Planning for the Meetings of Tomorrow...Planning for the Meetings of Tomorrow: The Present and Future of Technology ... The technologies used by business event attendees and event

Planning for the Meetings of Tomorrow: The Present and Future of Technology

in Business Events

A study on the state of attendee-focused business event technology

conducted by Association Laboratory

on behalf of the PCMA Education Foundation

June 2017

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Association Laboratory Inc. Page 2

Contents

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 3

What does the technology environment facing event organizers look like? ....................................... 3

How do event organizers currently use technology to improve the event experience? ..................... 4

What emerging issues do event organizers anticipate facing? ............................................................ 6

How was the research conducted? ....................................................................................................... 8

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 9

The Technology Environment ..................................................................................................................... 11

What Does the Technology Environment Look Like? ............................................................................. 11

How Do Event Organizers View the Technology Environment? ............................................................. 13

Who Are the Innovators and Early Adopters? .................................................................................... 13

What are Goals of Technology Use? ................................................................................................... 15

What are Barriers to Technology Use? ............................................................................................... 16

How is Technology Currently Being Used? ................................................................................................. 17

How Did We Frame the Issues? .............................................................................................................. 18

Pre-Event Technology Use ...................................................................................................................... 19

Onsite Technology Use ........................................................................................................................... 23

Post-Event Technology Use..................................................................................................................... 30

What are Emerging Technology Issues and Strategies? ............................................................................. 34

Expanded/Long Tail Engagement ........................................................................................................... 35

Transaction Analysis and Automation .................................................................................................... 37

Attendee Tracking ................................................................................................................................... 39

Appendix 1: Respondent Profile ................................................................................................................. 40

Appendix 2: Study Background and Methodology ..................................................................................... 43


Executive Summary

The technologies used by business event attendees and event organizers are rapidly evolving. This

creates tremendous potential to use new technological tools to make events more compelling,

educational, and fun.

However, it also creates substantial challenges. Industry professionals face an overwhelming landscape

of technology options, making it hard to know where to focus resources and how to make various

platforms, applications, and tools work together effectively to support organizational goals and improve

the attendee experience.

This report aims to give business events industry professionals information that can help them think

creatively and strategically about how to incorporate technology into their events.

What does the technology environment facing event organizers look like?

Previous research by Association Laboratory has indicated that while technologies that are consumer

oriented and predominantly visual, such as virtual reality, are popular in media reports, it is the

underlying data and the processes that transform this data into useful insights that are going to have

more impact on association members’ operational and professional environments over the next three

years.

Goals of Technology Use

The study investigated 13 different potential goals driving the adoption of new technologies and

technology platforms. The top three reasons cited by respondents for incorporating new technology into

events all focus on the attendee: improving the attendee experience, making the event more

fun/engaging, and customizing the attendee experience.

The attendee experience drives attendance. By focusing on the attendee experience first and foremost,

the business outcomes sought by organizations, such as increased attendance and revenue, are easier to

achieve.

To accomplish this, the organization must take a market-centric approach in which they (a) define the

different attendee markets, (b) assess what each audience considers “engaging,” and (c) develop

specific strategies to link these two factors to the content, location, and cost of the event.

Barriers to Technology Use

The study investigated 15 different potential barriers to the incorporation of new technology.

Respondents identified development or purchase costs as the most substantial barrier to adopting new

technologies at events.

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Successful technology adoption requires carefully balancing the contribution of the technology

application to the attendee experience with the cost of the application and the culture or learning curve

of the attendee. Thus, assessing the awareness, use, and familiarity of attendees with regard to

technology is critical.

In addition, to mitigate risk, event organizers can use pilot programs at smaller events, or experiment

with less expensive public options (Facebook, LinkedIn) that may lack customized or full functionality but

allow event organizers to understand the potential user applications and frustrations before investing in

more robust solutions.

Another important resource for event industry professionals is to look at the technology strategies of

innovator and early adopter organizations – their experimentation with new technology provides critical

lessons which can be disseminated throughout the profession.

How do event organizers currently use technology to improve the event experience?

One of the goals of the study was to benchmark current technology use. This current use was divided

into three areas:

1. How is technology used to promote the event and drive registration?

2. How is technology used to create a more engaging onsite experience?

3. How is technology used for post-event follow up?

Awareness and Registration

Respondents report that attendees find out about events in a variety of ways.

Internal promotional channels (such as email and the organization website) were the most frequently

cited method of creating awareness. However, external channels (such as speaker promotion or

attendee-published information on social media) make a strong showing as well – 68% of respondents

report that attendees find out about their events via attendee-shared social media posts, and about half

of respondents say exhibitor and speaker promotion is responsible for spreading the word about their

events.

Event organizers will need to navigate a network of external stakeholders using technology for their own

purposes relative to the event. While external channels may be more difficult to manage, investing in a

promotional strategy that facilitates these activities may be an important way to reach, and convert,

potential attendees.

While attendees may hear about events in a variety of ways, when it comes time to register, most

people do so using either the organization website, or the event website via an email promotion.


While potential attendees experience a wide variety of communications through a diverse portfolio of

channels, once they decide to attend they rely heavily on only a few technology platforms. As a result,

the accessibility, functionality, and integration of those platforms is essential.

Onsite Experience

Once onsite, attendees and event organizers use technology for a variety of different reasons. These

onsite technologies are grouped into four categories, based on how they are used.

Foundational Infrastructure includes tools that are essential to the functioning of other technologies.

Wi-Fi represents foundational infrastructure that is a necessary condition of event success.

Site selection must incorporate substantive testing of Wi-Fi accessibility and speed. Efforts to make

access to Wi-Fi faster, easier, and more affordable are critical components for creating an engaging user

experience. For example, burdensome logon requirements or surveys as a condition of accessing Wi-Fi

create negative attendee perceptions of the site and the event organizer.

In addition, fast reliable Wi-Fi is essential for using event apps, communication tools, and other

technologies successfully and to their fullest potential.

Engagement Technologies include tools that provide a window into event information (such as the

event app) and into attendees’ personal and professional networks (such as social media).

While social media is widely used by respondents overall, only half of respondents who are Millennials

report their attendees are using social media during networking sessions (53%, vs. 71% of all

respondents). Millennial respondents are less likely to report the use of social media in general and

breakout sessions as well (58%, vs 72% of all respondents).

While not conclusive, these findings run counter to commonly accepted assumptions and warrant more

investigation. In the meantime, event professionals may want to use caution when making assumptions

about the technology preferences of younger event attendees.

Content Communication Technologies include tools that provide expanded access to content (such as

remote participation and second screen technology).

Currently, there is limited use of technologies specific to expanded content access. The reasons may

range from cost and scalability issues to participant learning curves. However, when looking forward,

respondents anticipate using these technologies more frequently – they may represent one of the most

substantial applications of technology for which event suppliers and organizers must prepare.


Behind-the-Scenes Technologies include tools that allow event organizers to monitor attendee

engagement and movement (such as scannable badges and tracking technology – iBeacon, RFID, etc.)

While only 27% of all respondents currently use tracking technology, respondents from larger

organization and those that self-identified as innovators are substantially more likely to use it. In

addition, it is one of the top three identified emerging technologies. Event organizers clearly expect this

type of technology to be a foundational technology tool, similar to Wi-Fi, that will be essential to the

tasks inherent in business event management.

Post-Event Engagement and Assessment

After an event has concluded, the primary mode of outreach is post-event surveys.

Increasing post-event engagement is an area of potential opportunity for event organizers. While it can

be easy for event organizers to view an event as a single experience and point in time, many attendees

participate in events throughout the year, and these experiences constitute a continuous sphere of

activity in their professional lives. From this perspective, organizers and industry partners have an

opportunity to establish ongoing relationships with attendees.

Regardless of the variety of types of feedback used, respondents mostly agree that the most valuable

form of feedback is surveys and attendee feedback regarding the event overall.

The reliance on old-school, subjective feedback – even among innovators and within tech-forward

industries – may be a symptom of a key problem when it comes to data analytics: difficulty integrating

data from various sources into a usable format. Looking Forward 2017 identified the challenge of

capturing and using information and data analytics as one of the top technology issues affecting

associations. This may be a critical area for event organizers and suppliers to monitor, in order to take

advantage of innovation as it is developed.

What emerging issues do event organizers anticipate facing?

It is always difficult to identify which specific applications of new or emerging technology will reach a

critical mass in the near future, or predict the arrival of currently unknown applications.

However, based on the preliminary data, the following issues represent potential technology trends

which event organizers should be prepared to address.

Expanded/Long Tail Engagement is the use of emerging and integrated technologies to deepen and

augment the onsite experience, extend the event experience in real time to people outside the event

space, and to provide samples of the event content to people following the event. This creates both an


expanded onsite market and an expanded post-event market. Technologies which will facilitate this

include the following.

Virtual or augmented reality and gamification both represent technologies that can create a

deeper, more involved onsite experience, in addition to allowing for new kinds of offsite and

post-event engagement.

Remote participation and second screen technology provide means for extending content and

event access outside the room, thereby expanding the audience and reducing potential burden

on room size and room set planning. Use of both of these technologies is expected to increase

substantially in the coming years.

As the provision of content continues to expand beyond the space and beyond the live event, the job of

a convention management executive will require professional competencies well beyond event

marketing, space and logistical planning, and evaluation. Competencies will need to include content

archiving and organization; technology identification, selection, and integration; and multichannel

content provision.

Transaction Analysis and Automation is the use of artificial intelligence to automate routine

transactional interactions, such as registration. This will become increasingly important in coming years,

as event organizers face being buried under an avalanche of data.

When it comes to the expected uses of automation technology, only one use was identified by more

than half of respondents: registration (71%).

Respondents who anticipate using artificial intelligence technology in the near future, however,

identified a variety of expected uses.

While artificial intelligence technology tested low among respondents overall, innovator/early adopter

respondent expectations are notably different: 43% of innovators/early adopters anticipate using this

technology in the next three years, vs. 29% of all respondents.

Attendee Tracking is the use of technology to monitor in real time the location and movement of

attendees.

The ability to track changing attendee flow is not the same as the ability to actually adjust the onsite

experience. To benefit from the potential benefits of this technology, (a) event organizers will need to

develop onsite decision models to guide their reactions to attendee flow, and (b) event facilities will

need to modify their business models to adjust for more aggressive real time adjustments.


How was the research conducted?

This investigation was conducted using a collaborative research process incorporating three key steps:

• Qualitative online focus groups and in-person individual interviews, to develop preliminary

hypotheses on technology awareness and use.

• A quantitative online survey of PCMA members and other identifiable stakeholders, collecting

valid data from more than 400 association, independent, and corporate event organizers and

industry suppliers.

• Review of preliminary and final research by a panel of subject matter experts (the Research

Advisory Committee).


Introduction

Why is technology use important to event organizers?

From flying cars to the Star Trek Tricorder, much of what used to be science fiction is rapidly becoming

reality. In fact, the business and technology assumptions on which event organizers have historically

created and produced events no longer exist.

In a 2017 global association environmental scan produced by Association Laboratory, 93% of association

leader respondents indicated they were concerned or somewhat concerned about creating compelling,

customized professional development opportunities for their members.

In addition, 82% of respondents were concerned or somewhat concerned about their association’s ability

to ensure the continued value of face-to-face learning.1

As the technologies used by attendees and event organizers evolve, there is tremendous potential to

use new technological tools to make events more compelling, educational, and fun.

This potential also creates substantial challenges for event organizers. Event industry professionals face

an overwhelming landscape of technology options, making it hard to know where to focus resources and

how to make various platforms, applications, and tools work together effectively to support

organizational goals and improve the attendee experience.

What were the goals of the research?

To help shed light on the situation, the PCMA Education Foundation engaged Association Laboratory, a

leading association industry research consulting firm, to conduct an investigation into how attendees

and event organizers are using technology to make face-to-face events more productive.

The project had two primary goals:

1. Identify the forms of technology currently being used to begin benchmarking how technology

use changes over time.

2. Investigate potential emerging technologies and their future application to face-to-face event

planning, production, and attendee engagement.

This report aims to give organizers and suppliers in the association, consumer, and business events

industry information that can help them think creatively and strategically about how to incorporate

technology into their events, as well as ideas for how to prioritize their technology investments and

prepare for future opportunities and challenges.

1 Looking Forward 2017, Association Laboratory, Inc. ©2017


The study explores the relationship between types of technology platforms and their application, and

reviews how both attendees and event organizers use technology. In addition, the study looks at how

certain distinct respondent groups, including Millennials and innovators, are using technology

differently.

Finally, the study introduces potential emerging technologies and explores the implications for the

attendee experience and event organizer considerations.

How was the research conducted?

This investigation was conducted using a collaborative research process incorporating three key steps:

• Qualitative online focus groups and in-person individual interviews, to develop preliminary

hypotheses on technology awareness and use.

• A quantitative online survey of PCMA members and other identifiable stakeholders, collecting

valid data from more than 400 association, independent, and corporate event organizers and

industry suppliers.

• Review of preliminary and final research by a panel of subject matter experts (the Research

Advisory Committee).

Each of these phases are discussed in more detail in Appendix 2: Study Background and Methodology.


The Technology Environment

The technology environment is rapidly changing. Each day seemingly brings another innovation, with all

the promise and challenge that innovation presents. This section looks at the big-picture impact of a

dynamic technology environment and how it impacts all organizations. Next, it looks deeper into how

the technology environment shapes event organizing.

What Does the Technology Environment Look Like?

In 2017, Association Laboratory completed the 7th edition of Looking Forward, a global environmental

scan of the association business environment that introduces some of the most compelling issues

impacting the environment facing event organizers.

More than 300 association leaders responded, including more than 200 chief staff officers from 20

different industry sectors.

The following excerpt highlights their response regarding the technology environment:

According to IoT News,2 “disruptive technologies of tomorrow usually lack widely accepted

definitions and are often invented by individual entities not necessarily responsible for

formulating and enforcing industry standards that govern the technology evolution.”

Expanding on this concept, IoT News explains that “the term “Internet of Things” coined by

British entrepreneur Kevin Ashton in 1999 is often now largely overlapped, confused and even

mystified with the term Internet of Everything (IoE).”

The IoE is comprised of four key elements including all sorts of connections imaginable:

• People: Considered as end-nodes connected across the Internet to share information

and activities. Social networks are an example.

• Things: Physical sensors, devices, actuators and other items generating data or receiving

information from other sources. Examples include smart thermostats, health and fitness

sensors and gadgets.

• Data: Raw data analyzed and processed into useful information to enable intelligent

decisions and control mechanisms. Examples include temperature logs converted into

an average number of high-temperature hours per day to evaluate room cooling

requirements.

• Processes: Leveraging connectivity among data, things and people to add value.

Examples include the use of smart fitness devices and social networks to advertise

relevant healthcare offerings to prospective users.

2 http://www.iottechexpo.com/

http://www.iottechexpo.com/


Association Laboratory, using this definition, explored whether a particular aspect of this

ecosystem had more or less impact on association members.

By understanding which aspects of the future environment have the most significant near-term

impact, associations can inform their members on how best to prioritize their technology,

workforce and operational investments to address or take advantage of these changes.

We added to this investigation high-profile macro environmental factors considered to have the

capability for industry or profession wide disruption over the next three years. These include the

following.

• Virtual or augmented reality

• 3D printing

• Alternative forms of financing, such as bitcoin

The following graph identifies respondent perceptions of the impact of each macro factor over

the next three years.

Association Laboratory concludes that while technologies that are consumer oriented and

predominantly visual, such as virtual reality, are popular in media reports, it is the underlying

data and the processes that transform this data into useful insights that are going to have more

impact on members’ operational and professional environments over the next three years.

68%

66%

52%

49%

42%

36%

31%

Processes Connecting Data, People and Physical Things

Data Transformed into Useful Information to Enable Decisions

Artificial Intelligence

Machine-to-Machine Communication

3D Printing

Virtual or Augmented Reality

Alternative Banking or Financing

MACRO FACTOR IMPACT ON MEMBERS' ENVIRONMENT


How Do Event Organizers View the Technology Environment?

Within the conventions and meetings industry, event organizers are faced with myriad technology

options to help them successfully plan, promote, and produce face-to-face events. How they evaluate

and make use of these options, though, is influenced by their and their organization’s perceptions of

technology.

Who Are the Innovators and Early Adopters?

Respondents were asked about the technology adoption attitudes of themselves and their organization.

The following identifies how different perceptions regarding technology adoption were defined:

• Innovators – The very first to adopt a new technology and explore its use

• Early Adopters – Quick to adopt new technology after seeing an example of its use

• Early Majority – Adopt new technology after seeing several examples of successful use by others

• Late Majority – Adopt new technology after wide acceptance and use in the industry

• Laggard – Cautious adopting new technology even when it is widespread

Innovators and early adopters represent important resources for other event organizers and

organizations – their experimentation with new technology provides critical lessons which can be

disseminated throughout the profession.

The following graph compares how individuals perceive their own technology adoption attitude to their

organization’s views on technology adoption. (Note: for the analysis, we grouped the Innovator and

Early Adopter respondents together.) Respondents think of themselves as more tech-savvy than their

organizations.

10%

34%

41%

13%

2%

8%

28%

37%

17%

11%

Innovator Early Adopter Early Majority Late Majority Laggard

Technology Adoption - Individuals vs. Organizations

Self Organization


A plurality of respondents believe they are innovators or early adopters of technology. What are these

individuals likely to look like? What are the characteristics of innovator/early adopter organizations?

Innovator and early adopter individuals are

more likely to…

• Be President or CEO

• Be the final (solo) decision maker

• Be consultants

• Work in telecom/media

• Work for global organizations

• Hold events in corporate (non-hotel)

event spaces, theater/stadium/concert

venues, or citywide (multiple venues)

Innovator and early adopter organizations are

more likely to…

• Be an industry supplier or corporation

• Plan large events (25,000+ attendees)

• Be in one of the following industries:

Pharmaceuticals/biotech

Healthcare

Computer/software

Telecommunications/media

Professional services/consulting

Hospitality/tourism/food &

beverage

KEY INSIGHT: The larger the number and size of events a person or organization produces, the more

likely they are to consider themselves an innovator or early adopter. Association Laboratory concludes

that these types of organizations have the most to gain from increases in productivity and the ability to

engage larger numbers of attendees in a more personal or customized manner. In addition, more events

10%

34%

41%

13%

2%

8%

28%

37%

17%

11%

Innovator EarlyAdopter

EarlyMajority

LateMajority

Laggard

Technology Adoption - Innovator and Early Adopter Individuals

Self Organization

10%

34%

41%

13%

2%

8%

28%

37%

17%

11%

Innovator EarlyAdopter

EarlyMajority

LateMajority

Laggard

Technology Adoption - Innovator and Early Adopter Organizations

Self Organization


and attendees provides a broader base through which to finance and spread the costs of technology

investments.

What are Goals of Technology Use?

The study investigated 13 different potential goals driving the search for, experimentation with, and

implementation of new technologies and technology platforms.

The top three reasons cited by respondents for incorporating new technology into events all focus on

the attendee: improving the attendee experience, making the event more fun/engaging, and

customizing the attendee experience.

An essential condition for success when evaluating technology is whether it contributes to these goals.

KEY INSIGHT: The attendee experience drives attendance. By focusing on the attendee experience first

and foremost, the business outcomes sought by organizations, such as increased attendance and

revenue, are easier to achieve.

To accomplish this, the organization must take a market-centric approach in which they (a) define the

different attendee markets, (b) assess what each audience considers “engaging,” and (c) develop

specific strategies to link these two factors to the content, location, and cost of the event.

37%

38%

39%

39%

46%

48%

49%

55%

56%

58%

73%

78%

84%

Increase revenue

Streamline pre-event activity

Improve speaker experience

Reduce organization costs

Identify new attendee audiences

Increase attendance

Improve organization productivity

Streamline onsite experience

Create/sustain reputation as cutting edge organization

Understand needs of attendees

Customize the attendee experience

Make event more fun/engaging

Improve attendee experience

What are the goals of using new technologies at events?


What are Barriers to Technology Use?

The study investigated 15 different potential barriers to the identification, selection, and use of

technology.

The following graph identifies the percentage of respondents who identified each barrier. Respondents

identified development or purchase costs as the most substantial barrier to adopting and using new

technologies at events.

KEY INSIGHT: Successful technology adoption requires carefully balancing the contribution of the

technology application to the attendee experience with the cost of the application and the culture or

learning curve of the attendee. Thus, assessing the awareness, use, and familiarity of attendees with

regard to technology is critical.

In addition, to mitigate risk, event organizers can use pilot programs at smaller events, or experiment

with less expensive public options (Facebook, LinkedIn) that may lack customized or full functionality but

allow event organizers to understand the potential user applications and frustrations before investing in

more robust solutions.

22%

25%

28%

30%

30%

32%

34%

35%

35%

36%

36%

40%

40%

51%

68%

Poor reliability of technology

Staff training costs

Poor integration with other attendee technology

Difficulty evaluating available technologies

Lack of interest from attendees

Poor integration with venue/facility technology

Lack of internal competency to manage technology

Difficulty assessing or demonstrating attendee value

Difficulty assessing or demonstrating organization value

Poor integration with other organization technology

Lack of interest from leadership

Maintenance or licensing costs

Cyber security or privacy concerns

Attendee learning curve/resistance

Development or purchase costs

What are the most substantial barriers to new technology adoption and use at events?


How is Technology Currently Being Used?

A primary goal of the study was to identify how event organizers and suppliers are currently using

technology, to establish a benchmark.

By establishing a benchmark, the PCMA Education Foundation can begin to track changing and emerging

technologies longitudinally over time.

To conduct a comprehensive assessment, it was also necessary to identify the use of non-technological

or analog methods used in conjunction with digital channels.

Additionally, since the same technology can be used differently throughout the entirety of the event

experience, it was necessary to assess how the use of technology changes as event organizers lead

attendees through a process from initial communication, through onsite engagement, to post-event

follow up and evaluation.

This resulted in a framework which allows the reader to understand the following:

4. How is technology used to promote the event and drive registration?

5. How is technology used to create a more engaging onsite experience?

6. How is technology used for post-event follow up?

The following page highlights a graphical representation of this framing and identifies key strategic

questions addressed by the study. Each of these stages in the experience are then addressed in turn.


How Did We Frame the Issues?

The study considered the technology use experience as a process that moves from awareness and promotion, through registration, pre-event

engagement, onsite engagement, and finally to post-event engagement and event assessment. The following chart highlights key steps and

strategic questions throughout this process.

How do event organizers use

technology to facilitate attendee

engagement throughout the

event, to improve the attendee

experience and address critical

event and business outcomes?


technology to create event

awareness, educate attendees

about the event, and convert

attendee prospects into

registrants?


technology to continue to

engage with attendees and use

the attendee contact to

continue to address critical

business outcomes?

Creation of Target

Market Awareness

& Event Selection

Pre-Event Post-Event Onsite

What is the attendee experience from registration to post-event engagement?

Registration


Pre-Event Technology Use

Prior to the event, there are three key activities of interest to event professionals:

1. Promotion – create awareness and educate potential attendees about the event.

2. Registration – convert potential attendees into registrants.

3. Pre-event engagement – inform registrants and create initial engagement prior to the event.

Key components of these pre-event activities include attendee marketing, logistics planning, and

advance access to information regarding onsite activities and content. The study identified 15

technology channels or applications primarily used to address these activities – this section looks at the

different ways in which these technologies are used.

Target Market Awareness

The first goal of event organizers is to create awareness of the event among potential attendees.

The following graph highlights the percentage of respondents who indicated they create awareness

through each of the various technology platforms and applications. There were not substantial

differences in the use of these technologies among distinct respondent groups.

19%

20%

41%

47%

49%

51%

51%

58%

60%

68%

69%

69%

74%

78%

84%

SMS/text message

Telephone

Partner/component digital content/cobranding

Speaker promotion

Event app

Exhibitor promotion

Private social media network

Digital advertising in organization publications

Printed, mailed event collateral

Public social media – Attendee-shared info

Digital publication or newsletter

Public social media – Organization-published info

Event website

Organization website

Email promotion

How do attendees find out about events?


These ways of learning about an event can be described as internal and external channels.

• Internal promotional channels are controlled by the event organizer, and include:

o Email

o Website

o Organization-published information on social media

o Digital publications and newsletters

Internal promotional channels are directly controlled by the event organizer.

• External promotional channels make use of networks outside the organization, and include:

o Attendee-shared social media posts

o Exhibitor promotions

o Speaker promotions

o Partner content and cobranding

External promotional channels are informed by the event organizer. External stakeholders

include exhibitors, subject matter experts such as speakers, and marketing partners.

Unsurprisingly, the research shows internal promotional channels as the most frequently cited method

of creating awareness, with more than three-fourths of respondents saying attendees hear about their

events via email promotion or the organization or event website.

However, external channels make a strong showing as well – 68% of respondents report that attendees

find out about their events via attendee-shared social media posts, and about half of respondents say

exhibitor and speaker promotion is responsible for spreading the word about their events.

KEY INSIGHT: Event organizers will need to navigate a network of external stakeholders using

technology for their own purposes relative to the event. While external channels may be more difficult

to manage, investing in a promotional strategy that facilitates these activities may be an important way

to reach, and convert, potential attendees.

Event Organizers

Direct Prospective Attendee

Communication via Multiple

Platforms

Indirect Stakeholder

Coordination Target Market

External Stakeholder


Event Registration

The second goal of event organizers is to convert potential attendees into registrants.

While attendees may hear about events in a variety of ways, when it comes time to register, most

people do so using either the organization website, or the event website via an email promotion.

KEY INSIGHT: While potential attendees experience a wide variety of communications through a diverse

portfolio of channels, once they decide to attend they rely heavily on only a few technology platforms.

As a result, the accessibility, functionality, and integration of those platforms is essential.

4%

12%

12%

13%

18%

19%

19%

20%

21%

22%

27%

27%

58%

70%

80%

SMS/text message


Speaker promotion

Telephone

Public social media – Attendee-shared info


Event app


Public social media – Organization-published info

Exhibitor promotion

Printed, mailed event collateral

Digital publication or newsletter

Email promotion

Organization website

Event website

How do attendees register for events?

Organization Website

Registration overwhelmingly flows

to organization & event websites Response to Direct

Promotion through

Email

Target Market

Event Website


INNOVATOR DIFFERENCE: Respondents from innovator/early adopter organizations are more likely to

say attendees use external channels to register, indicating a more networked approach to registration.

Association Laboratory concludes that organizations using technology more fully are doing so in

cooperation with their external stakeholders.

This places a premium on having a clear plan for using technology as a marketing and registration

platform, with defined goals for direct promotion and registration as well as marketing and technical

coordination with external partners.

The following chart highlights the differences in registration patterns based on respondents’ identified

level of technology adoption for their organization. (Technology channels shown are those for which the

difference was statistically significant.)

.

In particular, innovator/early adopter organizations are substantially more likely to take advantage of

social sharing strategies, using attendee sharing and public and private social networks to drive attendee

registration.

In Looking Forward 2017, 82% of association respondents indicated that developing social media

strategies was one of the most important factors affecting association strategy due to the changing

technology environment.

The research indicates that future events will be planned and produced using a portfolio of channels

across multiple platforms through both direct and partner strategies. Unfortunately, association

executives are concerned about their organizations’ capacity and competency to successfully implement

these strategies.

30%

28%

28%

26%

24%

17%

22%

17%

18%

16%

17%

11%

13%

12%

15%

14%

14%

6%

Exhibitor promotion


Public social media network (Organization-published info)


Public social media (Attendee-shared info)


How do attendees register for events?

Late Majority/Laggard Early Majority Innovator/Early Adopter


Onsite Technology Use

The third goal of business event professionals is to produce a compelling onsite experience.

Once onsite, attendees and event organizers use technology for a variety of different reasons.

Attendees need to learn about event activities and connect with colleagues, content providers, and the

outside world.

Event organizers need to communicate important event information, understand attendee behavior,

and manage the production of event activities.

This section looks at the technologies being used during general and breakout sessions, as well as social

and networking events.

These onsite technologies are grouped into the following categories:

• Foundational Infrastructure – tools that are essential to the functioning of other technologies

• Engagement Technologies – tools that provide a window into event information and attendees’

personal and professional networks

• Content Communication Technologies – tools that provide expanded access to content

• Behind-the-Scenes Technologies – tools that allow event organizers to monitor attendee

engagement and movement

The graphic on the following page shows the relation of these different categories to each other, and to

attendees and event organizers, as a way to visualize the communication process.


Visualizing the Onsite Communication Process

Attendees use a variety of technologies onsite to inform themselves about the event, consume content, and communicate and share with their

colleagues and friends. Simultaneously, event organizers use a variety of technologies to monitor attendees and communicate with them during

the onsite experience. The following graphic representation of this process highlights the key roles of different technologies and technology

platforms.

Attendees

Event App

Acts as a window into

event information

Public Platforms

Acts as a window into the

attendee’s personal and

professional network

Content

Communication

Technology


content

How do attendees use

event and personal

technology to manage

the onsite experience?

Front of House Back of House

(Livestream,

Remote Participation,

Second Screen

Technology,

Etc.)

(Facebook, Instagram,

Twitter, Snapchat,

LinkedIn, Etc.)

(Scannable Badges,

Tracking Technology,

Etc.)

Monitoring Technology


attendees’ aggregate

behaviors

Wi-Fi as Foundational Infrastructure

How do event organizers

use technology to monitor

and communicate with

attendees?

Event Organizers


Foundational Infrastructure

The technology most widely cited as being used by attendees is Wi-Fi – nearly 9 out of 10 respondents

report that attendees use it during general and breakout sessions.

Rather than being a tool in itself, Wi-Fi can be viewed as a basic underlying infrastructure on which other

tools and technologies depend. Another example is device charging stations, which 77% of respondents

say attendees use at their events.

KEY INSIGHT: Wi-Fi represents foundational infrastructure that is a necessary condition of event

success.

Site selection must incorporate substantive testing of Wi-Fi accessibility and speed. Efforts to make

access to Wi-Fi faster, easier, and more affordable are critical components for creating an engaging user

experience. For example, burdensome logon requirements or surveys as a condition of accessing Wi-Fi

create negative attendee perceptions of the site and the event organizer.

In addition, fast reliable Wi-Fi is essential for using event apps, communication tools, and other

technologies successfully and to their fullest potential.

18%

27%

29%

31%

33%

48%

72%

82%

89%

Second screen technology

Tracking technology

Remote participation

SMS/text message

Livestreaming/webcasts

Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi

What do attendees use during general sessions?

17%

24%

25%

27%

28%

44%

67%

79%

86%



SMS/text message

Tracking technology


Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi

What do attendees use during education sessions or breakouts?


Engagement Technologies

Engagement technologies include the specific event app, direct interaction tools such as SMS/text

messaging, and public platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, etc. commonly defined as social media.

These technologies represent windows into the event, through which the attendee learns about specific

event activities; and windows into the attendee’s personal and professional network, through which

they share and receive information.

The study looked at the use of engagement technologies specifically in the context of general and

educational or breakout sessions. The following graph highlights the percentage of respondents who

indicated their attendees use these technologies during primary times of content presentation.

18%

27%

29%

31%

33%

48%

72%

82%

89%


Tracking technology


SMS/text message


Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi


17%

24%

25%

27%

28%

44%

67%

79%

86%



SMS/text message

Tracking technology


Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi



As with general and breakout sessions, social media and event apps dominate in networking and social

events as well. To a lesser extent, respondents report their attendees use technologies that integrate

with social media platforms and SMS/text messaging to support their activities at networking or social

events. The following graph highlights the percentage of respondents who indicate their attendees use

the following technologies.

Respondents report that attendees mostly use social media to post pictures (89%) or post updates and

use hashtags (82%); event apps are mostly used to receive updates or notifications (85%).

While attendee social media use is widely reported respondents overall, only half of respondents who

are Millennials report their attendees are using social media during networking sessions (53%, vs. 71%

of all respondents). Millennial respondents are less likely to report the use of social media in general and

breakout sessions as well (58%, vs 72% of all respondents).

In addition, respondents under age 45 are twice as likely as older respondents to have selected none of

the above when it comes to technologies used by attendees during networking:

Which of the following tools and services do attendees use during networking or social events?

34 and under 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65+

None of the above 21% 21% 8% 11% 10%

KEY INSIGHT: While not conclusive, these findings run counter to commonly accepted assumptions and

warrant more investigation. In the meantime, event professionals may want to use caution when

making assumptions about the technology preferences and perceptions of younger event organizers and

attendees.

25%

32%

36%

38%

68%

71%

SMS/text message

Integrated event technology that posts to social media

Designated areas for networking/sharing knowledge

Scannable badges

Event app

Social media

What do attendees use during networking or social events?


Content Communication Technologies

Content communication technologies represent windows into content – pathways through which event

organizers and attendees can expand access to and engagement with content, such as second screen

technology, livestreaming, and remote participation.

The study looked at the use of content communication technologies specifically in the context of general

and other educational or breakout sessions.

While there are not substantial differences, the use of content communication technologies is slightly

higher during general sessions.

Association Laboratory suspects that the more substantial the content provider (for example a

distinguished speaker), the more likely access outside the specific hall or room increases.

The following graph highlights the percentage of respondents who indicated their attendees use these

technologies during primary times of content presentation.

KEY INSIGHT: Currently, there is limited use of technologies specific to expanded content access. The

reasons may range from cost and scalability issues to participant learning curves. However, when

looking forward, respondents anticipate using these technologies more frequently – they may represent

one of the most substantial applications of technology for which event suppliers and organizers must

prepare.

18%

27%

29%

31%

33%

48%

72%

82%

89%


Tracking technology


SMS/text message


Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi


17%

24%

25%

27%

28%

44%

67%

79%

86%



SMS/text message

Tracking technology


Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi



Behind-the-Scenes Technologies

Event professionals use behind-the-scenes technology in the “back of the house” to monitor attendee

engagement and movement so that onsite activities can be improved or problems addressed in near

real time.

Central to these tasks is monitoring attendee movement and location throughout the event, using tools

such as scannable badges and tracking technology (including BLE, RFID, iBeacon, etc.). These

technologies gather data and help organizers run the event, rather than educating or entertaining

attendees.

The study looked at the use of behind-the-scenes technologies specifically in the context of general and

educational or breakout sessions. The following graph highlights the percentage of respondents who

indicated they use various types of these technologies during primary times of content presentation.

KEY INSIGHT: Respondents from larger organization and those that self-identified as innovators are

substantially more likely to use tracking technology. In addition, it is one of the top three identified

emerging technologies. Event organizers clearly expect this type of technology to be a foundational

technology tool, similar to Wi-Fi, that will be essential to the tasks inherent in business event

management.

18%

27%

29%

31%

33%

48%

72%

82%

89%


Tracking technology


SMS/text message


Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi


17%

24%

25%

27%

28%

44%

67%

79%

86%



SMS/text message

Tracking technology


Scannable badges

Social media

Event app

Wi-Fi



Post-Event Technology Use

The final goal of event organizers is to extend attendee engagement and evaluate participation to

inform future event strategy.

The study investigated which technologies were used by event professionals to sustain engagement and

evaluate their event.

Post-event engagement and evaluation takes the following forms:

1. Direct communication – event organizers use technology in direct outreach to collect attendee

feedback. An example would include post-event surveys.

2. Engagement technologies – event organizers use existing public social media platforms to

extend engagement and content access. An example would be Facebook.

Both forms of communication either collects input or directs attendees to other resources, for example

the website, for additional information or content access.

The following graph identifies how event organizers use various technologies to extend attendee

engagement and collect attendee feedback. The primary mode of outreach is post-event surveys.

When attendees use the event or organization website post-event, respondents indicate it is for a

variety of purposes:

• Accessing information on post-event resources (69%)

• Accessing photos (65%)

• Surveys (63%)

• Viewing recorded sessions/webcasts (62%)

• Accessing information about CE credits or certificates of attendance (59%)

31%

50%

69%

74%

82%

Lead follow-up via other technology

Event app

Social media

Website

Post-event surveys accessed via other technology

How do event organizers use technology to engage attendees following the event?


Post-event social media use tends to be more narrowly focused, centering on accessing photos (78%)

and continued use of post-event hashtags (62%).

KEY INSIGHT: Increasing post-event engagement is an area of potential opportunity for event

organizers. While it can be easy for event organizers to view an event as a single experience and point in

time, many attendees participate in events throughout the year, and these experiences constitute a

continuous sphere of activity in their professional lives. From this perspective, organizers and industry

partners have an opportunity to establish ongoing relationships with attendees.

Event Technology Assessment

The most frequently cited way of assessing event technology is through surveys and attendee feedback

on the event as a whole.

29%

31%

32%

34%

37%

41%

43%

43%

44%

54%

58%

62%

67%

77%

Time spent viewing recorded sessions/webcasts

Immediacy of making changes and updates

Staff time saved by incorporating technology

Money saved by going paperless

Views of push notifications

Data on year-over-year usage

Attendee demographic data

Scanning, tracking, and traffic data

Google analytics

Event app satisfaction ratings

Website click-throughs

Surveys and attendee feedback: event technology

Event app analytics

Surveys and attendee feedback: event overall

How do respondents assess effectiveness and engagement post-event?


INNOVATOR DIFFERENCE: Innovator/early adopter respondents are more likely than their less tech-

forward counterparts to use a wide variety of data analytics when assessing events.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Event app analytics


Google analytics








How do respondents assess effectiveness and engagement with technology post-event?

Innovator/Early Adopter Early Majority Late Majority/Laggard


Regardless of the variety of types of feedback used, respondents mostly agree that the most valuable

form of feedback is surveys and attendee feedback regarding the event overall.

KEY INSIGHT: The reliance on old-school, subjective feedback – even among innovators and within tech-

forward industries – may be a symptom of a key problem when it comes to data analytics: difficulty

integrating data from various sources into a usable format. Looking Forward 2017 identified the

challenge of capturing and using information and data analytics as one of the top technology issues

affecting associations. This may be a critical area for event organizers and suppliers to monitor, in order

to take advantage of innovation as it is developed.

2%

6%

9%

9%

10%

11%

14%

16%

18%

19%

19%

25%

33%

64%




Staff time saved by incorporating technology



Event app satisfaction ratings

Google analytics




Surveys and attendee feedback: event technology

Event app analytics

Surveys and attendee feedback: event overall

Which types of feedback are most valuable?


What are Emerging Technology Issues and Strategies?

In order to help event organizers prepare for the emergence of new technologies or applications,

Association Laboratory investigated potential new technologies and explored the potential impact on

event organizers.

The following graph identifies the top emerging technologies that event organizers anticipate using.

It is always difficult to identify which specific applications of new or emerging technology will reach a

critical mass in the near future, or predict the arrival of currently unknown applications.

However, based on the preliminary data, the following issues represent potential technology trends

which event organizers should be prepared to address:

• Expanded/Long Tail Engagement – the use of emerging and integrated technologies to continue

expanding access to content outside of the hall or event and to lengthen the amount of time

that content is available post-event.

• Transaction Analysis and Automation – the use of artificial intelligence to automate routine

transactional interactions, such as registration.

• Attendee Tracking – the use of technology to monitor in real time the location and movement

of attendees.

The following sections expand on each of these areas in more detail.

19%

29%

37%

39%

50%

55%

67%

Automation technology

Artificial intelligence to analyze data

Gamification technology

Virtual or augmented reality


Tracking technology (attendee flow mapping)


What technologies do respondents anticipate using within the next three years?


Expanded/Long Tail Engagement

Emerging technology will provide event organizers with substantial capabilities to deepen and augment

the onsite experience, extend the event experience in real time to people outside the event space, and

to provide samples of the event content to people following the event. This creates both an expanded

onsite market and an expanded post-event market.

Deeper Engagement

Virtual or augmented reality and gamification both represent technologies that can create a deeper,

more involved onsite experience, in addition to allowing for new kinds of offsite and post-event

engagement. The following chart highlights the percentage of respondents who indicate they will be

using virtual or augmented reality and gamification within the next three years.

19%

29%

37%

39%

50%

55%

67%









Post-Event Onsite

In-Room

Attendance

Outside

Room

Outside

Event

Long Tail of Post-Event

Engagement


Of the respondents who anticipate using virtual or augmented reality in the next three years, most

expect to use it for content presentations, both onsite (67%) and offsite (55%). In addition, over three-

fourths of respondents who expect to use gamification within the next three years anticipate using it to

encourage tradeshow floor participation and attendance (77%) or to encourage social activity or

professional networking (76%).

Expanded Audience Reach

Remote participation and second screen technology provide means for extending content and event

access outside the room, thereby expanding the audience and reducing potential burden on room size

and room set planning. Use of both of these technologies is expected to increase substantially in the

coming years.

Post-Event Engagement

The use of digital presentation technology creates a record of content provision and, where used, of

audience interaction (such as question/answer session transcripts or recordings).

This creates a library of content that can be extended beyond the event itself.

As the use of digital archiving and virtual or augmented reality becomes more common, event

professionals’ capability to extend the reach of the event to audiences following live production will

increase.

KEY POINT: As the provision of content continues to expand beyond the space and beyond the live

event, the job of a convention management executive will require professional competencies well

beyond event marketing, space and logistical planning, and evaluation. Competencies will need to

include content archiving and organization; technology identification, selection, and integration; and

multichannel content provision.

19%

29%

37%

39%

50%

55%

67%










Transaction Analysis and Automation

From registration to CEU tracking to hotel check-in, a wide variety of activities surrounding event

attendance are necessary for a successful event but provide relatively little added value to the attendee.

In addition, as audiences expand due to technologies such as remote participation, and as data on

attendee activities increases due to the increased application of tracking technology, event organizers

will be potentially buried under an avalanche of data.

A potential technology solution to this problem is the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The following charts indicates that event organizers view AI as an emerging technology they anticipate

using to help automate low value transactions and assist with the understanding of the vast amounts of

data collected prior to, during, and following the event.

The study looked specifically at potential uses of automation and AI technology.

When it comes to the expected uses of automation technology, only one use was identified by more

than half of respondents: registration (71%).

Respondents who anticipate using artificial intelligence technology in the near future, however,

identified a variety of expected uses, as show in the graph below:

19%

29%

37%

39%

50%

55%

67%









11%

58%

61%

61%

66%

70%

Not sure

Monitor onsite traffic flow for onsite configuration changes

Monitor exhibit floor traffic flow for configuration changes

Monitor social media for event marketing

Monitor registrations for onsite configuration changes

Automate marketing or promotion activities

How do respondents anticipate using artificial intellegence technology?


INNOVATOR DIFFERENCE: While artificial intelligence technology tested low in general, innovator/early

adopter respondent expectations are particularly divergent from respondents as a whole: 43% of

innovators/early adopters anticipate using this technology in the next three years, vs. 29% of all

respondents.

39%

19%

37%

55%

50%

29%

44%

25%

44%

66%

63%

43%


Automation technology to replace human transactions


Tracking technology for attendee flow mapping




Innovator/Early Adopters All Respondents


Attendee Tracking

Historically, event organizers developed an onsite plan for room sets, food & beverage, and logistics that

was difficult to alter if the attendance or attendee movements differed substantially from original

estimates.

Emerging technologies related to attendee tracking are anticipated to give event organizers the ability

to adapt more effectively, in real time, to changing onsite conditions.

KEY POINT: The ability to track changing attendee flow is not the same as the ability to actually adjust

the onsite experience. To benefit from the potential benefits of this technology, (a) event organizers will

need to develop onsite decision models to guide their reactions to attendee flow, and (b) event facilities

will need to modify their business models to adjust for more aggressive real time adjustments.

19%

29%

37%

39%

50%

55%

67%










Appendix 1: Respondent Profile

The PCMA Education Foundation invited PCMA members and non-members in their database to

participate in the survey via email. Of the 445 usable responses received, 75% were from PCMA

members.

Event organizers account for 75% of

responses, with the remainder being

industry suppliers. Thirty-seven

percent of respondents work for a

trade or professional association;

21% are independent, AMC, or 3rd

party event organizers, and 11% are

corporate event organizers.

Respondents tend to be experienced professionals—almost 60% of respondents are at the Director, VP,

or President/CEO level. A majority of respondents make the final decision regarding technology use in

their events (alone or as part of a team).

13% 14%

32% 32%

6%

CEO/President Vice President Director Manager Coordinator

Current Position

15%

44%36%

5%

Final Decision (Solo) Final Decision (Team) Recommend/EvaluateOnly

Not Involved

Level of Involvement in the Technology Decision Process

37%

22%

21%

11%

3%

Association

Industry Supplier

Independent/AMC/3rd Party

Corporate

Government/Charitable

Type of Organization


Respondents represent a broad range of industries, led by healthcare (47% of respondents), professional

services/consulting (35%), and education (33%).

Half of respondents represent organizations with an annual revenue of $10 million or more.

18%

19%

19%

21%

21%

25%

27%

33%

35%

47%

Energy, oil, or gas industry

Manufacturing

Telecommunications & media

Consumer goods & services

Computer/software

Pharmaceuticals & biotechnology

Hospitality, tourism, and food/beverage

Education

Professional services/consulting

Healthcare

Industry Represented - Top 10

7%

4%

6%

15%

11%

8%

7%

9%

9%

25%

<$250,000

$250,000 – $499,999

$500,000 – $999,999

$1 million – $2.4 million

$2.5 million – $4.9 million





More than $50 million

Organization Annual Revenue


Respondents organize events that range in size.

About half of respondents work on events with 2,500+ attendees; 26% organize events with 10,000 or

more attendees, while 21% organize events with fewer than 500 attendees.

A majority of respondents hold their events at hotels (79%) or convention/conference centers (75%).

7%

14% 14% 16%

10%12% 13% 13%

Number of Attendees at Largest Event (Past 12 Months)

14%

16%

28%

30%

33%

75%

79%

University classroom

Theater, stadium, or concert venue

Onsite at a company’s offices

Corporate event space (non-hotel)

Citywide event (multiple venues)

Convention/conference center

Hotel

Event Facilities


Appendix 2: Study Background and Methodology

The goal of this research was to identify how attendees and event organizers at conventions, trade

shows, and other face-to-face events are using technology to facilitate their business, professional, and

networking needs.

By understanding how technology is being used by attendees, event organizers and representatives of

the convention services and hospitality industries can create plans to adapt to these technologies,

mitigate risk, and use technology more creatively and strategically.

This research serves two primary purposes:

1. Benchmarking: identify how business event attendees are currently interacting with technology,

to establish a baseline from which to monitor future changes

2. Discover emerging trends: identify what technologies and technology-related changes are on

the horizon, to allow event organizers to begin monitoring and preparing for these changes

Methodology

This investigation was conducted using a collaborative research process incorporating:

• Qualitative online and in-person focus groups

• A quantifiable online survey of PCMA members and other identifiable stakeholders

• A panel of subject matter experts (the Research Advisory Committee)

Each of these phases are discussed in more detail below.

Qualitative Phase

Qualitative research for this project was conducted in December 2016 and January 2017 via two 90-

minute online focus groups and one in-person focus group, composed of PCMA event organizer

members.

Participants discussed how attendees use technology before, during, and after business events, as well

as their interests and expectations for technology use in the future. They also discussed ways of

assessing the value of technology, rollout processes and reactions to new tech, and barriers to adopting

new technology. The findings provided an outline of key technologies and technology-related issued

facing the business events industry, which was used to develop the quantitative survey.


Quantitative Phase

Following the qualitative phase, Association Laboratory created and fielded a quantitative survey to

validate and prioritize the initial conclusions on current and emerging uses of technology.

Via email, PCMA invited members and non-members from their database, including event organizers

and industry suppliers. The survey was accessible via computer, tablet, or mobile device. Data collection

took place in late March/early April 2017 and a total of 445 usable responses were received. Analysis

was conducted in April/May 2017.

Research Advisory Committee

A Research Advisory Committee (RAC) of subject matter experts was convened to review collected data

and provide insights into its meaning and use. The RAC provided input after both the qualitative and

quantitative phases of the research, and included a diverse group of individuals representing the

spectrum of face-to-face events.

Special thanks to the individuals who participated in the RAC:

Name Title Organization

Martin Bay Meetings Operations & Procurement Kellen

Dahlia El Gazzar Idea Igniteur + Tech Evangelist DAHLIA+

Tony Lorenz CEO AlliedPRA

Carol McGury Executive Vice President,

Event and Education Services

SmithBucklin Corporation

Donald Neufuss Director, Business Development PRG

Lise Puckorius CEO OLC Education and Conference Center

Stacey Tetschner Former CEO National Speakers Association

Johnnie White Senior Director,

Global Education, Meetings and

Strategic Partnerships

American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head

and Neck Surgery

Documents

Planning for the Meetings of Tomorrow...Planning for the Meetings of Tomorrow: The Present and Future of Technology ... The technologies used by business event attendees and event