How to Create a Successful Tech Event

blog.evenues.com

18 points·KenjiCrosland··3 comments

This is sort of random, but my single biggest gripe with many of the tech events that I've been to in DC is the lack of preparedness around the AV setup.

Have two AV inputs, one for the live presenter, and one 'standby' that's just hooked up to a monitor right next to the podium or something, and some kind of easy way to switch them over. That way while Presenter 1 is going, Presenter two can plug in / set resolution / restart a laptop 3 times, etc. If any presenter is playing a video, make sure the sound works and reaches to the back of the room.

I've been to two (otherwise great) 'A big batch of startups get two minutes each to pitch' events in the past month where we've burned half an hour of awkward DJ time in between the 'quickfire' presentations because presenters were getting the projector to play nice, which would've been avoided easily if they'd have done a dry-run the night before. I know these are tough and usually using borrowed resources, but why risk ruining your event to save a few hours of work in the week before the event?

The Health 2.0 event last week had this set up. They actually had two separate podiums at opposite sides of the stage. It worked quite well and more than once they were able to flip to a backup and recover gracefully.

Good tips. I've seen a lot of the same myself. With all the brilliant engineers around, it's amazing no one considers simple problems like this.

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