Developing Conference Education That Provides Solutions To Customers’ Needs November 15, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Are you treating your conference attendees like commodities? Often conference organizers aim to make more revenue from their event. They are so focused on strategies and tactics to increase their profit that they risk damaging the one thing that makes them unique: their relationship with attendees. Conferences Should… Jeffrey Cufaude reminded me of the fragile … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, target market
Is Your Conference Primarily Focused On Speakers Or Attendees? October 29, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Is your conference primarily focused on speakers? Is it so focused on speakers that it’s become a conference of speakers speaking to other speakers because no one else attends the education sessions? Maybe you’re saying, “No, my conference is focused on attendees!” How To Tell If Your Conference Focus Is Speakers Or Attendees Here’s how … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , adult education, adult learning, adult learning principles, adult learning strategies, andragogy, conference best practices, conference education, conferences
Four Basic Conference Principles You Must Adopt September 19, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Brain drain or brain fuel? Which would you rather create for your conference attendees? Brain fuel for sure! Unfortunately, most conferences are nothing more than brain drains. The Traditional Conference Tension Conference organizers have to balance a common tension: fill seats versus creating a unique attendee experience. Usually, conference organizers land on the side of … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , brain science education, brain-friendly conferences, brain-friendly meetings, conference best practices, conference education, conference tips, conferences, meeting industry trends, meeting planning best practices
Social Media, Social Technology Tools And Social Learning For Your Conference September 14, 2012 by Jeff Hurt OK, I admit it. I’m an information junkie! I’m addicted to learning new information. Learning, My Drug Of Choice Learning is my drug of choice. I get a high when my internal light bulb flashes. With each aha, my body is flooded with endorphins. I consume hordes of information on a regular basis. I love … [Read more…] Filed Under: Experience Design Tagged With: , adult learning, adult learning principles, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, Education & Adult Learning, social learning, Social Media, social technology
Social Learning At Conferences: Moving From Passive Attendee To Active Participant September 13, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Have you ever received the elbow nudge during a workshop or conference? If you’re like me, you’ve even given a few to colleagues and friends. The Ubiquitous Elbow Nudge The elbow nudge occurs when a peer decides to emphasize something a presenter said. Suddenly you feel an elbow in your rib cage as your contemporary … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult education, adult learning, adult learning principles, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, Education & Adult Learning, informal learning, learning trends, social learning, speaker tips
Boring Conference Education Creates Zombie Attendees September 12, 2012 by Jeff Hurt 10, 11, 12, 13… I found myself counting the ceiling tiles. It was the only thing I could do to keep myself awake because I was so bored. I didn’t want to become one of the conference walking dead infected with the boredom virus. I had to force myself to pay attention. But it wasn’t … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult learning, adult learning principles, adult learning strategies, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, lecture, presentation best practices
Three Pitfalls To Your Conference Education Success September 11, 2012 by Jeff Hurt I was extremely irritated. In less than twenty minutes I visited four different conference education sessions. Each of them was a waste of my time. Two sessions were about content that I already knew, even though their session descriptions said they were for advanced audiences. One session had two bumbling, rambling presenters speaking jargon and … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult education, adult learning, adult learning principles, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, meeting professionals, presentation best practices, presentation strategies, speaker tips
Overcomplicating Conference Content Confuses Attendees September 10, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Is your conference content like an encyclopedia, a textbook or a report? Does your conference promote content-centric or learner-centric design? Unfortunately, most conferences default to content-centric design without even knowing it. SMEs Do It Difficultly If your conference prides itself on securing subject matter experts (SMEs) to present information, then consider the following. Your attempt … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education Tagged With: , adult education, adult learning, adult learning principles, conference best practices, conference education, conferences, meeting professionals, presentation best practices, presentation strategies, speaker tips
Old Guard Conferences Vs. Cutting Edge Conferences September 6, 2012 by Jeff Hurt When the winds of change blow, some people build walls. Others build windmills. ~Chinese Proverb Conferences are divided today between Old Guard and Cutting Edge Conferences. Old guard conferences build walls when the winds of change blow. Cutting edge conferences build windmills to capture and leverage the winds of change. Old Guard And Cutting Edge … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, EPIC conferences, participatory culture, participatory learning
Creating EPIC Conferences For Connected Times September 5, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Name two words that describe the web today. Connected and community are two that come to my mind. Conferences Are In The Connexity Business Amazon and eBay say they are in the connexity business-making connections and building communities. Both companies demonstrate that the web is less an information source than a social medium. Conferences need … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, EPIC conferences, participatory culture, participatory learning
