Scene: A video conference screen. This is a meeting of the interdepartmental committee that is planning the long-standing annual industry conference. For the last two years, the conference was held virtually, to declining registration and attendance.
Committee Chair: “Let’s have the next conference in person! I think it’s time, and we can’t afford to lose more participation.”
Another Committee Member: “Okay, that sounds good. But wait, some people won’t be ready to come to something in person.”
Everyone: “Hmmmm.”
Third Committee Member: “Well, I don’t think that’s such a big deal. We’ll stream it. It’s amazing what we can do with technology these days!”
Everyone: “Yay! Problem solved!”
PAUSE RIGHT HERE.
If you find yourself in this meeting, this is the moment when you have the opportunity to make a crucial difference to this event, everyone who will attend, and your organization as a whole. Here’s what you need to say:
You: “Since we are now creating a hybrid conference, with people attending in person and virtually, let’s decide specifically who will be handling the virtual aspects of the event.”
In an ideal world, everyone will see the wisdom of your words, and a new committee will be formed. But what will likely happen is this:
Somebody: “Oh, we can handle it. It’s not a big deal.”
PAUSE AGAIN.
This is a big deal. If you are going to create an event that people will enjoy, remember, and find valuable, it’s very important to think through every aspect of how they will experience it. If you want to ensure that the people who attend virtually will love your conference, you have to dedicate resources to their experience—and that includes people who are going to be thinking solely about how it’s going to work for them.
If this advice seems obvious, yay! I am thrilled. Unfortunately, I’ve heard many stories from people who attended hybrid events virtually, and they all reported feeling like they were an afterthought, at best. No care was taken to make them feel included, valued, heard, or seen. In every case, they said that the virtual attendees started texting among themselves, trying to create the connection, community, and meaning that the organizers neglected.
It’s not enough to set up a camera and a streaming platform and allow the people sitting at home to watch the in-person proceedings. Instead, imagine this event as one that is solely virtual, and think about how you would want to be invited, listened to, and connected with if you were an attendee.
If it’s worth offering a virtual option, it’s worth spending time and money to craft a genuine experience for the people who take you up on it.
End scene.
