CHAPTER TWO

CONCEPT & DESIGN OF EVENTS

 Event Coordination
◦ Regardless of the type & size of your event, you should
establish a formal “event committee” consisting of
committed members who are clear about their skills &
what they are prepared to contribute.
◦ One person should lead the project as the Event
Coordinator.
◦ The event coordinator will need to be:
◦ well organized,
◦ a good leader with great communication skills and
◦ able to generate enthusiasm.
◦ able keep track of the event as a whole & to assign tasks to
the event committee.
 Cont’d…
◦ The event committee may consist of other members
of your organization, members of other organization if
it is a joint event, volunteers & other interested parties.
◦ The size of the committee is dependent on the size &
complexity of the event.
◦ The coordinator needs to lead & make the final call
on all decisions & take on the overall responsibility of
the event & should be clear to all that are involved
with the event.
 Developing an Event Concept
◦ The key questions to ask at early developmental stage
are:
1. What is this event for?
2. What form will it take?
3. When and where will it be held?
4. How will the event benefit participants?
5. What could be barriers?
 Cont’d
◦ In developing a concept for your event you need to
determine the reason you are holding the event.
◦ Typical reasons for hosting an event include:
◦ to celebrate,
◦ increase sales or
◦ to raise money for charity.
◦
 Cont’d…
◦ Once the primary reason for holding the event has
been defined the event manager should then develop
clear objectives for the event.
◦ This may include:
◦ raising a defined amount of money;
◦ having a level of attendance;
◦ converting new customer or up-selling to current
customers;
◦ gaining publicity or creating a WOW factor that will be
talked about long after the event.
 Cont’d…
◦ With a clear understanding of an events objectives, it is
possible to bring together key stakeholders &
brainstorm on the creative of your event including
name, branding, promotional opportunities, the type &
style of the event; date; venue; theme; activities;
entertainment; speakers & master of ceremonies that
you may use.
◦ This is the time to think outside of the square– do not
place boundaries on you or your event until you start
piecing together all of the logistics.
◦ Be creative & if you think you are not creative include
people who are creative.
 Cont’d…
◦ You will now have your event concept; it is creative but
will also meet the objectives that have been set for the
event.
◦ With a clear concept in place the next step will include
planning & budgeting.
◦ Start talking to your event manager & suppliers
including venue, caterers, decorators, and entertainers–
everyone that you will need to utilize to bring your event
together & make it happen.
◦ Is your proposed date going to clash with a public
holiday, school holiday, religious ceremony or other
event held on the same day that will mean your
proposed audience will not be able to attend?
 Evaluating the Event Concept
◦ Timing of the event which is linked to the season or the
weather need to be considered.
◦ Events need to be programmed at very unsuitable times.
◦ E.g. The timing of sporting events & traditional competitions.
◦ Broadcasting the event to international audiences is another
consideration.
◦ Evaluation of an event concept must take into account the
following time related factors:
1. Season
2. Day of the week
3. Time of the day
4. Duration
 Cont’d…
◦ Rain or high temperatures can affect summer festivals.
◦ Events that are scheduled too close to holidays or to
other community events may have poor attendance.
◦ Certain times of the year seems to have an over supply
of events.

◦ Wise event planners take into consideration the time of

the year, normal weather patterns & already
scheduled events that may draw attendees away.
Major Consideration for Selecting an Event
Venue
1. Size of the event (including ◦ An inspection of the site should
the size of the audience) reveal & consider include:
2. Layout of the site & its 1. Compatibility with the event
suitability for the event theme
3. Stage, field of play or 2. Audience comfort
performance area
3. Visibility for the audience (line of
4. Transport & parking sight)
5. Proximity to accommodation 4. Storage areas
& attractions
5. Entrances & exits
6. Supply issues for goods &
services providers, such as 6. Stage area (where relevant)
caterers
7. Equipment
7. Technical support
8. Safety & security
8. Venue management
9. Access for emergency vehicles.
10. Evacuation routes
◦ In viewing a potential event site, there
are three major stakeholders who need
to be considered:
A) the performers- have some specific needs that
are fundamental to their success, likethe level
of intimacy with the audience (distance from
the audience) or the volume of the sound.
B) the audience: has needs, the primary one
being to see what is going on.
◦ The level of lighting & sound, & access to &
comfort of the seats also contributes to
audience satisfaction.
◦ Catering & facilities are generally secondary.
C) The organizers: from a management
perspective, the venue must help to minimize
risks such as adverse weather, power failure,
accidents & emergencies.
 Event Design
◦ It deals with how is the event going
to happen.
◦ The administration of an event
provides you & the stakeholders
with data with which to design the
dream that will produce the
deliverables you desire.
◦ Event manager must make certain
that data identified during research
are used to drive the design &
ultimately to produce the
measurable outcomes required by
event stakeholders:
i.e. Research (data) + Design =
Planned Successful Outcomes
 Inside the World of Event Design
◦ Important considerations when choosing decorations:
1. What will the venue (site, building) allow in terms of interior/exterior
decor?
2. What are the policies regarding installation? What are the policies or
laws of the local municipality regarding decorating materials?
3. What is the purpose of the decor?
4. Are you conveying a specific theme?
5. Is there a specific message?
6. What period or style are you attempting to represent?
7. What are the demographics & psychographics of your attendees?
8. Are they spectators or participants?
9. What are the budgetary guidelines for the decor?
10.How long will it be in use?
11.Which existing scenic pieces can be modified to fit your theme or
convey your message?
 Decor Costs
◦ When hiring a design professional for an event, expect to cover
the cost of labour, delivery, the actual product, & consultation
fee of the designer.
◦ If you are soliciting many different proposals, it is best to outline
your budget range for the project to the prospective designers
up front.
◦ This openness may dictate the selection of products for your
event.
◦ Labour is a major component of design charges because the
designer-decorator’s craft is so time consuming.
◦ The complexity of the design will affect costs, as will the amount
of time available for installation.
◦ Allow enough time for the designers to do their work from the
very beginning to complete the job.
◦ Note that: When purchasing design services, remember that
each designer possesses a unique talent that may be priceless
to your particular event.
 Developing & Implementing the Design for
your Event

◦ Once the design has been developed & the plan finalized,
the two must be merged to begin the implementation
process.
◦ The coordination phase provides us with the opportunity to
see the results of our early labors in research, design, &
planning.
◦ It is also the opportunity to ensure that we preserve the
integrity of our early efforts.
◦ Too often, changes are made during the coordination
phase that affects the outcome of the event because they
do not preserve the integrity of the design & planning
process.
 Purposes of Event Technology
◦ Whether the purpose of your
event is to educate or entertain
or perhaps both, the technology
that you select will help you best
achieve your goals & objectives.
◦ In the conference event field you
may select slide projectors,
overhead projectors, a
TelePrompter, or microphone to
improve communications
between the presenter & the
participant.
◦ The entertainment field may
require theatrical lighting &
special effects.
 Audiovisual (AV) Effects
◦ AV electronic media possessing
both a sound & a visual
component.
◦ Audience size, distance, the age,
& type of attendee are critical
considerations when selecting a
tool.
◦ The right tool will make your task
easier & more enjoyable for your
guests.
◦ Monitor industry publications to
stay current with the latest
technological advancements in
the audiovisual field.
 Themed Events
◦ The theme party or theme
event originated from the
masquerade, where guests
would dress in elaborate
costumes to hide their identity.
◦ Therefore, a theme party is a
party where everyone has to
dress in a particular way
connected with a particular
subject.
◦ An important consideration
when planning theme parties
is to understand the history of
the group.
 Cont’d…
◦ When planning theme parties, the following questions
should be raised:
1. What is the history of your theme parties? What did you do last
year?
2. What is the purpose or reason for this event?
3. Is there a specific theme you wish to communicate?
4. To convey the theme, is food & beverage, decor, or
entertainment most important for your group’s tasks?
5. Remembering that first & last impressions are most important,
what do you want the guests to most remember from this
event?
◦ When selecting a theme, make sure you are certain that the
theme can be communicated easily & effectively through
decor, entertainment, food & beverage, & of course, invitation
& program design.
 Big Theme Success with Small Budgets…
◦ Even the slightest budget can enjoy big results through
a carefully planned theme event.
◦ First, you must decide what elements are most
important because it is not likely that you will be able to
fund equally everything you desire.
◦ Make certain that the first impression (entrance area) is
well decorated.
◦ Next, include a series of surprises, such as a dessert
parade or the arrival of a guest celebrity as your
auctioneer, to keep guests on the edge of their seats.
◦ Finally, share your resources with others.
Five-card Draw: Playing the Five Senses
◦ When attempting to satisfy the needs of guests, remember
that the five senses are most powerful tools- tactile, smell,
taste, visual, & auditory.
◦ The event manager must actively seek to employ in your
environmental design elements that will affect all the
senses.
◦ Just as some guests are sensitive to certain stimuli, such as
smell or auditory, other guests have a primary sense that
they rely upon.
 Cont’d…
◦ Procedures to survey guests to determine their level of
sensitivity in order to create an effective event sensory
environment.
1. Use a focus group to determine the primary sensory stimuli
of your guests.
2. Identify any oversensitivity or even allergies guests may
have that could be irritated by certain sensory elements.
3. Use the draft diagram of the event environment to identify
& isolate the location of certain sensory experiences.
4. Share this design tool with typical guests & solicit their
attitudes & opinions.
5. Audit the venue to determine the preexisting sensory
environment & what modifications you will be required to
implement.
 Cont’d…
◦ Sound scaping - design a sound system & effects that are
unique and powerful enough to capture their attention.
◦ Visual Cues- using proper signs to orient the guest & provide
clear direction (log, graphic symbol, physical evidence,
color, …) for repetitive viewing.
◦ Touch- considering the cloth that will dress the banquet
table, the napkins, or the printed program.
◦ Smell- the use of a perfume, plants & flowers,
to stimulate the sense of memory through smell.
◦ Taste- determine how best to proceed in combining the
other four senses with the sense of taste to create a total
olfactory experience for the guests.

Keep in mind the age, culture, & lifestyle of the guests.

 Bells & Whistles:
Amenities that make the Difference
◦ Once you have established the atmosphere for your
event environment & satisfied the basic needs of all
guests, you have the opportunity to enhance their
experience by adding a few well-chosen amenities.
◦ An amenity is a feature that increases attractiveness or
value of an event.
◦ E.g. gifts at the beginning or the end of the event,
interactive elements such as virtual environments, &
even child care.
◦ Using feedback from specific populations will help you
achieve this purpose rapidly.
 Cont’d…
◦ Identifying the Needs of your Guests- legal, regulatory, & risk
management issues that are uncovered during site inspection.
◦ Implications of Size, Weight and Volume- venue, stage, sound
system and tools of these issues need to be placed on board.
◦ Securing the Environment- police & local security officials will
determine how to secure an environment to reduce the possibility
of theft or personal injury.
◦ Transportation and Parking Factors- proper transportation &
installation will turn your idea into a dynamic event environment.
◦ Entrance, reception & function areas- The reception area create
the first impression, & function area will determine the effectiveness
of the overall design.
◦ Function area is the area in which guests will spend the most time, &
principal message must be communicated to guests in a
memorable manner.
◦ Traditional space designs are currently being rethought.
 CHAPTER THREE
Event Feasibility & Legal Compliance
 Event Feasibility Study & its focus
◦ An event feasibility study is a controlled process for identifying
challenges & opportunities, determining objectives, defining
successful outcomes & assessing a range of costs & benefits
of an event concept.
1) Resources
◦ The three basic resources that will be required are financial,
human, and political.
◦ Each of these resources may have varying degrees of
importance, depending on the nature of the event.
◦ Example:
◦ A for-profit event will require significant financial investment.
◦ A not-for-profit event will rely on an army of volunteers, &,
therefore, the human element is more important.
◦ A civic event will require greater political resources to
accomplish.
◦
 Cont’d…
◦ Therefore, for all events, it is essential that you carefully
research the permit process to determine if the event you
have designed is feasible according to the code within the
jurisdiction where the event will be held.
2) The Approval Process
◦ The approval process may be as simple as an acceptance
by the client or as complex as requiring dozens of signatures
from various city agencies that will interact with the event.
◦ Regardless of the simplicity or complexity of this step, you
should view it as an important milestone that, once crossed,
assures you that the plan has been reviewed & deemed
reasonable & feasible, & has a high likelihood of success.
◦ All roads lead to official approval, whether in the form of a
contract or as individual permits from each agency.
 3. Key Questions
◦ In helping you to determine the
feasibility of your event, some key
questions to ask include:
1. What physical resources are
available (facilities & equipment) or
accessible to support the event?
2. What are the rough costs? (time,
personnel, money)
3. How can any potential barriers be
overcome?
4. Is there sufficient time for planning?
5. Is an event planner aware where any
event is not clashing with another key
event?
 Benefits of Completing a Feasibility Study for
Inaugural Events
1. Assists decision makers in determining if the event concept
will meet objectives & is viable.
2. Provides supporting evidence for recommendations &
demonstrates the strengths & weakness of the event
concept.
3. Helps to analyze the business idea in more depth, providing
greater clarity on the event concept, defined objectives &
key stakeholders.
4. Allows for better, more informed decisions on the event
concept at a logistical, financial, resources & marketing
environment level.
5. Reduces the risk of a wasted investment in-time, resources &
money.
6. Helps reduce the event project planning time.
 SWOT Analysis
◦ Before you begin planning an event, you usually must
implement SWOT analysis to underpin your decision making.
◦ SWOT analysis assists you in identifying the internal & external
variables that may prevent the event from achieving
maximum success.
A) Strengths & Weaknesses
◦ They are the primary considerations & can be spotted before
the event actually takes place.
E.g. on Strengths
◦ Strong funding, Good potential for sponsors, Well-trained staff,
Many volunteers, Good media relations, Excellent site Weak
site
E.g. on weaknesses
◦ No potential for sponsors, Few volunteers, Poor media relations,
Weak funding, Poorly trained staff
 A)Opportunities & Threats
◦ Opportunities are activities that may be of benefit to an
event without significant investment by your organization.
◦ E.g. selecting a year in which to hold an event that
coincides with your community’s or industry’s hundredth
anniversary.
◦ Your event may benefit from additional funding, publicity,
good political image (indirect) & other important resources
simply by aligning yourself with this hallmark event.
◦ Threats are activities that prevent you from maximizing the
potential of an event.
◦ The most obvious threat is weather & political threats may be
just as devastating.
Organizing an Event: Selecting the Event
◦ There are many events that you could reasonably
choose to organise.
◦ Before you start planning your event, think about
some of the different reasons for staging events:
Brainstorm some ideas & Making choices
◦ You need to understand why you are holding the
event the firm has chosen.
◦ The primary purpose for holding the event should
not be simply to fulfil your exam specification
requirements.
◦
 Cont’d…
◦ The event should have some other primary
purpose. What could these be?
◦ To raise funds for a charity or cause
◦ To boost sales at a store or improve the public
relations of a local business
◦ To maximize your profits, if you are running a mini
enterprise company
◦ To boost your career
◦ To help you with your studies
◦ To provide entertainment & a sense of community
to your peer group.
 Legal compliance
◦ It is the process or procedure to ensure that an
organization follows relevant laws, regulations &
business rules.
◦ Certification is a worldwide requirement when it comes
to compliance with legislation covering aspects
ranging from electricity, health, & building regulations
for instance to fire codes, need to be checked
beforehand.
◦ Laws & regulations apply to many aspects related to
the running of an event.
◦ Successful compliance with laws & regulations requires
an analysis of regulations with regard to a specific
event to develop event procedures & related support
documents.
 Identifying Compliance Requirements
For any event, organizers need to meet a range of general &
specific event regulations that include:
◦ Alcohol vs Non-alcohol
◦ Food safety
◦ Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)
◦ Environmental regulations including noise and waste
◦ Security and crowd control
◦ Fireworks
◦ Ticketing
◦ Entertainment
◦ Use of temporary structures.
 Developing Procedures for Event
Compliance
◦
There are numerous documents required by
authorities or governing bodies.
◦ These documents; as plans, applications & risk
assessments, assist in addressing event legal
compliance issues.
Thank you!