Hi, today we’re going to look at three key event coordination tools that I find have
really made a difference in my career, in my delivery of events as an event manager.
We’ve had a chance to look at some of the event management activities, and we’ve already
done a good job of developing our event concept. So once we have our concept in mind, shortly
thereafter, we identify our event date. And when we’ll actually be in our execution
mode of our event. So we have our concept, and we have our event execution date in mind,
but we need to spend time planning and organizing. So as we plan and organize, we start to look
at these tools that come up, and what we can use.
So, first one I’d like to look at is, the critical path. The second one I’ll introduce
to you, is the run of play. And, the third is the event script.
When we look at the critical path, essentially we’re looking at a document that’s going to help us detail all of our
activities that we need to do. It’ s comprehensive to-do list.
From event conception, through past execution and to the wrap-up and closure of our event.
So essentially, with this comprehensive to-do list, we’re able to outline the tasks, and
responsibilities of all of those involved and this major timeline in which we need to
deliver on these items. The next piece we would start to look at is our run of play.
And, a run of play is actually more detailed in and around the execution onsite of events.
You’re looking at the given logistics and movements that play-by-play activities that
need to occur in and around event execution day.
So this is our run of play. And within our run of play, we then look at our event script.
So you might have, a daylong tournament where this is an evening awards, reception, or a
hall of fame gala, and within those events, you have an event script. We rely on an event
script. When you have someone speaking, when you have to flow between various speakers,
and essentially you’re looking at the word-by-word descriptions of what’s happening. You’re
looking at various cues, if you have someone coming in to introduce someone, there might
be cues on there that a video has to be cued, it wraps up, and then that person comes on
stage, and after they say x, y, z, they then step back, and it shows all of that detail
involved.
Essentially, if we spend enough time in our planning and organizing, we’re going to
be better off when it come to this execution point. Now these three pieces all have their
role. Our critical path, is then looking at something that’s more a week-by-week approach.
Our run of play, is something that’s looking at an hour-by-hour approach. And our event
script gives us that detail that more of a minute-by-minute approach. And you may not
have an event that is scripted, it will really depend on your event, but most definitely,
you will have a critical path, and a run of play.
So there it is, three key tools with their unique timeline, but very, very functional
support in our coordination within the event management activities.