Engaging conferences

How to capitalize on the richness of resources that are present at a conference?

Most people join congresses and similar professional gatherings for new discoveries, stories, and networking. In traditional-style conferences, conventions and congresses (with 5 -10 top-down presenters, and a large, largely passive audience), the most memorable moments tend to happen in the breaks, when participants get to talk to each other, digest the content, forge new connections and alliances.

In a world where engagement and interaction are becoming key, there is a growing field of expertise on transforming traditional top-down conferences into engaging gatherings where participants are invited to actively contribute (beyond the ‘questions & answers’ episodes).

What do participants (and clients) get from an interactive format of a large-group event?

• Inspiration, fun, engagement
• Possibility to contribute their own wisdom, expertise, stories, insights, questions
• Rich networking opportunities (while collaborating in small groups with colleagues they have never met before)
• Time for integration & action planning already during the event
• More value for money:  such events are usually cheaper as less speakers/presenters are involved

What support can a large-group process specialist (facilitator) offer to transform a conference into an engaging and energizing event?

• Co-creation of the event together with client and potential presenters/speakers
• Powerful questions that open spheres of possibility (developed together with the client/caller of the event)
• The process that builds from input-gathering to sense-making (How is this relevant for my context? What am I inspired, or intrigued, to do in the future?) to collective learning of major insights
• Rhythm of day/congress: pace and balance between plenary and small group engagement; between input and integration; between individual learning and networking …
• Tangible harvest of outcomes to be shared with a wider audience (via virtual spaces and social media)

Some ways of making conferences productive, connecting and memorable - in an online, offline or hybrid format:

• Combination of short plenary lectures followed by facilitated sense-making by participants (in small groups and plenary) - using poweful questions and harvesting insights/ideas
• Learning from powerful stories from the field – contributed by participants, in a facilitated process
• Open space format: participants create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around a strategic theme
• Combination of lecturettes, small- and large-group sense-making, and action-oriented processes (i. e., co-creating future projects/initiatives as part of integration and future planning)
• Pro action café: developing initiatives/projects with the support of everyone present
• Combination of face-to-face and virtual engagement
• Interaction with the environment: urban and natural
• ‘Un-conference’:  no guest speakers -  content is provided by participants (facilitators provide the minimal structure needed to serve the purpose and objectives)
• …. Call us to discuss what is possible!

Examples of past participatory conferences and other large-group learning and networking events:

• Facilitation of hybrid participatory engagement at the annual SME Assembly organized by European Commission's DG GROW; connecting 400 participants onsite and 200 participants online (in collaboration with CoCreativeFlow)
• World Health Organization Coalition of Partners expert meeting to strengthen public health services in Europe
• Bridge47 annual global summits
• Association of Association Executives annual conference (as part of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) team)
• Slovenian Chamber of Commerce annual summits
• World of Synergy conferences
• Annual Focus/Umanotera Sustainable Community Resource Management Platform in-person learning and networking events