With a surge in new mobile telepresence technology in the market, companies have more options than ever to integrate remote presentations into live, staged events. One start-up company making headway in this space is Double Robotics. They’ve invented the “Double” – a robot-like mobile teleconferencing system that is controlled remotely. Put simply, the device is an iPad on wheels. The iPad becomes the “face” of the remote person who controls the robot from another iPad or a web browser.

Our creative team was recently tasked with integrating this new technology into a high-level live event showcasing Accenture’s Chairman & CEO Pierre Nanterme, addressing from Paris, France, a large audience at Q Center, our conference facility in St. Charles, IL. The road to success involved several detailed planning stages and coordination among several teams including Accenture’s Technology Labs that provided the robot and used it as part of a larger research and development effort around digital workforces. Here is a breakdown of what we did to make it all work:

1. Figure out Why. Our first task was to understand why the client wanted to integrate the technology. Knowing “why” informed nearly every other aspect of the planning. Our client was interested in the “cool factor” of the robot, but it was also about creating an “intimate” environment that would allow Mr. Nanterme to be up close and personal with the participants.

2. Communicate and Delegate. Once we had a clear end in mind, we started laying down a stable path forward by establishing who needed to be involved in the planning and how decisions would be made along the way. We established a clear production schedule that outlined deliverables and responsibilities, including specific touch points with the client and extended production team. How would the robot get on stage? Who would help Mr. Nanterme control the robot from Paris? What was our backup plan if the Double failed?

3. Test the technology. Then, test it again. And again. Testing was a key factor to our success. We setup two formal testing times before the event where we could have the remote operator in Paris control the robot in a similar environment to the live show. These testing sessions proved critical for success because they allowed issues to surface well before the show date.

4. Make it Interactive. Remember, our client wanted to feature interaction between Mr. Nanterme and the audience. In the end, we decided to change our game plan for Q&A and invite participants onstage to ask their questions to Mr. Nanterme “face to face.” This aspect of the event made the Double even more fun for them, and allowed us to maintain visibility of the action with our cameras. Each Q&A participant was rewarded for their bravery with the opportunity to take a “selfie” with Mr. Nanterme’s double.

5. Debrief and Celebrate! Whenever you have a new production element to a show, it’s always a good idea to reflect on what worked and what didn’t – especially with a popular piece of technology that is likely to be used again in the future. We put our heads together for a debrief conference call within two weeks of the show to make sure we documented best practices for next time. We were also thrilled to hear that the use of the Double garnered recognition in Paris’ local press and was a popular feature internally for Accenture.

The Double robotic technology was a huge hit for Accenture as the company continues to experiment with emerging telepresence technology, and it was a unique way for the participants to get in touch with their Chairman & CEO at an important event. As our team looks to integrate other high tech gadgets into our production repertoire, we’ll be sure to follow a similar path in managing the technical and functional considerations to deliver a memorable show.

Article contributed by Thomas M. Densmore, AMM, CMMA Board Member

Are you looking to increase audience participation and engagement for your conference? Have you tried a hybrid meeting? For most people, I’m sure the answer to the first question is a resounding “yes.” However, many people have not added a webcasting component to enhance the conference experience.

Hybrid meetings integrate in-person communication and virtual meeting elements, which allows attendees to connect and share information across the globe. Participants who are unable to travel due to time or budget constraints now have easy access to participate in the event, either live or on-demand.

If you’re considering a hybrid meeting for your next conference, consider these key benefits:

Increased Participation – While many businesses may think webcasting will cannibalize their event participation, it actually helps increase engagement. By offering an alternative to onsite attendance, those who are unable to attend due to travel costs or timing can still enjoy the conference experience. Businesses that provide live and on-demand viewing options have an even better chance of distributing their conference messaging as attendees can watch at their convenience. Onsite attendees may even decide to tune into the virtual experience – you never know when conflicting presentation times may cause conference attendees to miss a presentation they would like to see.

Also, speakers and other thought leaders that may be unable to travel to the conference can lend their expertise by presenting virtually. As a result, you won’t be missing out on incredible presentations and can connect and collaborate with individuals across the globe.

Convert Webcast Attendees to In-Person Attendees – Content is king, so if your business secures strong speakers, organizes interesting panels and provides attendees with networking opportunities with key constituencies, online participants will think it is absolutely necessary to attend in-person next time. After all, there is nothing like meeting face-to-face.

Education and Promotion – Hybrid events not only provide participants with another means of attendance, but the archived webcast can be used as an educational and promotional tool. Edit and re-purpose portions of the conference/meeting for sales and marketing tools to attract future attendees or use as an educational piece for new employees, organization members, etc. The content can also be shared through social media channels to generate additional interest.

In a business environment where increased communication and participation are paramount, companies, and conference organizers in particular, are leveraging technology in combination with their tried-and-true event strategies.

Physical events are here to stay and will continue to exist alongside virtual ones. Talk to your conference/meeting attendees to determine what they are looking for an online event component.

Then, choose a webcasting provider that will work with the onsite event AV team. This will minimize production issues and provide a better experience for participants.

Finally, use polls and exit surveys during and after your hybrid event to find out why attendees participated online. All of this information can help you create an event that works for all of your constituencies. You’ll gather real metrics, real data and real results.

This article was contributed by TalkPoint – CMMA Partner Member

Editor’s Note:
At the upcoming CMMA national conference in Nashville, TalkPoint will help CMMA execute the organization’s first hybrid meeting, using webcasting to facilitate increased communication and engagement with conference attendees. They will provide the webcasting technology to capture key elements of the conference including speaker presentations and case studies.

This October, Innovation is the theme for the CMMA National Conference in Nashville. Recently, David Burkus wrote in the Harvard Business Review, “…in most organizations, innovation isn’t hampered by a lack of ideas, but rather a lack of noticing the good ideas already there. It’s not an idea problem; it’s a recognition problem.” He says there is a “negative bias against creativity” in uncertain times and I, and I’m sure many of you, are living through uncertain times in your organization. http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/07/innovation_isnt_an_idea_proble.html

Many businesses utilize a form of internal social networking for collaboration and employee engagement. Years ago, we explored a program, Yammer, as a solution to the assertion that, “we need to be cutting edge, we need a new idea …” comment from one of the directors of our sales development team. He wanted his managers to communicate with each other to develop ideas and strategies in a more collaborative way than email provided. Our Yammer experiment lasted for a month, and died a slow death.

Then, our training team pursued an tool that would allow them to collaborate, share best practices, access training tools and videos, and develop solutions to common challenges. They too re-examined the use of Yammer. Once again, the department didn’t have a firm plan to go along with this tool. Subsequently, it produced, three months of “inspirational messaging” from one Senior Manager, and a couple “selfie” pictures from team members. No one utilized the training videos we had in the file base.

Finally, the groups that manage our Contact Center staffing and Workforce Management teams came to me with the same challenge as the aforementioned work groups. Once we had a firm plan and an inclusive process for working in this collaborative environment, Yammer turned out to be the right idea after all. Now we share best practices via self-produced video trainings and developed a community of people throughout the company who share a common goal and mission. With some of these “training videos” they’ve prompted our Contact Center training group to integrate some of these ideas into formal processes. To date, it has saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in staffing time and training adjustments.

Ultimately, we often need to take the time to re-evaluate an existing idea and determine if it can be reworked, repurposed, or utilized by others within the organization. Innovation may be as simple as seeing the good ideas already in front us, maybe not for what they are… but what they might become. To Burkas’ point, “It’s not an idea problem; it’s a recognition problem.”

Article contributed by Gerry Harris, CMMA Board of Directors

At our recent Spring Professional Development Conference (at McDonald’s University outside of Chicago) I was having lunch with my media manager colleagues from Intel and McKinsey. It was a matter of fact conversation – we were talking shop about our facilities and the daily challenges we face – but at one point it struck me like a thunderbolt: this is what CMMA is all about! In 20 minutes, while noshing on our Chicago-style hot dogs, Best Buy, Intel and McKinsey were benchmarking each other! I was amazed at how simple this was and powerful at the same time. As always, our conversation confirmed how much we had in common and how enlightening it was to share stories.

I’ve been a member of CMMA for over 6 years now and it has been an excellent and fulfilling experience getting to know the folks out there that do what I do – folks who manage teams that create videos, other media and live events. I’ve learned so much during that time. For my company, Best Buy, it’s been a great “return on investment” as well. Our ability to benchmark systems, approaches, vendor partners, etc. in a matter of hours or days is invaluable.

This fall we’ll all meet again at our National Conference in Nashville, TN. Our theme is “The Innovation Conference,” and will undoubtedly be an exciting and educational experience. The agenda is shaping up to be a very cool event, and I expect more of what I have come to enjoy every time CMMAers get together – great conversation, sharing and learning. And fun! I hope to see you there or at any one of our regional get-togethers over the summer.

For more information on CMMA membership, or to watch the Nashville conference presentation video, and a chance to meet the members, visit us at www.cmma.org!

Cheers,
Chris Barry, CMMA President