What are some creative solutions to conference contingency planning problems?

Conference contingency planning is the process of preparing for possible disruptions or changes that may affect your event, such as weather, travel, health, or technical issues. It can help you minimize risks, save costs, and maintain your reputation as a professional organizer. However, it can also be challenging to come up with creative solutions that suit your specific goals, audience, and resources. In this article, you will learn about some of the best practices and examples of conference contingency planning that can inspire you to adapt and innovate in any situation.

1 Assess your risks

The first step in conference contingency planning is to identify and evaluate the potential threats and opportunities that may arise before, during, or after your event. You can use a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) or a risk matrix (likelihood, impact) to rank and prioritize your risks. This will help you focus on the most critical and relevant scenarios and avoid wasting time and money on unlikely or minor issues.

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Adeline L. Pang

Empowering individuals to achieve professional growth through effective communication
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Often, the best way to embark on any project planning is to first establish motives/ goals versus level of effort/ risk. This foundational stage will be most helpful in contingency planning. A useful exercise to employ is the Impact/ Effort matrix, where we easily get a clear overview of "low hanging fruit" (achievable, optimal results) versus high-effort/ high risk results.

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2 Develop your plans

The next step is to develop your contingency plans for each of the high-priority risks. A contingency plan is a detailed document that outlines the actions, responsibilities, resources, and timelines for dealing with a specific situation. It should also include the triggers, indicators, and communication channels for activating and executing the plan. You can use a template or a tool like Google Docs or Trello to create and share your contingency plans with your team and stakeholders.

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Adeline L. Pang

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Contingency planning should be an integrated part of your overall event/ conference planning process. Communication is key in every stage and I like to get my team members fully involved and participating in even the ideation stage. Many great team productivity templates are available for free. I really like Miro boards for clarity of objectives (which also translates well into contingency planning); Trello is great for syncing lists and objectives, while Google Docs is great for overall accessibility and usability.

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3 Be flexible and creative

One of the key aspects of conference contingency planning is to be flexible and creative in finding solutions that work for your event. You may need to adjust your format, content, venue, or technology to accommodate the changing circumstances. For example, you may decide to switch to a hybrid or virtual event if travel or health restrictions prevent your attendees from attending in person. Or you may use a backup generator or a mobile hotspot if there is a power outage or a network failure at your location.

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Adeline L. Pang

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In contingency planning for conferences and events, I like to have a Plan B where I have a shortlist of at least one other backup for various aspects (e.g. venue; caterer, etc.) That way, even if my team doesn't get our first choice, we still have a great alternative option lined up. I find it useful to compile a list of preferred vendors handy. Of course, even backups can fall through. So, it's helpful to have an overall attitude of flexibility and being able to act on the fly.

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4 Engage your audience

Another important factor in conference contingency planning is to engage your audience and keep them informed and satisfied throughout your event. You can use various strategies and tools to communicate with your attendees, speakers, sponsors, and partners before, during, and after your event. For example, you can use social media, email, or SMS to update them on any changes or issues. You can also use polls, surveys, or feedback forms to collect their opinions and suggestions. And you can use gamification, incentives, or networking opportunities to enhance their experience and participation.

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5 Learn from others

One of the best ways to improve your conference contingency planning skills is to learn from others who have faced similar or different challenges and found creative solutions. You can research case studies, best practices, or lessons learned from other conference organizers or experts in your field. You can also network with your peers, mentors, or industry associations and exchange ideas and insights. And you can attend webinars, workshops, or courses on conference contingency planning and stay updated on the latest trends and technologies.

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6 Review and improve

The final step in conference contingency planning is to review and improve your plans and performance based on the outcomes and feedback from your event. You can use a post-event evaluation or a debriefing session to analyze what went well and what went wrong, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of your contingency plans. You can also use metrics, data, or testimonials to measure the impact and success of your event. And you can use the lessons learned and best practices to update and refine your contingency plans for future events.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are some creative solutions to conference contingency planning problems?

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1 Assess your risks

2 Develop your plans

3 Be flexible and creative

4 Engage your audience

5 Learn from others

6 Review and improve

7 Here’s what else to consider

Conferences

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What are some creative solutions to conference contingency planning problems?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your risks

2 Develop your plans

3 Be flexible and creative

4 Engage your audience

5 Learn from others

6 Review and improve

7 Here’s what else to consider

Conferences

Rate this article

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