🔧 The Making of TechCon & How We Engineer a Seamless Event Experience
Last week, we promised to take you behind the scenes of organizing TechCon, unveiling the immense effort it takes to make each year’s event better than the last. Today, we’re excited to deliver on that promise by walking you through the intricate process that brings TechCon to life, step by step 👣.
If you’ve ever attended an event - be it a conference, concert, or gathering of like-minded individuals - you’ve likely noticed how smoothly everything seems to flow. But what you might not see is the meticulous planning, learning from past experiences, and clear goal-setting that make it all possible. At TechCon, our success stems from a strong vision and mission:
Our Vision: To provide a dynamic global forum for transitioning and commercializing thin film and surface engineering innovation to industry.
Our Mission: To promote technical excellence by providing a global forum for networking, educating, and informing the stakeholders, the technical community, and the industrial ecosystem on all aspects of industrial vacuum coating, surface engineering, and related technologies.
These guiding principles help us set clear goals and objectives that ensure every TechCon is impactful and successful. Here are a few of our key objectives:
By staying true to our vision and mission, we ensure that TechCon continues to be a world-class event that brings together the best minds in the industry.
Organizing a conference like TechCon isn’t just about booking a venue and inviting speakers - it's a carefully orchestrated process that starts almost as soon as the previous conference ends. Below, we’ll walk you through the key steps involved in planning and executing a conference of this scale, drawing insights from a recent communication by Frank Zimone to our Board of Directors.
Step 1: Developing the Conference Theme 👉 the Conference Flyer 📄 ➕ Call for Papers 🗞️
The journey begins immediately after the current year’s TechCon wraps up. On Wednesday evening, the entire program team convenes to review what worked well and identify areas for improvement. This meeting sets the stage for the next year’s conference, as the team dives into planning the key elements of the upcoming program.
Clear directions are established, and the Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) are tasked with refining their session themes - these are the descriptions of the sessions they want to offer and the topics they plan to explore. This crucial step allows us to begin promoting the focus of the following year’s conference to the technical community. Leadership roles for the next cycle are refreshed, and the TACs are encouraged to engage relevant invited speakers and suggest potential keynote speakers, ensuring we attract top-tier talent.
These discussions lay the foundation for the 📄 Conference Flyer and 🗞️Call for Papers (CFP), essential tools in attracting the right presenters and setting the tone for the next TechCon.
The CFP isn’t just a simple announcement - it's the cornerstone of the entire event.
It’s crafted with precision to ensure it appeals to the technical community, clearly outlining the focus areas for the upcoming conference.
An embedded “smart form” allows prospective presenters to submit their abstracts and personal information directly into our conference portal, ensuring a smooth start to the submission process.
Step 2: Building the Program Grid 🗂️
After the Call for Papers (CFP) is released, our next big task is to internally develop the Program Grid. This grid acts as the blueprint for the entire conference, determining when and where each session will take place. TechCon spans four days, with a two-day exhibition in the middle, so it's essential to carefully plan the schedule to avoid overlaps between sessions on similar topics.
The grid is crafted using a mix of historical data and predictions about the number of submissions we’ll receive. It’s a delicate balancing act - everyone wants their session on prime days like Monday, but our goal is to ensure that all days are equally engaging to maintain strong attendance throughout the event.
We break the program down into two two-day modules, each packed with sessions that are strategically chosen to minimize conflicts from a technical standpoint. We make a conscious effort to avoid scheduling invited speakers in adjacent sessions at the same time, ensuring they don’t compete for audience attention.
For instance, we’ve decided to scale down the Optical Coatings session for 2025, knowing it will coincide with the larger OIC conference happening that same week. This kind of forward-thinking helps us create a program that maximizes participation and impact across the board.
Step 3: Scheduling the Technical Forum Breakfasts 🥐 and Tutorials 🧑🏫
With the program grid established, the next step is to schedule the Technical Forum Breakfasts (TFB’s) and tutorials. The TFB’s are among the most popular networking events at TechCon, making it essential to secure the right lineup of moderators.
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We’re excited to announce that the preliminary TFB lineup has been finalized (with the August 16th deadline) and will be featured in the SVC Fall Bulletin! We can’t wait to share the exciting topics we’ve prepared for next year.
At the same time, we’re developing the tutorial schedule, which often involves many of the same leaders and presenters from the technical sessions. This stage requires precise coordination to avoid any scheduling conflicts and to ensure that all sessions are well-attended.
The final tutorial schedule will be ready by Labor Day - so mark your calendars, and explore this year's (2024) lineup. Once again, we’re offering 🎁 one free tutorial to all paid registrants, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity!
Step 4: Finalizing the Schedule of Events (SOE)
The Schedule of Events (SOE) is perhaps the most important document in the entire process. It maps out every detail of the conference, from technical sessions and educational programs to food and beverage events. This document is continuously reviewed and refined in the months leading up to the conference, ensuring that every logistical detail is accounted for. It also includes specifications for sponsor spaces and room setups, and it forms the basis for our audiovisual (A/V) requirements - the largest non-venue expense for TechCon.
Step 5: Issuing the Extended Call for Papers (ECFP)
As the program takes shape and invited speakers are confirmed, we issue the Extended Call for Papers (ECFP). This updated document includes the latest additions to the program, such as keynote speakers and newly scheduled sessions. It serves as an important tool for attracting additional participants and encouraging more abstract submissions. Typically released in early fall, the ECFP helps to solidify attendance and generate further interest in the event.
Step 6: Launching Conference Registration - Swoogo App
By mid-December, registration for TechCon opens through a specialized Swoogo-based app. This app is not just a registration tool - it allows attendees to pay, sign up for tutorials, and create a personalized schedule for the conference. The app has been a game-changer, simplifying the registration process and enhancing the overall attendee experience.
We've got you covered with everything from abstract submission guidelines to presenter/author instructions. Don’t forget to check out the presenter/author guidelines. You'll find all this and more on our website!
Step 7: Preparing the Exhibit Guide and Final Program
As the conference date approaches, we finalize the Exhibit Guide and the Final Program. This step involves accommodating last-minute submissions and adjusting the program grid to reflect the abstracts that have been collected. The finalized program is then printed and distributed to attendees, providing a comprehensive guide to everything TechCon has to offer.
Conclusion
Organizing TechCon is a major endeavor that demands meticulous planning, coordination, and attention to detail. 🛠️ From the initial brainstorming sessions to the final touches on the printed program 📑, every step is essential to delivering a smooth and impactful experience for our attendees.
We hope this behind-the-scenes glimpse has given you a deeper appreciation for the dedication involved in making TechCon a success year after year. 🌟
For more insights into the conference, explore our detailed proceedings and video recordings 🎥📚, and stay tuned for the 2024 updates in the works.
See you soon, and thanks for spending your time here with us!
SVC does an amazing job every year with TechCon. It is our favorite time of year and we're looking forward to another incredible event in Nashville. Thank you for everything you do!
Account Manager
4moExciting!! Can't wait for May!! SVC is a great Organization, with many very hard working people!! Thanks.