100% virtual conference
MOBICONF is an event dedicated to the mobile application development industry. During the 2 days of online conference, developers and designers met and exchanged their experience touching on important topics for the industry. The event has been taking place for several years now, and in October 2021, 100% was held online for the first time.
Technology supporting online meetings
The organisers were very keen to have as much interaction with the participants as possible. With such assumptions and such an active group, we proposed the PINE platform, which offers great possibilities and is customisable to the individual requirements of an online event. Chats, rooms, random networking, 1:1 meetings, push messages, virtual stands and job fairs. These are just some of the elements used during the event.
When it came to the actual implementation (that is, the moment when the event starts), we focused on a well-designed conference, so that participants could see a beautiful picture on their screens, which was also very important for the client. Two experienced production teams used vmix and Microsoft Teams to connect speakers and process the images in real time. The tools used in this way made it possible to achieve the intended effect - close to what we see in the best TV productions.
Virtual networking sessions
The agenda of MOBICONF was varied. During the content-related parts, participants could attend lectures and presentations on 2 parallel tracks. During the breaks, as a form of relaxation, we offered random neworking sessions. The willing participants on the platform clicked on a specially prepared space and were then matched with another participant - it resembles speed dating at tables, but in a virtual version. For this group - so eager to meet - it turned out to be a hit.
Rehearsals with speakers
With 100% online events, rehearsals are very important. A well-prepared, rehearsed speaker is a value in itself - he makes the work of the producers easier and he feels confident without worrying that something is wrong with his presentation or connection. 3 weeks before the conference we provided the client and the speakers with a dedicated calendar to enter their availability for the rehearsal. The period in which rehearsals are carried out depends on the number of speakers - we usually try to have them in the week before the conference starts.
This is mainly due to the fact that if the rehearsal period is much earlier, there is a big chance that the speaker may forget what he/she has learned during the rehearsal (and sometimes we give some technical suggestions, we also use tools that the speakers do not use on a daily basis). Such tests usually last up to 15 minutes, and during them we try to go through such issues as: presentation sharing, call quality, light, sound and microphone quality, camera. We also introduce the speaker to how the event will be delivered and what exactly will happen. The smooth running of the conference often depends on well conducted rehearsals.
But how did our collaboration with Miquido start?
MOBICONF started with... a brief that Miquido sent out to us and other agencies dealing with online conferences. Well-described needs of the client and requirements for the platform allowed us to match the platform to the event and offer our vision of the online conference. Thanks to many meetings, during which we presented our ideas in detail and showed how the various elements of the conference would look like, we convinced Miquido.
What was the process of planning and working on the project like?
Miquido is an app development company. The basis was a well-designed and prepared schedule of work and tasks, which we created in the Monday app. We also prepared a dedicated space on OneDrive, which we then shared with the client. In parallel, Miquido provided us with access to its Google Drive, so we could share the files needed to prepare the conference. For ongoing communication we used a dedicated team in Microsoft Teams, which we work on every day and to which we invited the client. The infrastructure created in this way helped us comfortably carry out tasks from the schedule. Everyone knew exactly what and when they had to prepare and where to put it, so that the right person could continue working on it.
What we like best - a challenge!
The implementation itself into 2 separate parallel streams was not a technological challenge for us, but we wanted the client to have a good understanding of our approach and what the conference itself would look like. The sheer volume of questions from clients, is understandable for us, especially when it's the first time someone is hosting a 100% online event, and we don't see each other on site because we don't use the studio. The meetings, rehearsals and presentations that took place during the preparation of the conference were great in helping with this and clearing up any doubts Miquido had.
Event stats:
Virtual event statistics:
- Number of people: 150
- Speakers: 20
- Duration: 2 days
- Number of scenes/tracks: 2
- Online: PINE and Teams platform
