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
These Three Society Changes Affect Your Conference Planning September 4, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Those born on or after 1962 have witnessed three major culture shifts. These shifts set them apart from older generations. It also creates new challenges for those trying to create conference experiences for multiple generations. Everyone’s expectations are different. Three Major Society Shifts Since 1962 Conference organizers need to acknowledge that the needs of their … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Planning Tagged With: , association issues and challenges, association trends, conference education, conference learning model, conferences, EPIC, meeting industry trends, participatory conferences
Metaphors, Stories And Images Are Important For Conferences: The I In EPIC Conferences August 30, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Try this. Next time you are in the grocery store, ask the seafood clerk for fresh sardines. Guess what most seafood clerks say? “There is not really one fish called a sardine.” Most of us are used to seeing sardines in a can. In reality, the name applies to twenty-one species of small fish that, … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, EPIC conferences, participatory culture, participatory learning
Considering The Learning Journey At Conferences August 29, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Many years ago I taught school during the day and high school dropouts preparing for their GED exam at night. It was a grueling schedule. Yet, it was extremely rewarding. On The Road To GED Every evening, after a long day of teaching, I spent another five hours on my second job at Students For … [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
Juice Up Your Conference App August 27, 2012 by Dave Lutz It’s time to juice up your attendees’ conference experience with a mobile app. The best built-for-purpose conference apps provide a seamless and user-friendly experience that can be customized by the attendee. Conference Mobile Apps Here To Stay Built-for-purpose conference apps have hit the fast-follower stage. In fact, most major conferences are in their second or … [Read more…] Filed Under: Event Technology, Experience Design Tagged With: , conferences, event mobile apps, event technology, mobile, social technology for events, tradeshow technology, Web 2.0
Creating Participatory Conferences, The P In EPIC August 23, 2012 by Jeff Hurt Do you remember Pop Rocks candy? It was the candy that exploded and jumped in your mouth. Or perhaps you recall Zotz, the candy that fizzed in your mouth. Interactive Candy If you walk the aisles of a local department store today, you’ll find a new host of interactive candies. You’ll see Armageddon Asteroids, Big … [Read more…] Filed Under: Conference Education, Experience Design Tagged With: , conference best practices, conference education, conferences, participatory culture, participatory learning
