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Lights, Camera, Action!
by Melody Allison
Everyone loves a good conference program, a chance to get out and learn about new things, network, and have fun. But what goes on "behind the scenes," as the conference planning committee plots to create a good program experience?
Steps To a Successful Program
1. Create a working group.
It is always nice to have people with experience on board. However, group members with no program planning experience -- but lots of enthusiasm and creativity -- can utilize their previous positive and negative audience experiences to enhance the program. The group coordinates group activities, making everyone's job easier while staying within the allotted budget.
2. Select a topic.
A good topic will be of value to the audience and promote the organization. Consider the organization's mission, values, and scope and make sure that the topic matches. What is happening currently which would provide a meaningful experience for the audience? Pick a title that will stick in people's minds.
3. Line up your speaker(s).
Determine who your speaker(s) will be. Will an honorarium and/or reimbursement of transportation, housing, or other items be required? What kind of arrangements does the speaker require or prefer? If the program plan includes audiotaping or videotaping, each participant must agree and read, understand, and sign the appropriate release/permission form(s).
4. Settle on the program location.
A good program can leave a negative impression if the audience was uncomfortable, couldn't hear the speaker, or was distracted by noise, heat, interruptions, and so on. See what the conference provides for free and what it provides for a fee (e.g.: water, pencils/pens, paper, tables, equipment, signage, etc.). Get this in writing. Is the location accessible to people with disabilities? A number of logistical decisions need to be made, such as room and equipment setup. It is highly advisable to have microphones available. There is nothing more frustrating to audience members than to be really interested in a program topic that they can't hear.
5. Determine the program format.
Having a clear agenda keeps everyone on track. A typical outline includes five segments: Welcome, Announcements, Introduction of Speaker(s), Questions & Answers (Q&A), and Closing Remarks. The working group will need to decide what announcements and closing remarks are appropriate. Each speaker needs to provide background information on his or her professional background and topic, which can also be used in advertising. Having both index cards and floor microphone for the Q&A session can make participation available to more people.
6. Provide helpful handouts.
Agendas should include all pertinent program information, including complete program title, location, date, organization name and contact, and brief speaker and working group details, along with the agenda. Speaker handouts with bibliographies can provide information so that the attendee can focus more on the speaker and less on taking notes. Handouts are intellectual property and must be accorded the protections of any copyrighted material. A program evaluation will be very helpful to get a pulse on program attributes, to get new ideas for topics, and to disseminate recruitment contacts for your organization. A rule of thumb -- if you want the handouts to get to the program, have the person who prints them bring them. Just in case "something happens," be sure to have sample ones that can be printed or copied in an emergency. Keep copies of all handouts for archival purposes.
7. Advertise the program.
Effective advertising can be done at little or no cost. Having an accessible web page is a must. Getting the web page done early in the process will allow the URL to be included with all your PR materials and communications. Keep in mind copyright and privacy issues; always get written permission using appropriate release forms before posting others' materials. Professional newspapers, newsletters, discussion lists, and activities are effective ways to get the word out. For some programs, free community service TV and radio advertisements might be useful. Be sure to include contact information for accommodations requests from audience members with disabilities in all PR.
8. Coordinate the big day.
Moderator details: Before the program, the moderator makes plans for how the agenda will flow. There are some individuals who are never at a loss of words; all they may need is minor prompting. But there is no shame in creating a script, either to use or to have as a prompt.
Environmental details: It is essential that the working group members get to the site at least an hour early to allow time for any unforeseen circumstances. Getting there early will give you a little time to correct adverse situations. The working group needs to make sure there is signage identifying the program, and organize the handout distribution, collection of evaluations, etc.
Housekeeping details: After the program, there will be various activities to tie up the event. This may include tabulating evaluation forms and summarizing, reports, reimbursements, and PR to describe the event. It is always gracious to give everyone involved a personal thank you letter. Providing the program evaluation summary to the speaker(s) is a nice touch so they know how the audience responded. It is also gracious, in cases where no honorarium has been paid, to provide a gift as token of the experience.
Successful program planning boils down to three things. Remember your own experiences as an audience member, do the things that made it a good experience for you, and avoid the things that made for bad past experiences. The goal is to do everything that can be done to put the speakers, and your organization, in the best possible light. The tips in this article can help you set the stage for a successful program. Now, go turn on the "Lights, Camera, Action!"
Melody Allison graduated with a MS in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in 1998. She has just taken a position as Assistant Librarian and Assistant Professor of Library Administration in the Biology Library at UIUC, after 3.10 years as Information Services Librarian at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN. She is active in the ALA New Members Round Table (NMRT) and is currently the Conference Coordinator/Chair of Conference Coordinating Taskforce for the Midwinter and Annual Meetings 2003.