- Read our objectives for the event and tell us: what happened actually? why were there differences?
Stated Objectives (i.e. the ones we share with the participants and partners):
* Create the leading thought space for the most senior investors in clean energy and the carbon markets (3-4)
* Celebrate the League Table winners (3-4)
* Provide the platform to enjoy and build the network… (build relationships)(3-4)
- Fabian:
- Create worldclass summit experience for guests (4)
- Deliver very professional and smooth event experience to all stakeholders (especially internal)(3)
- No last minute deliverables (1-2)(participants list - database management) (ML content issues - last minute speech, revisions to the Fact Sheets, questions) (tobi was the only content that was on time)(Andriana part - because we weren't in control of all the bits and strict on the deadlines and sticking to not adding anyone)
- Make sure Susan gets another contract with NEF if she wants (4)
*Susan:
*Breakeven (2) (started too late on participant sales, the sales team was distracted with other quotas other priorities, maybe marketed it more internally or executed, launched the website earlier, save the date earlier) (sponsors were hard to book and lots of discounts) (problem with updating the budget - next year there should be one and controlled internally) (tools - could have posted it on google docs to have it always on time) (online and shared - budget, speaker list, contact list, task list / overviews)
*Professional execution (4)
- What worked? What didn’t? Why?
What worked - Sarah / Heather / Sonali / Olivia supporting.
What worked - introduction of google docs
What worked - having a staff room for the last week
What worked - worked well with Andriana for the summit documentation (the inventory list of what she had and what was missing)(very real time to work on a a shared document)
What worked - Hayley accepted Fabian immediately - no tension / issues. Excellent under pressure at the actual events.
What worked - introducing a new corp identity for ppts for ML
What worked - Chain of command during the event - amazed but it really worked during the actual event. All the sales people really played their roles throughout.
What worked - staff packet - everybody felt briefed and clear about what they were supposed to do
What worked - to have the venue the day before and the dress rehearsal, don't know how we could have done it without it
What worked - having the suite as the staff room - flexibility for us to stay there, work, changing room, make-up, command central
What worked - massage the night before / make-up - resulted in much more professional appearance
What worked - having the make-up guy do the make-up for the girls during the day
What worked - having clear separation and adequate staffing (assts / sheepdogs (not always as effective) ) (Jonas to do ML management) (Bryce with headphones was great)
What worked - have Fabian / Hayley stay on location both nights
What worked - to make it carbon neutral (easier to do it than i imagined, however, we did not communicate it enough) (insist on locations on light bulbs, temperature, waste disposal)
What didn't work - having the moderator (facing the wrong way) look at the producer
What didn't work - at dress rehearsal have all the bits (music / google earth / etc)
What didn't work - the google earth first without music - would have seen at dress rehearsal
What didn't work - tracking the speaker gifts starting day one (and making that the responsibility of sheepdogs)
What didn't work - ML closing his jacket for second speech
What didn't work - feedback form - be more directive. have them fill it in now and we will go around and pick it up. also plan to do it online immediately…
What didn't work - the thank you email should be prepared earlier and go out two days afterwards
What didn't work - too many people talking to Andriana (Jo - Certificates / Angus - bios / Hayley - about the evening / Sarah - light boxes) Instead one person is the filter and does the "Andriana Sitting" - making sure they have an overview (very intense in last three weeks)
What didn't work - Maya thing - cash / location / check it out / go and see it in person (ML - well, i felt really uncomfortable because i am trying to establish a company where women feel respected and do well, and i wanted to talk to people, however, REFF NEVER had a party that cool) (someone like Hayley or Fabian or I should have been there)
What didn't work - team set-up was clarity between Hayley and Fabian (worked well in preparation) (much distinction at the actual event) (Fabian found it hard to split the job because he had set up the logistics and confirmed) (Hayley's role was unclear) (so some things duplicated or different decisions from Fabian and Hayley) (the events needs one person for the logistics throughout - really have someone focus on the Awards separately and be responsible for that)
What didn't work - Close - Susan worked to stop at 3.30 exactly and then ML went on until 4:15 (despite close at 4pm)
What didn't work - too many thank yous… think staff after show party (take down set party)
What didn't work - i would have liked to have had either more back stage room, or a way to leave…
What didn't work -
What would you do differently next time?
Differently - very clear written role descriptions from the very beginning. Jo's role was not explicit..chain of command for the project team from the beginning
Differently - use tools like google docs, wikis, anything that had to be worked on collaboratively, all the notes of the meetings with suppliers, all the shared info, todos, menus, to anything that needed to be shared
Differently - one list for all attendees, speakers, sponsors, etc.
Differently - do internally or with an agency…very distracting for the full company for two weeks and an event company can ease that. Tradeoff - all the people working there are real NEFers, and really passionate but… distracting
Differently - clear deadlines in advance and 3 days in advance… and communicate them six months in advance… pick five deadlines and focus on those
- Any personal comments, notes, suggestions, etc
