September 2011| See all articles in this issue

Alternative meeting formats

We’re always looking for new ways to engage meeting attendees, particularly at a 2- or 3-day event where the same classroom seminar format begins to hypnotize attendees and even the most dynamic presentations lose their excitement. Here are two alternatives to break the routine and potentially engage attendees who might otherwise stay on the sidelines.

The Unconference

Identify a theme and engage an opening speaker, who will get the audience thinking about what they want to know or talk about with others regarding the topic. This should be a fairly short presentation, because the real meat is going to come from the attendees.

After the opening speaker(s) introduces the theme, spend 30-45 minutes doing the following:
1. Taking suggestions of targeted topics from the attendees.
2. Narrow and combine these topics to minimize duplication.
3. Slot these newly created topics/sessions into pre-determined times and locations.
4. Assign topics to session leaders and make sure they know how to lead a session.

Ideally, session leaders should be individuals who suggested the topics. More important, the leaders should be prepared to facilitate a discussion. Because there are no formal presentations, handouts, power points, etc., in these sessions, the leader needs to be especially dynamic, keeping the conversation moving by asking questions of the group and refocusing when people get off topic. This format is about exchanging ideas and best practices. The absence of fact sheets, slides, etc., does not equal an absence of planning. Encourage note takers to share them through a common website, blog or send them to one of the organizers to compile after the fact.

If the unconference has free wifi and technically savvy participants, they can keep up with the topics by using a hashtag for the conference and livetweet the sessions. They can also keep up with competing sessions they are not attending. A less technically knowledgeable group can skip this aspect and focus on the discussions.

After the breakout sessions there should be a full group discussion on what people learned, how the format worked, what to change for next time, etc. Basically, the conference evaluation is done verbally.

Or, take a page from Ignite

If you haven’t heard about Ignite, you will. Typically presented based in a particular geographic location, Ignite is a high-energy evening of five-minute talks by people who have an idea and are willing to get onstage and share it. Participants are given five minutes to speak about their ideas, accompanied by 20 slides. Each slide is displayed for 15 seconds, and slides are automatically advanced. It’s a take-off on Pecha Kucha, another presentation methodology in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each, in a multiple-speaker event called a Pecha Kucha Night.

Attendees learn about innovative concepts emerging within the industry. Speakers have a platform that challenges them to a compact, creative presentation in front of an audience eager to listen.

It’s a creative way to produce a new product showcase, introduce new programming, offer committee reports, etc. in a fast-moving, fun format.

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