Unit 3: EVENT PLANNING AND CONCEPTUALIZATION

Unit 3

EVENT PLANNING AND CONCEPTUALIZATION

1. Introduction 

Event Planning and Conceptualization are the foundation of successful event management. It involves the creative and strategic process of transforming an idea into a structured, goal-oriented event experience. From weddings and festivals to corporate meetings and product launches, every event begins with a clear concept and thorough planning.

Event conceptualization is the phase where the purpose, theme, target audience, and desired outcomes of the event are defined. It answers the questions "what," "why," and "who" regarding the event.
Event planning is the systematic process of organizing and managing all aspects of an event — from budgeting and logistics to staffing and risk management — to ensure a smooth and successful execution. It focuses on the "how," "when," and "where" of the event.

1.1 Event Concept

• Concepts are clear statements that shape an event into a laid-out design. 
• Concept involves clear statements that give meaning and parameters to the event idea. 
• An event idea sparks in the mind, and that will lead to staging the event
• The event idea expanded to a larger context and became an event concept

The concept features

• Bring creativity that inspires the event, and the practical considerations that determine the success of the event.
• Its process involves conceptualizing an event idea, then exploring how the idea intersects with the needs of the internal and external event environments.

Elements of Event Concept

• The Purpose
• The Scope
• Theme
• Venue and Physical Layout
• Audience 
• Timing
• Team Expertise
• Stakeholders

Steps in defining Event Concept 

1. Developing Event Idea: Involves describing the event in the simplest terms, defining what the event is planned to achieve. 

2. Event title: A suitable name/title creates a theme as well as adds promotional strength to an event.

3. Event concept: The 5 W’s (Who, What, Why, When, and Where) are tools for transforming an idea into a concept. It determines the feasibility, viability, and sustainability. Also shapes event design and reflects the event's purpose. 5 W’s  Concept for an Event. 

Why: A series of compelling reasons that confirm the importance of hosting the event. Defining event objectives at the very start of event planning is very important as it gives you the direction in which you should proceed to accomplish your objectives. Organizing an event without clear objectives is a huge waste of both time and resources. 

What: It means what are you going to do in your event i.e., what will be the Event name, Food and Beverage, Type of entry, Program menu, and Event Budget? Match the event product to the needs, wants, desires, and expectations of your guests while satisfying the internal requirements of your organization.

When: When you are going to the event (Date & Time): Target audience, working days, examination, festival time, no clash dates, and climate conditions. Through research, evaluation determines when the event is appropriate to be held. 

Who : Who will be the organizer, sponsors, partners, client, and target audience? How many target audiences are you expecting to visit the event and why? You must have a very good reason for this “Why” as you will have to convince your prospective organizers and sponsors of the stakeholders why a particular number of people will attend the event.

Where: The location of your event, and determine if the location is appropriate for your targeted audience. 

1.2 Event Design

• Creative and strategic process of shaping the visual, emotional, and experiential elements of an event.
•  Event design and venue design to foster synergy between the project organization and creativity.
• “Events do not just happen; they are carefully crafted to weave narratives (content) into places (context) through processes of experience design.”     - (Richards, Maques and Mein, 2015, 1).
• Successful event design also facilitates audience interaction with an emphasis on event socialization.     - (Nordvall, Pettersson, Svensson and Brown, 2014)
• Event Design is the process of creating a purposeful and engaging experience for attendees by crafting the event's overall look, feel, and flow. 
• It integrates visual, emotional, and spatial elements to support the event’s goals and audience expectations. 
• “The design of events involves the use of creative and practical strategies to develop content, layout, décor, entertainment, and flow that contribute to the overall event experience.”- Bowdin, G., Allen, J., O'Toole, W., Harris, R., & McDonnell, I. (2011). Events Management.
• “Event design is the process by which an event's purpose is translated into physical and experiential form.”   - Silvers, J.R. (2004). Professional Event Coordination.
• Event design focuses on the décor, style, and aesthetics of an event. 
• It’s about creating a vision and then designing all the visual details to transform a venue into that dream. 
• Event design coordinates branding, color, invitations, centerpieces, etc., to a given theme. 
• Event planning provides the logistical framework, while event design brings a creative vision to life. 
• Successful event design is an art. It can change the mood and atmosphere of a venue and facilitate audience engagement.

Components of Event Design

• Content Design
• Program Design
• Theme Design
•  Entertainment Design
• Catering Design
• Masterman (2009) argues that the design and set-up of the event can be tried and tested at the feasibility stage of the planning process. 

The following Considerations are taken into account when testing the event design:

• Who is responsible
• resources required
• coordination of the bidding process
• long-term plans
• timing implications
• identifying new partners
• cost vs. benefits analysis
• determining the critical path
• aligning with objectives.

1.3 EVENT THEME

An event theme is a central, overarching concept or idea that serves as the foundation for the organization and planning of the event. 

It is a strategic and artistic component that contributes to establishing the event's overall feel and tone. An event may be similar, in many ways, to other events that have been run or are currently running. However, the theme differentiates one event from another. 

To create a unified and immersive experience for guests, the theme can also affect the entertainment, décor, color scheme, and even the selection of food and drinks.

Process of Developing an Event Theme

1. The theme should be linked to the purpose. Also should be compatible with guests'/audience's needs and expectations. Consistency is a must. For example use of color schemes applied on tickets, programs, uniforms, décor, posters, and even merchandising items.
2. Other important elements, such as choice of venue, target audience, available resources, the timing of the event, and the skills of the team, must be researched and coordinated with the theme. The theme should ideally appeal to all senses: tactile, smell, taste, visual, and auditory.
3. The right theme attracts attendees and builds your business’s brand, but a boring or tacky theme can put your company’s reputation on the line. Here are the key steps to help you pick a professional yet memorable event theme: 

• Review event goals (know how to create a successful event)
• Consider the nature of the event (consider the type of event it falls into)
• Consider your audience (nail down who your target audience is)
• Develop a tagline (A tagline boils down your key, overarching messages to just one concise statement)
• Get inspirations (use primary and secondary sources)
• Be ready to commit (commitment with well-coordinated alignments of design elements)

Event Theme Types

• Audience-based theme: built around the target audience and the demography of the audience.
• Topical theme: built around the message of the event
• Locale-based theme: built around a specific location
• Story-based theme: built around the historical or cultural story 
• Content-based theme: built around unique content

[Organizers can play with different costumes, props, Lighting, sound, décor, catering etc.]

WOW Factors of Event

EVENT - Quality Sound System

Each amazing gathering needs an astounding sound system.

 Clear sound enhances the overall experience. Poor audio can ruin the mood, message, and enjoyment of any event.

Invest in high-quality sound equipment

Avoid cheap alternatives

Good sound = Happy guests

A crisp, consistent audio experience keeps the audience engaged and the event flowing smoothly.

Event Theme- Colors 

On the off chance that you need to make the wow factor for your next occasion, pull out a shading plan. 

This truly brings a room or setting together and can be finished by the distance from invitations to cards to say thanks. 

If you truly need to create an impression, picking a solitary intense color is extremely powerful and vital.

Event Theme - Light

Proper lighting can add texture, charm, and beauty to an event, can make the event more eye-catching, and can set a mood for participants in the event. 

Lighting can create the “mood of a space”. 

The intensity and style of light fixtures must also harmonize with the desired atmosphere. Its placement needs careful consideration.

Signs, architectural highlights, entranceways, and parking areas need to be especially well-lighted. 

At night, lighting should provide safety by illuminating (helping make something clear) steps, sidewalks, and other hazards. It should also provide a sense of security

Event Theme – Special Effect Equipment

For that added uncommon “goodness” factor, we can’t beat the utilization of energizing supplements. Contingent upon the topic and feel of the occasion, you could take a gander at alternatives, such as smoke machines, fog machines, dry ice machines, snow machines, CO2 planes, organized flares, seek lights, and considerably more. 

1.4 Event objectives 

• Event objectives are interlinked with the event concept, vision, and mission statement of the organization. 
• The objectives state the goals and aims of the organization and/or event. 
• According to Lock (2014, 5) initial objectives are used to measure later success in relation to the following three aspects:
• Project completion within the approved cost budget;
• The project finished on time;
• Good performance, which requires that the project satisfies its specifications and delivers the intended benefits.

2. Understanding Event Experiences

• Participation and involvement
• Physically, mentally, socially, spiritually or emotionally involved
• A change in knowledge, skill, memory or emotion
• A change in knowledge, skill, memory or emotion
• Conscious perception of having intentionally encountered, visited to or lived through an activity or event.
• Effort that addresses a psychological or inner need
• The stages of experience
• The actual experience
• The needs are addressed through the experience
• The role of the participant and other people involved in the event experience
• The role and relationship with the provider of the experience
• Events are a vital part of human experience.
• Standout experiences from everyday life due to personally relevant to the customer and contain the elements of novelty, surprise, learning, and engagement.
• Event design acts as an experience maker and experience enhancer.
• Design has a tendency to engage in 5-sensory and emotional interaction with events.

The event is designed experience because it involves the use of the designer's creativity to structure an environment that produces desired perceptions, cognition and behaviour among users, customers, visitors or the audience.

2.1. Events are an internal part of the experience economy. 

• It should stage memorable events for their customers 
• Memory becomes the product – the “experience”
• Contains 4 Es
• Educational (increases knowledge and skill)
• Esthetic (engage and immerse in the environment with products)
• Entertainment (observe activity and performance)
• Escapism (escape from everyday routine)

2.2. Use of design in the event production process

• Use 4 tools  
  
• Idea generation
• Focus tools
• Harvest tools
• Treatment tools

2.3. Use of reflective design in event production

• Implicit knowledge & learn from experiences
• On-spot experimentation
• Responding to problems
• Surprises & Puzzles
• Resets strategy

2.4. Use of a production-driven strategy rather than a content-driven driven

• Make the event product-driven rather than content-driven
• Event designed and managed from the attendee’s experience perspective
• Focus on the psychological outcomes of design and production 

3. Understanding Target Audience and Stakeholders

• both the target audience and stakeholders is crucial for success of Event. 
• The target audience are the people you want to attend your event, while stakeholders are any individuals or groups impacted by or who can influence the event. 
• Effectively identifying and understanding these groups ensures events are relevant, well-attended, and achieve their objectives. 

“Identifying and understanding the target audience is a vital part of event planning because it determines how the event is developed, marketed, and evaluated.”

— Allen, J., O'Toole, W., Harris, R., & McDonnell, I. (2011). Festival and Special Event Management (5th ed.)

• Understanding the Audience helps in event design and theme
• Influences the choice of communication channels and promotional strategies
• Affects logistics, budget allocation, and experience planning
• According to Shone & Parry (2013):

• Demographic (age, gender, income)
• Psychographic (values, interests, opinions)
• Geographic (location, region)
• Behavioral (past attendance, loyalty, responsiveness)

"Segmenting and understanding the audience ensures a more focused and successful marketing and management effort."

— Shone, A., & Parry, B. (2013). Successful Event Management: A Practical Handbook (4th ed.)

"Stakeholders can influence or be influenced by the event. Identifying them and understanding their needs is essential to event success."

— Bowdin, G. A. J., Allen, J., O'Toole, W., Harris, R., & McDonnell, I. (2011). Events Management (3rd ed.)

Internal Stakeholders: Event team, volunteers, staff

External Stakeholders: Sponsors, government agencies, suppliers, media, attendees

4. Venue Selection and Layout Planning

• Events are not delivered in isolated spaces disconnected from the wider world.
• will be focusing on the physical context and specifically event venues and the logistics of supplying certain services and goods to the venue site.
• When planning an event, organizers must think about the context in which the event takes place. This means not only the physical location, but also the political, environmental, and social surroundings
• The right venue sets the tone, affects guest experience, and impacts logistics and budget.

Event Venue Selection 

Venue selection involves identifying and finalizing a location that meets the objectives, capacity, budget, and logistical needs of an event.

• Event Type & Objectives
• Target Audience/Guest Size
• Venue Location and Accessibility 
• Target Audience & Convenience 
• Venue History 
• Venue Services and Facilities 
• Legal and Safety & Security Arrangements 
• Venue Fees and Budget 

Event Layout

• Layout planning involves designing the spatial arrangement within a venue to achieve optimal flow, functionality, and overall experience. 
• Event layout ensures smooth flow of guests and staff, enhances safety and crowd control, improves guest experience and visibility and helps with efficient space utilization. 
• An event layout is the physical arrangement and design of the space where the event takes place. It includes how furniture, equipment, booths, stages, entry/exit points, and other elements are placed within the venue.
• Key Components of an Event Layout
• Entrance and Exit Points
• Stage or Main Activity Area
• Seating Arrangement
• Stalls or Booths (if applicable)
• Food & Beverage Area
• Restroom and Utility Access
• Emergency Exits and Safety Zones
• The type of Venue plan and layout used for a particular event depends on:
• The host's wish
• Type of function and activities 
• Size and shape of the venue/hall where the function is planned
• Number of people to attend

Venue layout/table plan for various events

a. Round Table Arrangements (Banquet Style)

• Only round tables of various sizes are used. 
• It is best suited for meal functions where the guests are required to sit and dine
• Also suitable for discussions, brainstorming sessions, team building sessions, or for any session that calls for close interaction with the members
• It is better to use larger-dimension round tables to avoid losing much area in the gangway

b. Crescent Rounds

• The guests are seated on one side of the round table to observe the presentation source
• This type of plan will require double the area of a round table arrangement.
• The benchmark is 26 sq. ft. per person.

c. Classroom Style

• This style is similar to a classroom with tables to write on and chairs
• recommended for the workshop, seminars, lectures, etc., in which the participants are required to take notes or study the handouts.
• The benchmark calculation for this style of arrangement is 14 to 16 sq. ft. per person if 18 wide tables are used and 16 to 18 sq. ft. if 30" wide tables are used.

Pros

• The presenter can see all participants
• Accommodates large groups in less space

Cons

• Minimal interaction possible
• Participants only see each other’s backs 

d. Conference or Boardroom Style

• It is the plan with a rectangular table and chairs around
• It is an effective style for small groups for discussion and presentation.
• guests sit around a rectangular table and observe the presentation and interact
• The area allowance per person is 21 to 23 sq. ft

Pros

• Good work space
• Good working atmosphere
• Good interaction between participants

Cons

• Not ideal for audio-visual presentations 
• Not ideal for speakers 
• Not ideal for larger groups

e. Theatre or Auditorium Style

• Only chairs are arranged in rows, such as in theatres leaving adequate legroom between the rows of chairs
• It is suitable only for listening to the presentation and not for taking notes. 
• The area allowance per person is 8 to 9 sq. ft

Pros

• Good for large groups when reading/writing are not required

Cons

• Elevation changes needed for large groups
• No writing surface
• Minimal group interaction