EPMS

Event Management as a Profession

Below are some slides from a recent presentation on event management as a profession

	Any profession is made up of these three areas. The body of knowledge, a proven and improvable methodology and the rules of thumb or heuristics
	The Event Body of Knowledge represents a mixture of event experience , history and techniques taken from other disciplines. It is evidenced by the various books on the subject, websites and journals.
	A body of knowledge is not enough - just as owing a library of engineering books does not make a person an engineer. It has to be put to use by means of a methodology. The systematic method of planning comes from adaptation of project management.
	However in a fluid, ever changing industry such as events, being able to plan is not enough. The professional event manager needs to optimise decisions - often under pressure. The effects of decisions need to be thought out and their possible consequences evaluated.
	It is the combination of effective planning and the ability to make good decisions that gives the methodology to event management. It is this methodology that needs to be taught in courses and is the heart of any profession. It is the methodology that is the transferable skill to all events.
	However, a system and a body of knowledge is not enough as every event is special. A knowledge of heuristics or informal rules of thumb( that apply to a particular event) , are vital to success of the event. These little tips and saying can be the difference between event success and failure.
In summary, an unskilled job concentrates on the heuristics, a trade concentrates on the body of knowledge, the heuristics and a little methodology, a profession requires all three, with the focus on the methodology - the event project management system

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