Practical Events Management

Lecture 5: Event Design

Jenny FlinnJenny.Flinn@gcal.ac.uk

Lecture Overview

• Defining Design• Design and Creativity in Events• Experience Design• Event Design• Themeing• Staging• The Venue• Programming• Entertainment

Defining Design

“design is a set of fields for problem solving that uses user-centric approaches to understand user needs to create successful solutions that solve real problems. Design is often used as a process to create real change within a system or market. Too often, design is defined only as visual problem solving or communication because of the predominance of graphic design”

(www.nathan.com)

Design and Creativity in Events• We have witnessed an increasing use of events as a

marketing tool

• Events are often utilised to project a certain image of a product or company

• This may be for the purposes of increasing sales and/or increasing awareness

• Events must be specifically designed to meet these goals• Red bull air race• Cancer Research UK race for life

Experience Design

• Silvers (2004:5) suggests that in the event context “you are packaging and managing an experience. This means that you must envision that experience, from start to finish, from the guest’s point of view”.

• Therefore, as event managers we should not just be concerned with the physical design of the event itself but the entire experience.

Experience Design

• Jackson (2000) suggests that the main focus for experience design is to create desired perceptions, cognition and behaviour among users, customers, visitors and/or the audience.

• However, we can only suggest what the experience might be.

Event Design

• Is concerned with the actual physical design and delivery of the event

• “event design is the creation, conceptual development and design of an event to maximise the positive and meaningful impact for the event’s audience and/or participants” (Getz, 2007:208)

Event Design

• Event design consists of:

• Theme• Layout• Décor• Technical requirements• Staging• Programming• Catering

Event Themeing

• The themeing of an event is a major artistic and creative decision

• The chosen theme must be relevant and of interest to the target market

• It should permeate the consumer’s perceptions of the event from the outset

• Goldblatt (1997) suggests that themes should appeal to all the senses: tactile, smell, taste, visual, auditory

Staging Events

• The term ‘staging’ originates from the theatre

• It is concerned with bringing all elements of the event together

• This may refer to the overall event or a small part within a larger event• e.g. Glastonbury

• Links to project management

The Venue

• The venue will determine many elements of the staging

• Must be suitable for/able to be transformed to fit with the theme and meet consumer expectations

• Main considerations when selecting a venue will vary depending upon the requirements of the event

Programming the Event

• According to Bowdin et al., (2006) programming of the event will depend upon:

• Expectations of the audience• Constraints of the venue and infrastructure• Culture of the client and main sponsors• Availability of elements of the staging and

their relationship to each other• Logistics

Entertainment

• Some final things to consider:

• Contact with performers• Staging requirements• Availability for rehearsal, performance and

media attention• Accompanying personnel• Contracts and legal requirements• Payment