21 Aug Designing an Event? Ask These 7 Questions
Be mindful and deliberate in your event design. Make sure every piece is thought through and serves a purpose.
When designing an event, it’s important to spend some time considering what you want to achieve. That should be top of mind when considering all the aspects of an event, from venue to presenters to food and beverage. To jump-start your design efforts, ask yourself these seven questions.
- What is the purpose of the event? Determining the purpose is the first step in putting together an event. Is this meeting about sharing a message, celebrating an achievement, creating networking opportunities, or training on a new product or service? Ideally, the event will spark some sort of action or change—what should that be?
- What type of event is being held? The type of event should guide every decision. For instance, you wouldn’t want to organize a circus in a downtown business hotel. And unless your business event is to have a festive tone, you may not want to serve carnival-style food.
- Who is the intended audience? Is the event for seasoned business professionals or youthful millennials? Understanding your meeting demographics will guide decisions on designing on the tone and tempo of the vent.
- When will the event be held? Timing can impact cost, availability, and many other options when designing an event. If your event is seasonal, planning may need to be done well in advance.
- What is the budget? The budget defines the parameters for the event. It helps determine everything from venue to features such as activities, food and drink, and speakers.
- Where will the event be held? This is a key decision, one that relies on understanding the purpose, event type, and intended audience. Once you understand those components, then comes the challenge of finding a venue that is within budget and yet has the capacity, amenities, and atmosphere to match the purpose.
- What resources are available? Resources range from human capital expertise and manpower to vendors and established protocols. Determining what resources are available first can then help with resource selection based on budget.
Keep in mind during the design phase that the key to a memorable event is to appeal to the five senses. As you work through each of these questions, remember to target those answers that elevate a sensory experience, and you’re sure to have a winning event.
Jennifer D. Collins is the founder, President, and CEO of JDC Events. She is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Digital Events Strategist (DES) and well known events industry thought leader. She is Vice Chair of the Board for WBEC Metro NY and WBEC Greater DMV, a member of the Women’s Presidents Organization (WPO), and the Author of Events Spark Change: A Guide to Designing Powerful and Engaging Events.