2020 AOA National Olive Industry Virtual Conference
NATIONAL
OLIVE INDUSTRY virtual conference
Virtual Conference weaves information web The AOA’s annual National Olive Industry Conference was a little different this year, connecting participants over the world wide web rather than tables in a venue space. Going virtual due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, the 2020 event once again provided a wealth of new information and ideas, while also opening new opportunities for industry learning into the future.
Increased attendance
AOA CEO Greg Seymour said the 2020 Virtual Conference was a success at many levels, starting with participation. “We had 212 individual registrations, compared to around 150 including speakers, sponsors and exhibitors for a ‘standard’ conference in recent times. Given that those attendance numbers have been quite good for an industry of our size, an increase of 40% this year is really meaningful and shows there was a great deal of interest in the information presented,” he said. “Attendance for the four sessions was pretty even too, with an average of 140 for each, so we’re confident that the entire program hit the mark in terms of user relevance and practicality. And we’ve since had good feedback about all the speakers, and about the information presented across the board. “The attendee breakdown was also really positive: there were people right along the supply chain but the vast majority were growers, and a lot were people who don’t usually go to the physical conference or haven’t been able to in recent times. “So while it was obviously a little less personal and interactive this year, the virtual format provided a large number of
industry members with access to high quality information they might have missed out on by not going to a physical conference. “That’s definitely a silver lining in the ‘Corona-cloud’.
Popular format
Seymour said the logistics and practicalities of taking the event online meant a complete re-structure of the usual full-day program format. “We realised that sitting in front of a computer screen all day just wasn’t going to hold people’s attention, so we needed to tailor the material and the way we presented it to suit the format,” he said. “So we decided to run this year’s event as two hour sessions over four consecutive days, each on a different theme - Soil Management, Grove Management, Olives and Health, and Marketing. “We also thought really hard about the timing and what would work best for growers, including working across our wideranging time zones. In the end we designed it to coincide with lunchtime in WA, which with daylight saving meant mid-late afternoon in most other states. It gave growers the opportunity to get a decent day’s work done
and then come in for the conference session. “From the overall feedback, and the fact that it was so well supported, we reckon we got the timing pretty right. And similarly, the feedback has indicated that the two hour duration was about the right length.”
Practice makes (almost) perfect
Changing to an online format meant also getting a handle on the technology involved, and ensuring it worked for people with varying levels of expertise and equipment. “We were pulling together speakers and delegates from across the country, and while most of us had by necessity learned at least the basics of ‘Zooming’, running a conference is a lot more complex than holding a meeting,” Seymour said. “There’s also the issue of differing bandwidths and drop-outs, particularly with the increased online use while so many of us are working from home. “So we decided that the best option was to pre-record the formal presentations, as it allowed them to include good visuals and greatly increased the quality, and then go live for the interactive Q&A and discussion sessions. “Then we had rehearsals, we practised
Issue 118 • December 2020 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 31
