I really enjoy the challenges and opportunities that hybrid
events bring. To me, a hybrid event is “bringing together a face to face and
remote audience for a shared participatory experience in real time.” Here are a
few quick tips that I hope will help you with your hybrid event planning.
Tip 1 – Event Objectives
Is the hybrid event really the right format that is going to
deliver according to your event objectives? Do not have a hybrid event just
because you think it is the latest thing you have to do. It always has to be
appropriate and not every event needs to be or should be a hybrid.
Tip 2 – Two Audiences
Never forget that you have more than one audience. There is
absolutely nothing more annoying than to be the remote participant that has
been forgotten.
Tip 3 – Planning The Programme
Programme planning is very important as you need to be able
to visualize how the remote attendees will be able to participate and how you
will let them know to return to the programme.
With a face to face audience it’s simple, at the end of the coffee break
people return to the main room. But with remote attendees how will you ensure
that they have come back and are ready to join you again?
Tip 4 – Exercises Do Not Always Translate
An exercise that can be easily carried out in a live
environment may make for some challenges when trying it with remote
participants. Networking is a good
example. It is easy for people to get to know each other in a two minute ice
breaker style session in person but how will you do that with remote
participants?
Tip 5 - Focus Your Speakers
Many professional speakers will not have a problem in
speaking at a hybrid event but they can still forget (albeit inadvertently)
that there is an audience outside of the room. So it’s always worth prompting
them to be on the safe side and do let them know which camera to address. With those speakers that may not be used to
being filmed you may need to help them so that they become comfortable before speaking.
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