Traditional and modern event management - a few notes : a list of problems in event management .
Over the last few
months I have been asked a number of very similar questions by event managers.
In particular - Can you explain a 'project plan'?, Can you create a
Gantt chart for us?... They all come down to the points I have listed below
1. Lack of integrated event risk management - traditional corporate event managers believe that the risk management is taken care of by the venue and or the production/staging company. It isn't. It is a necessary but not sufficient part of risk management. The modern event manager/planner regards risk management as a tool to use across all areas of their responsibility. In particular, the risk management process provides the basis to create successful contracts. The results of risk analysis provide some of the conditions in the contract between the event company/person and the suppliers.
2. Inability to create a project plan - I have been asked this question many times. It is becoming a requirement for the job. The clients increasingly ask the event company/person for a project plan. It is not enough to provide the event concept or "the wow." The client wants to know how it will be put together, including Gantt Charts and progress report schedule. The traditional event managers presented a story board of the event. The modern event manager provides a story board and a project plan.
3. The traditional event manager approached each event's planning as unique. Modern event management regards each event as a test of their templates They do not throw away their checklists, they keep them. Their documents are created from their 'bank' of templates.
4. The traditional event manager preferred if the client kept away from the planning and arrived to a fabulous event. The modern event managers talks 'the talk'. In the modern business world this is the language of outcomes, return on investment, risk, efficient scheduling, cost control and accountability. This is the communication vehicle for the modern event manager and the business of today.
Copyright W.J. O'Toole 2004