COMPANY PROFILE

CPDdata – working with the conference organiser

CPDdata was established in 2019 by business partners, Adrian Garrett and Kevin Bradfield. The business was spawned by a client’s request to monitor the movement of their delegates in and out of their conference session for issuing CPD points. Key to the request was that the system had to be hands-free.

After much research, without any result, Mr Garrett contacted Mr Bradfield, who owns an athletics timing business and told him of the request. Mr Bradfield has written all of his own software and his system has been developed over the last 12 years. He was able to adjust his system to fulfil the client’s request and CPDdata was born.

Mr Garrett has 20 years’ experience in the conferencing industry, working as a professional conference organiser (PCO). Mr Bradfield is a programmer specialising in data analysis with 23 years’ experience in this field. CPDdata’s main function is the monitoring of delegate movement in and out of conference rooms and events for the purpose of issuing CPD points, but there is a lot more on offer.

How does this all work?

The conference organiser collects relevant data from delegates registering for their conference (privacy agreements are in who then allocate a RFID tag to each delegate and load the information into their system. The RFID tags are married with the delegates’ ID badges and when they arrive at the conference, the delegates collect their badge. CPDdata places antennae and readers in the conference rooms to be monitored. Once the delegate passes the antenna, the system logs them as present. The first entry triggers an SMS and an email to the delegate. Included in the message is a short welcome note as well as log-in details for the delegate’s profile on CPDdata’s website with a direct link. At the end of the conference a CPD points certificate will be added to each delegate’s profile which they can print or download.

Working with the conference organiser, the programme of sessions and their points, are loaded to the system. Should an adjustment to the programme be made, the organiser is able to advise the onsite CPDdata technician, who will adjust the system ‘on the fly’.

Break out sessions are also monitored. Each session or presentation may be allocated points as required. Our system will read who is at the session and what points they need to be allocated.

In the case of international conferences place). This info is passed on to CPDdata with various disciplines, CPDdata is able to automatically allocate different points to different countries and different disciplines etc.

Benefits:

For the organiser, they are able to receive live feedback of numbers per room, as well as other breakdowns, dependent on data provided at registration (discipline, country, age, sex, association etc.). They also get feedback for presenters on their audience, dependent on data provided at registration. They will also have the ability to compare session attendance based on the registration data provided.

For delegates, they do not need to worry about scanning or signing in and out at each plenary or break out session. They are able to see their points being allocated on their profile. They will also have the ability to check their CPD points which were allocated at other conferences monitored by CPDdata. They may print or forward current or previous points certificates. They may focus on learning and networking at the conference without having to remember to collect their CPD points.

For businesses and associations, CPDdata is able to allocate points or attendance

registers per company, division, association, or branch as required. Breakdown of members or staff attending may be sent directly to head office or branch etc. as needed.

CPDdata will happily monitor your conference solely for attendance monitoring or for conference data analysis if that is all that is required.

CPDdata’s system may be used to send out messages to delegates. At the start/end of sessions, delegates passing the antenna will trigger an sms/email message to each delegate. This could be to thank them for attending the session/conference or to remind them of a social event etc. The trigger could be based on any of the data provided (discipline, age, sex, country, language etc.). This facility may be sold to sponsors as a revenue stream for the event.

Due to Covid-19, CPDdata have put in place a simple Covid declaration form that may be sent out and collected prior to the conference. This declaration will be stored on the delegate’s profile or could be forwarded to the conference organisers.

As CPDdata owns and develops their own software, they are able to adjust the system to suit the needs of the client. If integration with other software systems is required, we have the ability to build APIs in order to satisfy all needs.

CPDdata’s systems are web-based and do not rely on any one computer. Data is secure and stored safely on more than one system.

Adrian Garrett

Kevin Bradfield