Organizing a Successful R&D Event: Techniques for Impactful Dissemination

1. Training course on Dissemination and Communication Techniques and Tools for European projects Fourth session ORGANIZING A R&D SUCCESSFUL EVENT – BASICS

2. Table of contents 2 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

3. Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

4. INTRODUCTION EUROPEAN COMMISSION PREMISES EC project contracts usually request partners to organize midterm and final dissemination events in order to broadly disseminate the outputs of the project. As mentioned in the previous training courses, H2020 considers dissemination activities essential for the impact and success of projects. The organization of a central event that shows the final outcomes of the project is the peak of dissemination activities. EVENT: A PROBLEM OR AN OPPORTUNITY? R&D project managers have great knowledge of the topic, but they use to have little experience or interest in communicating it to people outside of the scientific community; they see event’s organization as an obligation or a problem, while it may be an opportunity for: 4 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

5. INTRODUCTION THE EVENT – A DISSEMINATION TOOL In previous modules we have learnt about basics in dissemination -the importance of the message, the stakeholders, the mass media, etc.- and about several dissemination tools like -how to use social media in order to publish and raise awareness about our project- or -how to create an effective website as a marketing tool-. The event is the most common dissemination way, and at the same time it represents the completion of the previous communicating activities developed by the consortium along the project development. A successful event will summarize the efforts of communication of the project’s consortium convincing the audience whom the consortium is addressing to, of the fruitfulness of the project developed. Asuccessfuleventistypicallytheresultofcarefulplanningandpreparation, as we are going to see along this module. 5 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

6. Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

7. INITIAL KEY ITEMS 7 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

8. WHAT: OBJECTIVES WHY ARE WE GOING TO HOLD THIS EVENT? • Convincing stakeholders about the project outcomes usefulness • Attracting stakeholders in order they fund future research • Promoting the Consortium expertise and the EU support • Promoting dialogue between science and society • Recognizing scientific results to highlight the connections between research, innovation and industrial activity • Convincing EC officers about the future of a specific research field • ……. • To determine the objectives, think about what you hope to achieve for: • the audience (broad dissemination of main project outcomes) • the consortium (success of cooperation, further R&D opportunities) • the European Commission (profit of its R&D policy,…) • the European Commission (profit of its R&D policy?...) • the audience (knowledge of a marketable technology?...) Maketheobjectivesclearandconcise,andwritethemdownsoyou canreferencethemwheneverrequired 8 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

9. Identifying your target audience is essential in developing your event WHOM: AUDIENCE 9 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

10. WHOM: AUDIENCE When defining your target audience consider the following: Depending on the targeted audience, on their needs and habits, the formats of the event (“worskhops”, “lectures”, etc.) will vary in order to be more effective at engaging that audience. It will also determine the marketing campaign 10 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

11. HOW: TYPE & FORMAT WHAT TYPE OF EVENT WILL WE HOST? • Considering the subject matter, audience and objectives of our event, it will determine the type of event we will host. Taking into account the classical EC formats of events (workshops, debates,..) an initial idea can always be expanded or improved. Here are a few suggestions: • consider topical issues in the media (newspapers, magazines, • radio, television, internet); • research other international festivals and events; or • brain-storm with your partners Rememberto berealisticaboutyourtime,personnel,resourcesandbudget 11 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

12. HOW: TYPE & FORMAT MOST COMMON FORMATS OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EVENTS: Using unusual formats also requires a certain willingness to take risks 12 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

13. HOW: TYPE & FORMAT VIDEOCONFERENCE AND ONLINE BROADCASTING When deciding the type of format of event we will have to consider other aspects like the possibility of broadcasting the event. Today with the multipoint videoconferencing technology (MCU), each participant has its own broadcasting station in its office (a computer, Internet, a webcam, a headset and a file sharing software). This new method allows for even greater ease of planning and attendance, applicability to collaboration, and mobility. In fact, several conferences and events are streamed online to allow a non-interactive participation of the internet participants. This can be done either live broadcasting or uploaded lately to video platforms as youtube. Eventually, we can also allow some participation from online attendants via social networks as Twitter or Zwoor. Videoconferences will sooner or later, start replacing face to face conferences. Meanwhile the intermediate step -online broadcasted conference- is winning adepts. Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

14. HOW: BUDGET It is importanttoplancarefullyandbediligentwithyourbudget. Consider possible incomes and probable expenses!! Check which kind of costs, EC will not pay (e.g. mass media marketing)! 14 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

15. HOW: BUDGET *SPONSORSHIP Apart from funds coming from the consortium project or from public bodies, Sponsorship is the most classic way of getting funds for organizing an event Which are the steps to get funds from a company for a Dissemination event related with R&D&i projects? Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

16. HOW: BUDGET TIPS / BEST PRACTICES . Whateveryourmaximumbudget,wesuggestto allocate90%andleave10%for unseenincidentalcostsasthesewillinevitablyoccur 16 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

17. Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

18. PLANNING & IMPLEMENTING Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

19. WHERE & WHEN: VENUE & DATE Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

20. WHERE & WHEN: VENUE & DATE WHERE TO HOLD THE EVENT: THE VENUE • Events can take place at a variety of venues (EC facilities, hotels, fairs’ facilities, congress buildings, museums, public spaces (such as a shopping centers, etc.)). They can be held in small rooms, across whole buildings or outdoors, and can even take place in cyberspace. • Considering the Venue take into account the following aspects: • Availability in the dates the event is going to take place • Availability access by public transport • Maximum capacity of the place • Catering / restoration facilities • Sort of equipment/facilities available (media, • translation cabins,..) Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

21. WHERE & WHEN: VENUE & DATE WHEN TO HOLD THE EVENT: THE DATE Main Deadline • Other aspects to be considered: • When larger events are taking place so that we can consider to include our event under the umbrella of a main event. • Is a call related with topic’s event coming soon? • Are there unavailable dates for our partners, presenters or target groups? • Is the selected venue always available? • Are there inaccessible dates related with lodging or transport at the location where the event will take place? Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

22. WHERE & WHEN: VENUE & DATE WHERE AND WHEN TO HOLD THE EVENT As previously mentioned we can organize our event on our own or under the wings of a larger event. Logically if we take this alternative where & when will be previously determined. • Check websites where we will be able to find which event fits better ours: • http://cordis.europa.eu/news/result_en?q=contenttype=%27event%27%20AND%20language=%27en%27&srt=/event/startDate:decreasing • http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/newsroom/calendar Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

23. WHERE & WHEN: VENUE & DATE EVENT: ALONE OR INSIDE A LARGER ONE? Depending on the answers the balance will lean towards either side Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

24. HOW: MARKETING & COMMUNICATION The marketing campaign will be crucial to the success of the event: from advertising the event on European Commissions’ websites, http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=event-submission http://www.epractice.eu/en/events/ to sending out press releases, making flyers and posters or sending out a mail to attract participants. The bigger our target groups are, the higher communication cost will be. But in any case marketing campaign complexity will be limited by the budget that consortium has achieved for the event. MAIN TARGET GROUPS FOR R&D EVENTS • Stakeholders • “External VIPs”. This is the group consisting of people from EC, government (politicians and staff), authorities, foundations and industry, who for different reasons do not (yet) belong to the group of stakeholders. • Media, meaning journalists and reporters. Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

25. HOW: MARKETING & COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION via TRADITIONAL MEDIA Some activities that may stimulate interest among editors and journalists: • press releases* • media seminars • personal contact • telephone calls • personal invitations * when writing press releases, it is important to keep in mind some of the characteristics that make the information attractive to the media: it should be “news”, it should have an influence on many people and it should be easy to relate to; interesting and attractive images are also very important. • OTHER TRADITIONAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION • POSTERS • LEAFLETS • CATALOGUES • MAILING Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

26. HOW: MARKETING & COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION via NEW TECHNOLOGIES Internet and phone apps provide an extraordinary opportunity to distribute information and to communicate with the different target groups. WEBSITE: Most of EC projects have their own site and own domain name, while others may publish the information on the organization's domain. The choice is: the strengthening of the brand name versus the chance to reach website visitors that otherwise would have been missed. The perfect combination is a domain name reflecting the Event’s name, coupled with banner advertising, including links or even redirection to the sites of stakeholders, sponsors etc. • SOCIAL NETWORKS & PHONE APPS: • As we taught in 2ndChapter, there are several social media tools that we can use to promote our event. In that chapter we introduced you to Zwoor Event and Zwoor Survey, but there are many others: • Lanyrd: http://www.lanyrd.com/ • EasyChair: http://www.easychair.org/ • Conftool: http://www.conftool.net/ • Others less used: Ginkgo, Confluos and Crowdvine 26 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

27. HOW: MARKETING & COMMUNICATION In this table we can check the most common features among the different software and apps used for Event Management 27 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

28. HOW: MARKETING & COMMUNICATION ANNOUNCING YOUR EVENT EC R&D events are not actively promoted by consortiums. From a list of 42 FP7 finished projects related with Health, properly advertised its final event: Agenda of the Event: http:// moving-life.eu/downloads/events/MovingLife _Stakeholder_Conference_Agenda_18_April_2013_FINAL.pdf Other ways: - Using EC sites - Using project website with related events 28 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

29. WHO:TEAM When organizing an event we need to work with others. Consider how many people you will need to: ● plan the event; ● publicize the event; and ● set up and run the event on the day (presenting, chairing, etc.) Consider the resources you count with: ● involvement degree of partners; clear assignment of tasks and responsibilities ● available budget (do we have resources for outsourcing organization activities?) The size of the team will largely depend on the size and scope of the event as well as its organizational structure Whenbringingateamtogether,considerthateachmemberoftheeventteamshouldbea realcontributor,eitherthroughtheirdedicationtoeventmanagement,skill,creativityand/or decision-makingability 29 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

30. WHO: TEAM TASK’S MANAGEMENT 30 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

31. WHO: TEAM EVENT IMPLEMENTATION SHEET This sheet will allow you to identify and track all the elements and tasks involved in staging an event, who’s responsible for each and when they need to be completed by. Elements to be identified in the implementation template: ● Venue; ● Venue Security; ● Equipment; ● Competition, Prizes & Incentives; ● Theming; ● VIPs; ● Catering; ● Transport; ● Advertising & Publicity; ● Volunteers; ● Bookings & RSVPs; ● Others,… Decide on some of these elements as a team or leave it up to the individuals!! It’s up to you!!. 31 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

32. Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

33. THE EVENT AND THE POST-EVENT and thePOST-EVENT It isimportanttoworkthrougheveryaspectoftheeventfromstarttoend!! 33 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

34. SPECIFICS OF THE DAY LOGISTICS 34 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

35. SPECIFICS OF THE DAY RUNNING SHEET • A running sheet outlines the event minute-to-minute, designating responsibilities and tasks for the day. Preparing a running sheet for your event will assist in its success as it makes it clear to all, what is to take place and when. • An event running sheet should include: • allocated time and location for every activity; • names of those involved; and, • people responsible Everyone involved in the event should have a copy of the running sheet and follow it carefully!! 35 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

36. SPECIFICS OF THE DAY EXECUTION 36 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

37. EVALUATION & FOLLOW-UP EVALUATION The main purpose of evaluation is to establish whether it has achieved its stated aims TIPS AND HINTS: Evaluation is the final step for measuring the success of the event! 37 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

38. EVALUATION & FOLLOW-UP EVENT EVALUATION. You may consider: FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES 38 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

39. Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

40. CONCLUSION CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS The event usually represents the midterm or final “MISE IN SCENE” of the project. Show the outcomes achieved and the reasons why stakeholders and the European Commission should be satisfied with the results of the project. 40 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

41. CONCLUSION Don’t forget to include!! wherever you mention your event Beneficiaries of EU funding will use the European emblem in their communication to acknowledge the support received under EU programmes. When Horizon 2020 is promoted by beneficiaries and other third parties, the EU emblem (flag) can be used in conjunction with the words "Horizon 2020". 41 Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics

42. THANK YOU! Haivisio Trainining session 4 on Communication: Organizing a R&D successful event - Basics