b'18 Member News March 2021Digital futures: the switch to a virtual platformThe switch to digital: kinds of contingency plans are needed for virtual events due to this unpredictability. No matter how many A pivotal year for practice runs, there could still be technical issues that effect schedules. The right hosts for any event are very important, they need to be natural in the events industry person as well as on camera to lead the event, particularly when theres no live audience reaction to bounce off.Full livestreams arent as sustainable for technical crew, hosts or indeed the As the world continues to adjust in response tovirtual audience. To combat this, parts of speeches can be pre-recorded followed the Covid-19 pandemic, there is no denying thatby full live Q&A sessionsthe interactive many industries and sectors have dealt with itselement for audience engagement.Across the industry, there are still mixed unprecedented impact across the world.reviews on the pivot to virtual. Although the face-to-face element may be lost The events industry was brought to aHowever, as event professionals, wewith virtual events, there is one key standstill in 2020, with venues closinghave to remember that our audience haspositive to remember: anyone can join in.their doors and events and conferencesalso been thrust into this virtual world; being postponed indefinitely orengagement is key. So, how have our cancelled entirely. In what can beevents team mitigated this as well as Whats the permanent described as a major shift, the switchany other challenges? solution?to a virtual environment has provided an innovative solution, temporary orLike the rest of the industry, were otherwise, for many events. The challenges in the facestill learning as we go. Virtual events allow for a much largerof virtual adversity With the hard work, collaboration attendance on a global scale, can be costand dedication from our events and time-effective, and without the needWith potential for bad WiFiteam, we were able to host some for shipping collateral and travelling, haveconnections, power cuts and technicalincredible events, virtually, in 2020. very low environmental impact.faults beyond our control, different CIRED 2020 Workshop Still a very newspeaking. This can experience for many,help take away the goal for thethe pressure some The CIRED Workshop, originally to be held in Berlin,team was to provideguests may feel an informative andabout having to turn Germany, was our first big conference to make theinteractive virtualon their camera and transition to a virtual delivery. The online workshop allowedenvironment ashave a conversation.guests to meet the global transmission and distributionmuch as possible.In addition to meeting Arguably, a key point community without needing to travel. of any conference,vendors at the virtual virtual or physical,exhibition, guests were On 22-23 Septemberis to network. Withinvited to participate in 2020, the onlinea virtual networkingthe CIRED Challenge, conference includedfunction on thewhere points were won talks from leadingplatform, guests hadas they moved through speakers with live Q&A,the opportunity to bethe conference. With video networking andplaced in groups forthis added element group discussion forums,timed discussions.of gamification, by CIREDs famous posterapplying points to tours with enhancedThere was also theactivities, it helps to video and audiooption for text-basedboost and maintain commentary, a virtualchats if guests didntengagement amongst The virtual Exhibition Hall at the CIRED 2020 Workshop exhibition, and more.feel comfortableall guests.'