Events Planning Events Planning starts and ends with a ‘Pen and Paper’!!!!!! By Professor Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah International Centre of Education and Professional Ethics United Kingdom (ICEPE-UK) Extract from the publication: LEADERS AND MANAGERS ALERT 9th August 2005
Ideas for planning events within a corporate context 1.
Study and understand your brief very well. Note down implications for time, importance, emphasis, significance, timescales, key objectives, etc. Also, note how the event connects with the organization’s own philosophy and priorities
2.
Develop the goal of the event from the brief (and your analysis from step 1). Define a clear ‘destination’ for your event based on your analysis from step 1
3.
If possible and provided you have sufficient information in your brief, develop an initial plan that links your goal (from step 2) to the event destination (step 2)
4.
Identify your resources including labour, time money, and donations
5.
Organize a Team and team meetings: Remember to draw on team members’ strengths (e.g. by publicly acknowledging them) as this can lead to motivation and higher productivity. Team members must see the brief and be informed on any allocated budget/resources a. Discuss and finalise theme b. Discuss and finalise administration processes resource identification and access c. Discuss and finalise responsibility schedules d. Discuss and finalise contingencies e. Discuss and finalise dates/time and reporting processing and future progress meetings
6.
Check need for revising the initial event brief and collaborate with the relevant department/designate
7.
Create and agree on a Master Plan which must be well communicated amongst stakeholders
8.
Plan a monitoring map in your diary for the event to ensure good coordination between all members of the organising team and between resources. It is very important to allow for contingencies and caveats so you can take remedial actions in good time to prevent avoidable delays or a complete ruin. Work with a checklist at every stage.
9.
Ensure clarity of event theme or brand and keep to this. Also, ensure the event is able to deliver a Thrill or an X-Factor moment/activity. Give participants something great/nice to talk/gossip about for a long time after their event experience
10. Who else, beyond your immediate team needs to know? Ensure all relevant departments, sponsors, parties or your own boss is provided with timeous and ‘relevant’ (Need-to-know) information. You must also be clear on and differentiate between the Main Event and Ancillary or Minor Event activities 11. Create a Publicity Plan ensuring compliance with legal issues where applicable. Consider security, health and safety, access (including disability). Where food is involved, consider how you intend to 1 | Ideas for planning events within a corporate context - By Professor Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah 9th August 2005
address dietary preferences amongst event participants. You may also wish to create a logo and a tagline (a short, memorable branding slogan that describes the event) for your event 12. Identify and establish Partnerships & Sponsors. Do you need a doctor or health and safety professional to be on the event site? Who is sponsoring the event and in what form? Consider potential ethical issues and how they may affect your organization’s business. Identify local agencies/community groups that may be affected or interested and review any potential opportunities or challenges 13. Pay particular attention to the would-be needs of your main participants. E.g consider parking, travelling/ease of locating event venue, access to obtaining more information/clarification before, during and after the event. Ensuring they are greeted and acknowledged (no matter how small) when they attend/arrive 14. See this as a project with a unique identity that would present unique challenges which you must be prepared to embrace, overcome and learn from. Let this enthusiasm infect others around you and help to motivate all others while having a clear focus on delivery priorities 15. See the event as an opportunity to develop and build and entrench relationship with all involved especially with your corporate team members 16. Show understanding of how the event connects with your businesses philosophy, strategy and priorities and demonstrate this in your communications and dealings with other stakeholders 17. Ensure every organising member is clear on their roles, properly aligned to time, locations/post. Are you wearing badges? Who are to welcome participants and to make them ease into the event? If they need attention, who do they contact? Any special arrangement for the main event facilitators/speakers? Are banners and leaflets stands in place? Toilet facilities checked? Health and Safety procedures? Etc. Ensure every member of your organizing team is aware of what to do if there is an incident. 18. Evaluate after the event a. Thank all contributors (big or small including the event venue managers if it was an external) b. Compare your own reflections and achievements with original event brief c. Assess the impact of the event. Check the extent to which it achieved its aim. Identify what went well and what needs to be improved upon in future d. Consider obtaining feedback from participants and inject this into your learning curves and future models
Events Planning starts and ends with a ‘Pen and Paper’!!!!!!
Starts with a BRIEF and briefing analysis Ends with a ‘THANK YOU’ and another brief – LESSONS LEARNT
2 | Ideas for planning events within a corporate context - By Professor Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah 9th August 2005