Start Your Conference Improvement Process With Enrollment July 31, 2018 by Jeff Hurt As conference organizers, we frequently ignore the evidence all around us of what’s working and what’s not. That evidence is everywhere. It’s just that we don’t know what to do with it once we have it. Often our conference planning teams and volunteer advisors follow our lead as we give more precedent to what feels … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , conference improvement, conference improvement process, data based decisions, enrollment to change
Transition Becomes Your New Conference Threshold July 24, 2018 by Jeff Hurt What’s your favorite room in your home? I have two: my front porch with its porch swing and my master suite that looks out into my backyard. I cross the thresholds of those spaces daily without much thought. We rarely think about thresholds. Yet, we spend a lot of time traversing them—both literally and figuratively. … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference improvement, conference threshold, conference transition
Steps To Minimize And Prevent Your Conference Organizational Debt July 6, 2018 by Jeff Hurt To be successful in the 21st Century, we have to become comfortable with ambiguity and contradiction. We must learn to reframe our questions and rise above conventional mental models. We have to embrace experimentation and try new things. We have to adopt strategies that encourage us to abandon ingrained, comfortable ideas and employ new ones … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , Bounty Program, conference experimentation, conference improvement, conference organizational debt, culture of experimentation, growth policy, interest, organizational debt, purposeful abandonment, refactor, refactoring conference organizational debt
You’re Paying Too Much Interest On Your Conference Organizational Debt July 5, 2018 by Jeff Hurt Most organizations pay for it without knowing it. What is it? Conference organizational debt. Your conference organizational debt includes the static roles, traditional structures, outdated models, long-established practices, antiquated procedures and legacy policies that prevent your organization from adapting to evolving markets, technology and society. Your conference pays the interest on this debt in the … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , accumulated organizational debt, conference improvement, conference organizational debt, interest, obsolete organizational debt, organizational debt, refactor
20 Ways to Modernize an Annual Meeting – Part 1 February 20, 2017 by Dave Lutz Most annual meetings have used the same template agenda for decades. They just replace the filling each year. If you want to breathe new life into your conference, and increase relevance for next-generation attendees, start with this kill/change list. Part two of this series will include the remainder of the list. 1. Annual Business Meeting … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , annual meeting changes, conference improvement, conference sacred cows
Grow Your Conference By Becoming An Attendee Action Hero September 17, 2015 by Jeff Hurt You don’t have to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Nor do you have to fly at the speed of light to respond to a conference crisis. Nor do you have to use your special hidden super powers to meet your attendees’ expectations. Instead, it’s more about reliability than heroics. It’s about creating a … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , attendee growth, attendee ROI, attendee satisfaction, conference best practices, conference growth, conference improvement, conferences, listening, long term growth
Your Conference Renewal Begins With Wondering April 22, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Where does true conference improvement begin? The conference revitalization process is probably very different than many of your past experiences. It’s so different that we have to view it through new lenses. By taking charge of your own understanding of conference improvement and transformation, you begin a new journey. You are exploring uncharted territory. You … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference improvement, conference organizer, conference planning, conference planning team, culture of learning, inquiry, meeting planner, meeting professional, reflection, strategy, transformation, wonderings
Triple Loop Learning, The Loop Of Doom And Conference Transformation April 14, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Are you really, really good at what you do? Sure you are. You’ve probably mastered your discipline and expertise. You may even be one of the best conference organizers in the world. Meetings And Conference Success Those meeting professionals that are almost always successful at their work rarely experience failure. And those that have rarely … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference improvement, conference organizer, double loop learning, meeting professional, organizational learning, single loop learning, triple loop learning
Implementing Double Loop Learning For Conference Improvement April 9, 2015 by Jeff Hurt Most professionals, like you, are really good at single loop learning. We have a mental map that we use for conference improvement. We follow standard, prescribed routines to solve typical conference problems. That’s single loop learning. (BTW, single and double loop learning applies to any type of organizational improvement. I’m applying it to conference improvements.) … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference improvement, conference organizer, double loop learning, meeting professional, organizational learning, single loop learning, triple loop learning
Post-Conference Debrief Tips To Improve The Conference Experience October 27, 2014 by Donna Kastner The closing keynote was a big hit. Attendees head home. Your team has worked tirelessly for weeks. And they delivered beyond your expectations. You would love to get packed quickly. You know everyone on your teams deserves some time off now. Gathering The Team For One Final Meeting You think, “If I can just gather … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference debriefs, conference improvement, team debriefs
