Gemma Mackle of Berlin-based Morressier began her IMEX session by emphasizing that even though academic conferences are the most likely to benefit from meetings and events technology, they are often the least likely to invest resources in it.
According to Mackle, something as simple as encouraging attendees to share information using the conference hashtags can have a significant impact. “If you have 6,000 attendees, you can potentially get at least 6,000 shares about the types of research available. Attendees organically share information and this is free marketing for your event.”
In terms of making a financial investment in an academic conference, sometimes using technology can save money and pay off in different ways. Mackle cites chatbots as a way of reducing the amount of staff required at an event. Simply having signs with a number to text for simple questions can provide your attendees with the Wi-Fi code, directions to rooms, and session schedules. The data collected from those queries can indicate issues that need to be addressed for your next conference, including better signage and more information at registration. Mackle also suggested that having SMS-based communication evens the playing field for attendees who are shy or perhaps international attendees who worry about being understood.
Mackle said, “Changing from an offline world to an online world can have great benefits, and it is often not money that is holding planners back.” Sometimes the problem in adopting technology lies with the board of directors; other times the attendees and contributors are afraid of change.
One of the biggest issues surrounding academic conferences that Mackle brought up was the posters section of an event. Posters take up a large amount of conference real estate and are difficult to navigate for attendees. Meeting planners spend a long time determining how to group them—by topic, research stage, organization or contributor—and having them arrive sometimes by mail and sometimes with the attendees can complicate and slow down setup.
Using eposters means contributors can simply upload a PDF instead of taking it to a copy shop and then risk having it lost in the mail or on a plane. Eposters can be displayed on rented iPads or large screens allowing attendees to scroll through them easily. Mackle explained that some contributors are concerned that eposters are not private, but viewing stations can be password protected for attendees only, and a smaller viewing area can be more easily secured. Mackle also points out to nervous poster contributors that anyone can use a phone to take a photo of a paper poster, so traditional methods of presentation are no more private than digital ones. Mackle gave the example of one conference where 7,000 eposters were submitted and made available in a digital format that was keyword searchable and available to attendees on a password-protected site. Attendees were able to scroll through posters of interest on their own devices during lunch and coffee breaks, and easily sign up for more information from the contributor. Access expired after the conference. The benefits for the conference planners included not having to book as much space and getting real-time data on the most popular posters and topics of interest, which they could then explore in future conferences. Mackle also suggested that large screens with scrollable posters and tablets for public use can be sponsorship opportunities to offset the rental costs.
Once contributors and attendees get used to the idea of changing formats and ideas, the board of directors can be the last obstacle to overhauling your conference.
Mackle said, “The board of directors are often from an older generation and they need to remember other demographics and market to younger people.” She added that younger attendees and contributors don’t want to mess about with cardboard tubes and carrying posters on a plane, they are used to doing everything on a phone.
She suggests asking a board that is resistant to updating their conferences if they know which was the most popular poster or topic at the last conference. When they don’t know, explain how they could track that information digitally.
“About 45 percent of academic attendees are between 25 and 34; don’t let an old board ignore them. They are the researchers of the future,” she warned.
