos. The “dual-network” mode allows you to connect wirelessly, with a cabled network, or both. This enables the device to let you collaborate without sacrificing network security. It is also possible to let users connect themselves and share their content freely, or use a “moderation” system which lets you approve or reject determined elements before they are displayed. Coalesce can be used with Coalesce Central to monitor and manage all the Coalesce systems (no matter how numerous) via an interactive control panel. Coalesce accepts every screen resolution, including the new UHD 4K. Coalesce can be placed… practically anywhere: behind screens, under a projector, on a table… Multitouch screens work flawlessly, which allows many users to work together or independently. In this case, a touch screen is required. Black Box Network Services Tel: 00800-2255 2269 Website: www.blackbox.eu

When the Hybrid Meeting Deploys its Arguments Of course, we all know about seminars, conferences, and other shows or traditional events. They attract people, we meet each other “face to face”, and, amongst other activities, we do

networking…

here we still hesitate often, it is when it comes to imagining the concept of “hybrid events”. However, we know that the concept is in the air and that many businesses do these types of events.

We Simply Add “A New Audience”! Let’s get down to the basics: a hybrid event is the same as a traditional event… with an additional audience. This new audience is made of people from far away, linked to the event by the Internet. The event organizers must take into account the usual real audience and the virtual participants. It goes without saying that there will be a need for additional cameras, as well as microphones linked to the console which will send all this audiovisual content on the Web, including the content coming from the potential interpretation booths. But what is the point of proceeding to the creation of a hybrid event? Improving the size of the audience is the main reason. We add to physical participants a number that is (often) non negligible of virtual participants. The reasons are numerous, but mostly revolve around the idea that many people are potentially interested in the event, but may not have time to attend in the classic way. Distance also plays an important role as well as financial considerations. It is important to denote that these individuals–potentially interested– would not have shown up to the event, which makes it a real improvement of the audience size. Let’s put this in a different way: the hybrid event does not diminish real participation.

The Possibilities Are Enormous! The creation of a hybrid event must be studied beforehand, since it can take many different forms. The simplest form is a pure and simple retransmission of the debates and interventions. Here, we “inject” information on the Internet in a oneway interaction. There are many variants for bidirectional communication. Distant participants can intervene, ask questions, give their opinion by writing or orally, or even display graphics or visuals on the big screens of the meeting room. The possibilities are enormous and we can use social media, for example, to show a constant stream

of the reactions on one of the screens seen by everyone.

As you could guess, in cases where the information travels in a single way, there is less implication from distant participants than when they can take an active part, in one way or another, in the debates. However, the more interactivity there is, the more technical support there will need to be, which is not doable without additional financial investments. As soon as you opt for an interactive hybrid event, the event needs to be “cut” to leave determined intervention time for distant participants, and to avoid cacophony between the two groups. Let’s note that online participants can be isolated people, in their own office, or small groups united in a videoconference room or a hotel close to their residences.

developments.

amian said: “This new name better reflects our focus on the employees of Associations, as well as the strength of the community and our offering. There is no geographic region included in the name, as before, reflecting that we are an organisation for all association employees wherever they are, and whatever type of association or membership geography. Given the growth of the community since 2006 we are really excited to take this step forward and look forward to better serving the needs of our community.”

An award-winning Learning Management System including association-specific education (rolling out in the next months) Members to receive priority discounts for all congress, including 1 new key event in the schedule

Damian Hutt Africa Associations Congress 2016, 8 & 9 November 2016 in Nairobi See the full list of upcoming events. https://associationexecutives.site-ym.com/ events/event_list.asp Subscribers are invited to join now at www.associationexecutives.org Should you have any questions please contact Victoria Watt, Marketing Director, Association of Association Executives via email: victoria@associationexecutives.org Follow the Association of Association Executives on twitter: @AssnExecs

New developments announced include: A new website portal www.associationexecutives.org powered by a professional membership system, upgrading functionality and value The appointment of a Head of Membership and Development, raising the organisation’s to a team of 10 people Membership continues to be free of charge, but with members gaining more benefits as they themselves contribute. Expanded Success Story Programme, where members have shared in-depth information on their projects, now with a dedicated Programme Manager

AAGBI and Shocklogic Deliver a Green Scientific Programme On 13-15th January 2016, the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) had the pleasure of welcoming over 1,000 delegates from all over the world to their Winter Scientific Meeting (WSM) at the QEII Centre, London. Shocklogic provided AAGBI with

Abstractlogic and Eposterlogic before, during and after the meeting.

his means that the submission, reviewing and publication of all abstracts and ePosters were handled with Shocklogic’s integrated software suite.

Capetown - “Peri-operative medicine: lessons from a developing country”, and Baroness Prof Susan Greenfield from Oxford - “Perspectives on consciousness”.

Once implemented by the Shocklogic team, all systems were maintained and administered by AAGBI’s own staff. The need to contact IT specialists to update or alter system parameters was minimal due to a user-friendly interface. The aim of implementing this type of technology was twofold. First of all, AAGBI needed a streamlined system like Abstractlogic to collect, evaluate

Johnny D. Martinez and publish about 200 scientific proposals for the event. After all proposals were collected and evaluated, AAGBI was able to select the best proposals to be part of the event’s scientific programme. Secondly, some of the scientific proposals were selected to be poster presentations. By using Eposterlogic, AAGBI sourced an eco-friendly solution that created less waste from printed physical posters, poster holders, poster boards and poster board numbers. Both Abstractlogic and Eposterlogic were seamlessly integrated to offer minimal data transfer and one central point where the organisers could manage it all. The programme covered a range of the latest scientific developments in the field of anaesthesia with sessions on everything from haemorrhage management and critical care to laparotomy and life support. The programme management process of the congress was very complex and entailed months of careful selection from hundreds

of scientific proposals by academics around the world. The online submission, evaluation and publication of these proposals was all handled via Abstractlogic, which also provides features for the most complex scientific scoring systems. As a result of this process, AAGBI had the pleasure of welcoming keynote speakers Justiaan Swanevelder from

During the event, ePosters were displayed on flat touch screens of three different sizes and formats for delegates to explore in their own time at an event. Instead of having rows and rows of poster boards, AAGBI created a professional looking area for attendees to comfortably view posters digitally. All ePosters, as well as other accepted proposals collected pre-event, were available post-event in the form of an online library journal. This has become a useful tool for attendees to refer back to at any time after the event. Eposterlogic will keep the content alive long after the event has finished The post-congress feedback shows that over 80% of the proposal submitters rated the technology used as well as the technical support provided as excellent. The team catered for the needs of the international audience attending the event, allowing submitters to enjoy a smooth and trouble-free communications.

money and resources and also created new industry opportunities for the association. The development of the abstract management system and ePoster solution allowed AAGBI to secure wider sponsorship and also increase delegate attendance by 25% with over 1,000 delegates. AAGBI and Shocklogic not only contributed to the delivery of a rich scientific and educational programme on anaesthesia, but also to new advances in our understanding of the role of new materials and applications, as well as teaching and training the next generation. For more, watch case study video here: https://vimeo. com/156286517 Johnny D. Martinez Head of Marketing & Business Development Shocklogic E-mail : info@shocklogic.com Website : www.shocklogic.com The key to the general success during AAGBI’s WSM in London was a result of an innovative and unique way of dealing with high-volume content and communication tools. Shocklogic and AAGBI delivered distribution channels that not only saved time for the delegate but also helped to save the environment. Talking about the ePoster solution delivered during the congress, Dr. Mark Abou-Samra from Derriford Hospital said that “having a standard format [for all ePosters] allows the audience to concentrate on the content more than on how the poster looks.” At the same time, Dr Elliott Worku from Frimley Park Hospital also commented on the solution by saying: “I like it, I think it’s much clearer, much slicker than using the old paper posters. Wide variety of topics that are relevant to our aesthetic practice. I think it was really interesting talks today, really well presented, I liked it. Yeah I think this format is definitely the future”. The technology introduced at the WSM in London saved time,

FIDIC International Infrastructure Conference From Dubai to Marrakesh By Italo Goyzueta, Deputy Director of FIDIC

had the pleasure and opportunity to meet Mr Jean-Pierre Thys from Communications Business Solutions (CBS) at the latest Associations World Congress in Berlin last 10-12 April 2016. Mr Thys and I discussed the evolution of the FIDIC International Infrastructure Conference over the last 100 years of existence of FIDIC, and he showed great interest in understanding how FIDIC has used different tools and technology all over these years. The framework of the Associations World Congress was very inspiring in what respects to new available technologies in the market. The FIDIC International Conference is always looking for new ways of improving networking benefits and document sharing tools for participants of its conferences year by year. However, most of these efforts are not very obvious to participants if this are not publicised in an appropriate way. For this reason, we appreciate the opportunity Mr Thys has provided to FIDIC to help us publicise the value added of FIDIC Conferences, and to foster the use of technology to achieve the preparation of green and sustainable conferences.

Founded in 1913, FIDIC is the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, charged with promoting and implementing the consulting engineering industry’s strategic goals on behalf of its Member Associations and to disseminate information and resources of interest to its members. From 13 – 15 September 2015, FIDIC hosted the International Infrastructure Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event was inaugurated by the UAE Society of Engineers President, His Excellency Eng. Essa Al Maidoor, and the FIDIC President Eng. Jaewan Lee. The FIDIC international conference attracted nearly 1,000 professionals working in the infrastructure industry from across the world, and continued to use their preferred Event Technology supplier, Poken, to connect delegates at the event. Poken is a technology revolutionising the event industry with its innovative and simple solutions that generate high quality leads, get unprecedented insight into people’s interests, and boost networking between participants. FIDIC’s partnership with Poken has allowed the international confer-

ence to become a green event by encouraging participants to take home electronic versions of any FIDIC publications distributed during the event, rather than a printed version. Moreover, to continue to encourage the participation of the next generation, FIDIC also incorporated a Young Professional Management Training Programme which had the highest participation in Dubai, UAE with 80 delegates. In addition, to add to the delegate’s technical experience, the event hosted a number of social evening events which included awards and a local cultural experience, a FIDIC tradition called the ‘Local Colour Night’. The 2016 edition of the FIDIC International Infrastructure Conference, will take place in Marrakesh, Morocco from 25 -27 September, 2016. The FIDIC 2016 Conference in Marrakesh is well underway in its organization. The Conference is the perfect opportunity for members of national associations of consulting engineers to showcase their activities and expertise in the world’s unique international event for the infrastructure industry.

While government leaders debate and struggle to agree on action plans, the planet manifests its unrest on a regular basis. Increased incidents of adverse weather take their toll on property and human life. As debate continues over the causes, it is up to the consulting engineering community to share its knowledge and experience in mitigation and remedial solutions for our fragile infrastructure. COP22 takes place in Morocco in November 2016. Having participated in the 2015 Business Climate Summit for COP 21, FIDIC believes that focus needs to intensify with regard to the practical steps that can be taken, and the business decisions that need to be made, in addressing the real issues impacting on society. The consulting engineering community is also uniquely positioned to assist the energy, resource and manufacturing sectors with realis-

tic and practical approaches to sustainability and corporate responsibility, helping them achieve the “social licence” that is increasingly being demanded by regulators, customers and investors. FIDIC invites business leaders and decision makers to Marrakesh to explore the many business and financial matters impacting on our living and working environment. Speakers will cover

topics such as Integrated Resource Management, Renewables & Clean Energy, Disaster Management, Risk and Liability, and the looming Water Crisis. In that regard, FIDIC has published a new State of the World Report, outlining all the Water Challenges being faced, and possible solutions. I encourage you all to read this important document carefully. A number of Exhibition and Sponsorship opportunities for FIDIC Marrakesh 2016 are described in the brochure available at http://fidic2016.org/Sponsorship_&_Exhibition_Marrakesh2016

Poken E-mail: Grant@poken.com Website: www.poken.com Link: www.poken.com/contact Poken brings together the digital and physical event spaces, to create engaging experiences and enable more effective event management. Equipped with our digital event platform, mobile apps and NFC+ products, professionals can organize and manage events and conferences, drive networking, collect digital content in the real world from smart devices, and gain metrics on attendee behaviour. Leading corporate organizations and associations in more than 80 countries have utilized Poken’s event platform to implement integrated online and offline campaigns, solidifying Poken as an acknowledged leader in the conference, trade show and events industries.

Safeguard your events and beat the competition: know your market By Jessica Mathieu Head of Congress & events Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)

he Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is a membership organisation that exists to help the global health community accelerate the fight against cancer. Founded in 1933 and based in Geneva, UICC’s growing membership of over 900 organisations across 155 countries, features the world’s major cancer societies, ministries of health, research institutes and patient groups. Together with its members, key partners, the World Health Organization, World Economic Forum and others, UICC is tackling the growing cancer crisis on a global scale.

In parallel to targeted local and regional activities, one of UICC’s focus areas is to convene members, partners and leaders to encourage collaboration and new thinking. This is done through a number of key events, such as UICC’s flagship conference running since 1933: the World Cancer Congress. This global conference, held every two years in a different country, represents a unique opportunity for the global cancer and wider health community to network, learn, develop meaningful collaborations and drive change together.

Driving a conference change The World Cancer Congress has recently won the award of “Best Con-

ference Development” at the 2016 International & European Associations Awards held in Berlin on 11 April 2016. The award has recognized the conference’s shift which occurred from 2010 to 2014, over a couple of editions. The World Cancer Congress had started to run out of steam and a number of markers pushed to the decision to take a sharp turn and change the event. Markers included a drop in delegate numbers which led to drastically impact the event’s atmosphere and participants’ satisfaction rate. The event’s negative budget balance

also reflected a number of issues. Additionally, delegates’ feedback described the programme as not novel or engaging enough and led to a lack of incentive for participation. Overall, the conference appeared not to be aligned with the organisation’s agenda and caused disconnects.

UICC’s new leadership prompted a number of changes and questioned the purpose of continuing to run an old standing conference which had become a financial and reputational risk for the organisation, threatening the rest of its activities. Part of the analysis process included assessing what the return on investment was for participants and sponsors to take part in the event. A benchmark analysis of the world of oncology, health and other conferences was conducted, so as to develop techniques that would ensure robust feedback, position the event as a unique and leading conference and make it stand out in an already crowded space.

Changing in five steps Starting to run a conference should always begin by establishing overarching principles that will define the foundations of the event. This includes defining the audience that should be convened and engaged and establishing a purpose to bring them together (such as education and exchange knowledge for example). Financial targets and objectives should also be clear from the start, including in the post-conference planning. The latter should include an organisation’s vision and plan for the future, and how the event can help getting there, such as through attracting more funds, new members

and partners and identify and develop future leaders for example. Overall, the conference should be positioned as an ideal opportunity to improve the organisation’s position, visibility and purpose. The new evolving Congress model should be designed based on the established overarching principles. Clear targets should be set in all areas and monitored on an ongoing basis. One of the crucial elements of a successful change is to communicate effectively through a robust marketing strategy which will aim at attracting delegates and sponsors. This marketing strategy can only been established once there is a clear understanding of what the event is about, and fundamentally analyzing any competitors to see what already exists, what is missing, and how we can not only fill a gap but also differentiate ourselves. At last, stakeholders’ engagement is fundamental. Those relationships should be nurtured so as to strengthen connections. For example, sponsors and exhibitors retention is a key element to a conference as it reflects a number of success factors such as the event’s quality, good reputation and return on investment. Therefore, for the World Cancer Congress, a particular tailor-made approach has always been given to sponsors so as to enhance their experience and build for the future.

Keep your event fresh and new Without the investment of sponsors, a large number of new World Cancer Congress features could not have been implemented. It has been one of the main focuses to keep the sponsors’ offer fresh and innovative, and listening to their needs. A particular attention has also been placed on World Cancer Congress exhibitors, whom are profiled regularly on social media before the event, and who are also encouraged to run original activities on their stands during the event. These efforts contribute to creating a lively and buzzing exhibition area, generating more traffic and interest. With this in mind, the traditional exhibition of the World Cancer Congress was turned into the Global Village: a vibrant activity hub that has become the heart of the event. Another main focus of the Congress was to create a best practice sharing platform and strengthen collaborations amongst the global cancer community. Networking opportunities were multiplied including some more structured options such as a speed-dating breakfast for UICC members. All features that are added to the event are aimed at increasing the delegate’s experience through

providing a memorable and personal environment, creating value, facilitating connections and stimulating learning. The World Cancer Congress has come from being a risk and distraction for UICC to an award winning conference, growing on all fronts, generating more value for its participants and sponsors than ever, and now widely acknowledged by the global cancer community as one of the world’s leading conference in cancer control.

Where to next At a time where digital interaction plays an essential role in congress development, delegates still thrive on a memorable and inspiring experience which can only be created face-to-face, but has to be convincing enough for delegates to travel and therefore invest their time and money into. Considerable amount of efforts have been placed into introducing new ideas at every edition of the World Cancer Congress, to keep the concept fresh, novel and exciting, whilst keeping some of the traditional successes in place. Recently, a more particular focus has been given on developing capacity build-

ing, before, during and after the event, providing education and training opportunities for delegates and more broadly UICC members. This initiative has proven to be a major driver of attendance, investment and satisfaction rate. Maintaining a top quality programme which presents innovative practices could not be achieved with the same level of success if the event had to be turned around annually, in a different world destination. Running the event every two years has given UICC more time to gather and analyze participants’ feedback, build momentum, engage the local counterparts effectively, provide a diverse and quality programme, introduce new elements, refresh the sponsors’ and exhibitors’ offer and ensure to run an exceptional event that is performed at the highest standard. One of the next strategies is to increase momentum in between two conferences, which may be developed through e-learning. Innovation and creativity has come from multiple sources over the years, including feedback and ideas from participants, UICC members and partners, a supportive and engaged Board of Directors, and a dynamic and talented team at UICC coming from multiple backgrounds and all thriving on success. The next World Cancer Congress will take place on 31 October – 3 November 2016 at the Palais des congrès de Paris in France and aims at welcoming 3,500 participants from over 110 countries. More information on www.worldcancercongress.org E-mail: Mathieu@uicc.org

Building Advocacy Capacity for Associations By: Christian D. de Fouloy, Chairman of the Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the

European Union (AALEP)

ne of the biggest challenges for Associations that engage in Government Relations activities is the development of technical capacity for advocacy. Indeed, small and medium size associations in particular often lack human and financial resources, knowledge about the structures and methods of decision-making processes, weakly-developed advocacy skills, inadequate level of foreign language proficiency, and lack of time for consultation with members due to the routine of adopting legislation through urgent government and parliamentary procedure. Admittedly, a lack of training in advocacy creates an obstacle to engaging in advocacy efforts and associations must therefore consider the technical capacity needed to be effective advocates. Effective technical capacity refers to the required knowledge and skills to get the advocacy job done including strategic communication skills, policy issues and processes, interpersonal skills, finance and fundraising skills, legal knowledge, and facilities and equipment. Building advocacy capacity means building advocate’s capacity. Effective advocacy depends on people to move issues, bring in allies, and assert a vision of a better future.

And so, investing in advocacy capacity must mean investing in people. The Association’s advocacy agenda must advance on the strength of the advocates who push it and their understanding of how best to navigate the political context. Priorities for an association’s advocacy capacity should build on its people through continued staff training and engagement strategies. Advocacy success does not require unlimited financial investment, high-powered political connections, or state of-the-art communication tools. It demands people and their passions, equipped with the knowledge and skills to leverage their stories for policy change.

Assistance AALEP offers experienced consulting mentors/coaches who advice and guide clients to help them learn, develop and practice effective advocacy. It is NOT to undertake the advocacy work itself on behalf of the client. The primary goal is to help people and organizations do it themselves and do it well. Services are available on an hourly or per project basis and fees vary according to a number of variables- the nature of the organization (charity versus non-profit versus commercial or professional organization etc.); the length and intensity of the assignment; other details of the service relationship.

Contact Details Christian D. de Fouloy Chairman Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the European Union (AALEP) E-mail: aalep@numericable.be Website: www.aalep.eu Tel : + 32 2 330 51 76 Mobile : + 32 497 48 21 11

DSS Europe marks 10th year with full twoday programme Two-day conference, extended exhibition and matchmaking tool will combine for key digital signage and

DooH event

igital Signage Summit (DSS) Europe 2016 presented by DSF Europe arrives at the Hilton Munich Airport on 23-24 June with a programme offering two full days of digital signage and DooH insight, expertise and technology. It is the first time in the event’s 10-year history that the conference programme has been extended to two full days. An enlarged exhibition area will also be operational throughout. The leading event for digital signage and DooH professionals will return to the exclusive surroundings of the Hilton Munich Airport, where participants will have cutting-edge networking tools and opportunities at their disposal. The overall theme for DSS Europe 2016 is ‘Challenging the fundamentals of consumer engagement – strategies for tomorrow’s advertising, retail and public spaces’. Within that, each day will have its own subtheme. Day One’s conference schedule will explore ‘multiscreen, data-driven and disruptive’, while Day Two will investigate ‘turning stores into stories – best concepts, omnichannel and IoT’. Last year, DSS Europe 2015 attracted 477 delegates, 31 sponsors & exhibitors and 42 speakers. This year – with two days – the event is positioned to achieve even more.

Participants were able to maximise their commitment to the event by using the very successful matchmaking tool, which facilitates new business connections between relevant parties, before, during and after the event. The tool has been further developed for DSS Europe 2016 and will be available to all delegates, speakers and exhibitors. Digital Signage Summit Europe (previously OVAB Digital Signage Conference Munich) is Europe’s leading digital signage and DooH strategy conference. This is the second summit to be held since invidis consulting joined forces with Integrated Systems Events to become organisers of both, DSS Europe and developers of a series of Digital Signage Summits around the world. This resulted in DSS Russia and DSS MENA in 2015, with more expansion planned for 2016. DSS Europe 2016 is the 10th annual edi-

tion of the conference and exhibition event. From its humble beginnings, DSS Europe has become the most important digital signage and DooH conference in the EMEA region. “There are many reasons to look forward to the forthcoming DSS Europe 2016,” says invidis consulting’s Florian Rotberg. “The format, including the conference programme, exhibition and matchmaking service, is the strongest it’s ever been. We’re building on nearly a decade of producing an event that has become the most important conference for digital signage and DooH in Europe and beyond. We’re very excited about what it has to offer its participants.” Integrated Systems Events’ Mike Blackman adds: “It’s set to be a very exciting year for the Digital Signage Summit series and DSS Europe is sure to be a particular highlight. This is the key event for Europe’s digital signage and DooH professionals. We’re looking forward to welcoming them to the Hilton Munich Airport on 23 and 24 June.” For more information on Digital Signage Summits, please visit www.digitalsig nagesummit.org

Finding the Ideal Location for Digital Signage It is important to realize: even interactive touchscreens, with fascinating content, may miss their goal and not deliver the wanted message if… the

content does not reach its destination in an efficient way!

he whereabouts of the device is often considered –wrongly considered!– as secondary by many businesses that deploy a digital signage system. However, it is indispensable to adopt a good strategy when it comes to equipment placement.

duration than the screens next to elevators. In the latter case, we will display “flash” messages and small explicative videos, depending on the circumstances. A few statistics and you will be fixed on this “aver-

Adapting to the “Average Waiting Time” Ideally, selecting a location where the targeted audience will have a “natural” waiting time will yield the best results (queues at the cafeteria, near an elevator or entrance, waiting rooms). These waiting times are blessed when it comes to transmitting a message. To inform collaborators, nothing is better than the lunchroom or any other “natural” meeting place. You will be able to polish and diffuse messages adapted to the average waiting time. A waiting room will allow you to broadcast messages of longer

age waiting time”.

Taking the Sound Volume into Account! In “store” environments, it is a good idea to place the screens as close as possible to the products that they praise. The client should not have to search; the product is directly in front of him. The screen should not be too high or too low. Optimally, it should be placed at eye level. The ambient lighting also has to be set up in a way that the screens “pop out”, that we notice them immediately. The worst thing to do is to “drown” them with intense lighting. The sound volume also has to be taken into account depending on the circumstances. The “mute” message is perfectly possible, and even indispensable in certain cases, as long as it is conceived with this restraint in mind and that the images and the text are enough for a perfect understanding. In certain circumstances, it would be judicious to use “directional” speakers, which diffuse their sound directly towards the spectators, avoiding cacophony.

They Sugarcoat the Pill of the Beginning of Vacations! Vacations are arriving. Halls of airports, railway stations, and metro stations will be attacked

by travelers.

aiting lines, aggravated by evident security measures, will be numerous and imposing, and they might tank the morale of holiday travelers.

Shortening the Wait Fortunately, numerous are the waiting spaces that can “shorten” the wait, to sugarcoat the pill and to make time go by faster, just like magic. However, no magic wand is seen, we just use the best technology available: digital signage. This silent revolution makes a lot of sense in airports. In the past, digital signage was limited to showing the flight schedules, incoming and outgoing. Today, it is present from the registration counter all the way to the boarding station, passing by restaurants and other stores present at the terminal. At the registration counter, they show useful information concerning luggage, weather of the chosen destination, and the path you have to take in function of your ticket. In the airport “facilities”, they display boarding station numbers in relation to flight

numbers, and sometimes have the luxury of showing, briefly, the latest information, as well as putting the spotlight on one of their products or services.

benefit, based on the same principle. We can register our luggage, contract a traveling insurance, or even charge a phone card (or buy one)…

Informing, Amusing, Orienting, Even Securing The digital signage system, working on the network, is also conceived to send security messages, if an emergency arose. The wayfinders, for example, are really appreciated by the public. We find them in large international airports. They indicate which road to follow, but are not limited to this task. They also give an estimate of the time necessary to make it to the wanted gate, which helps the travelers relax and plan their next moves. On a smaller scale, the kiosks strongly

Basically, digital signage, in all its forms, acts as a performant multifunctional tool that can inform, amuse, deliver instructions, in REAL TIME (which means with an incredible reactivity) in a modern environment.

Investing in Digital Signage is Investing in the Future Traditional paper communication and signs are having a hard time. Stores are starting to feel the obligation to switch their traditional ways of communication

for digital signage.

ood news, the time of digital signage systems being really expensive (and the connection possibilities were failing) is well over. Today, it is realistic to write that stores and businesses that do not hop on the digital train… may lose their share of the market.

Make the Audience Participate! One of the greatest advantages of digital is its efficiency to make consumers participate. The majority of people that see a message want to learn more about it and they act consequently. The importance of this reaction is obvious: a consumer that acts is a motivated consumer. Finally, digital signage is… less expensive. Effectively, once the initial investment is done, businesses have in their hands a tool that will serve them for many years. The return on investment is way higher than traditional signage. A recent study revealed that a retail store, on average, Zytronic will use 167 signs (paper, cardboard,

wood, or metal). Their printing and distribution are very expensive processes.

On the Menu: Immediacy! The delay between wanting to announce and the announcement itself is reduced to a strict minimum. Here, we inform almost immediately and the signage can instantly update to the latest message. The information is always fresh with digital signage; it adapts itself to the inventory and last minute changes. The risks are lower with digital signage. An error on paper can run very far, the smallest of typos can have disastrous consequences. Here, with digital signage, errors can be corrected on the spot, as soon as they are detected. Of course, let’s remember that the installation cost of a digital signage system also has the added cost of the creation of initial templates, which can be fed internally afterwards. However, the initial creation needs to be done by specialists. Overall, it is a choice to make. Investing in digital signage is investing in the future!

How to Engage Your Audience Having a video wall or an interactive kiosk does not guarantee success or the engagement of the clients. The best communication tools are only worth as

much as… their content.

ccording to specialists, some rules need to be respected to have all the necessary conditions for an efficient communication.

erage time spent by an individual) and, again, the day and hour of emission.

The Text Plays a Synthesis Role

Pertinence also plays in the type of discourse used. If you can clearly determine the composition of your audience, it’s (almost) in the bag! Obviously, we do not address students the same way that we address businessmen or housewives!

Pertinence and Follow-up

Even if it is extremely recommended to use films and images to captivate the attention of your audience quickly, these two mediums need to be accompanied by… text! Yes, an image is worth a thousand words, but if it is grouped with a few words or a short sentence, it makes it feel more complete. In fact, the text is important since it acts like a “synthesis”, with the goal of “linking everything together”. Without this synthesis, people face an avalanche of seemingly random images and videos. It’s not hard to do: the text can say as little as the name of the product, its use, or a short description. Now, let’s look at the pertinence. It is an essential notion. The content has to answer a

NSH Digtal Signage need or an expectation from your audience. It is the first step towards participation. If the messages are not pertinent, the communication is lost. Pertinence depends on the type of audience, the location of communication devices, the “exposed time” to the message (av-

Encourage the audience to look up information online. Today, going on the Internet for information is part of our culture. The communication must explicitly refer to this (“more information on -internet address-“). The physical store needs to be linked to its presence on the Internet. This can be done in many ways, such as the usage of QR codes or sending text messages that lead to a link. This approach is rich, since it initiates a personal relation with the audience: it opens the possibility, with their permission of course, to stay in contact and send additional information or ask their opinion on specific points that they were interested about in the past.

Fish & chips swim into a digital world Famous Fish by Costi teams up with AOPEN for world-first Google

solution

ustralian seafood favourite Famous Fish by Costi has cast its net over the digital world, transforming its stores with interactive menu boards and express ordering technologies from digital signage leader AOPEN and platinum partner Nuon, that has boosted transaction value by nearly 29%. Famous Fish, a family-owned retailer of premium-quality seafood, is the first business in the world to adopt end-to-end Google Commercial Chrome technology. The recently released hardware and software platform, developed by Google and AOPEN, is designed specifically for highuse Retail and Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) environments. Famous Fish director Jon Sully says the technology investment is part of the company’s commitment to innovation and customer service. «We’re one of Australia’s oldest restaurant brands, established in 1958, and one of the reasons for our longevity is that we continually innovate the business and respond to what customers want. Our shops are high-traffic environments so we needed technology that was robust, responsive and durable, as well as being user-friendly,» Jon Sully says. Nuon, AOPEN’s preferred integrator for Australia, suggested deploying Google Commercial Chrome due to its reliability and security, according to Ian McCall, Managing Director, Nuon.

«The solution needed to be robust and secure, and deployed rapidly and cost-effectively. We chose the new Google/AOPEN Commercial Chrome range because no other platform offers the same level of commercial performance and manageability via Chrome Device Management. Famous Fish was also able to test multiple use cases in a Chrome environment,» Ian McCall says. Combining self-service touch screens, payments and dynamic menu boards, the Commercial Chrome technology is already providing a huge return on investment, increasing brand awareness and boosting customer spend. «Our customers spend far more when they use digital self-service technology via AOPEN’s Commercial Chromebase. At our newly opened Fountain Gate franchise, our average transaction value is 28.7% higher when customers have the autonomy and time to consider their purchase, and order it themselves in-store. We’re confident this will continue, as customers become even more familiar with the self-ordering technology,» Jon Sully says. Famous Fish is also rapidly expanding and being able to centrally manage the Commercial Chrome Devices is key to growth – requirements easily met by Google’s Chrome Device Management. Famous Fish stores have a strong design aesthetic that’s inspired by the seaside. The company also wanted technology that would blend in a stylish and attractive way, and Google/AOPEN Commercial Chromebase products were ideal. Digital technology sits comfortably in an environment that features weathered white timber panelling, beach murals, and miscellaneous fishing paraphernalia.

“We’re very pleased with the way digital sits seamlessly in the stores without taking away any of the personality and history of the brand,” Jon Sully says. Famous Fish, Fountain Gate, in Melbourne is the first new store to feature the Nuon digital solution. Other stores will follow the Fountain Gate blueprint and are scheduled for implementation soon. AOPEN Stadionlaan 151-153 5246 JT Rosmalen Netherlands Tel: +31 73 646 6400 Email: request@aopen.com Website: www.aopen.com