Organize events
Why ?
With the COVID crises going on, a lot of physical events are now going online. But switching online is not that easy. Why are your attendees coming to your event? Is it to hear speakers? Of course! But there is more to it. Otherwise, a simple Youtube playlist would replace your event, right?
Your attendees are coming because they want to meet fellows, to be together. Or maybe you are organizing a recruitment event and your attendees are looking for a job?
So you have 30, 50, or maybe 2000 people coming to your event and you want them to be able to talk to each other, to socialize and simply to be together in a natural way.
WorkAdventure is here to help!
What does it look like?
Your attendees are connecting in a virtual universe. In this universe, they can attend talks, but also connect with other attendees or with your sponsors. They can simply walk in, walk out, and speak with anyone... just like in real life!
Does it really work?
Don't take our word for granted! Take a look at our happy users!
Because people keep me asking me the same question: The software @DarkMiraTour conference is using is https://t.co/X9GLPVt8Y4 by @coding_machine and @david_negrier. 👍🏻
— Nuno Maduro (@enunomaduro) December 13, 2020
And yes - it makes online conferences to be on another level. You can network, make friends, and have fun. ☺️ pic.twitter.com/dlyNNQ4Db2
2020 goes out with a bang: Last night's X-Mas Party made everyone forget it was virtual, thanks to @Workadventure_ and the fantastic 16bits-meets-VideoConf feel.
— HerrHochhaus (@HerrHochhaus) December 19, 2020
Thanks @grandcentrix for a grand night out. I dream in pixels now 🤪 pic.twitter.com/KohGc7f57Z
WorkAdventure has been used for all kind of events, from 20 attendees up to... 20 000 attendees (hello #rC3!). So whatever the size of your event is, there is a good chance WorkAdventure can host it!
Planning your event
One map or many maps?
WorkAdventure virtual rooms (we call them "maps") can be connected together. It is therefore possible to host your event on one single big map or several smaller rooms. The first thing you need to decide is the number of rooms you will need. This will probably depend on the number of attendees you are expecting and whether it makes sense or not to have distinct zones.
If you have less that 300 concurrent attendees, we recommend you host everyone on one single map. Having everybody in the same place will make a great experience.
If you are planning to have more that 300 concurrent attendees, you can start considering using several rooms (although one big room is possible too!)
If you expect a very large number of participants (>5000), we can consider setting up virtual "parallel" universes where participants are sent in one of several universes. Do not hesitate to contact us, we will discuss your special needs.
Plan your map
Are your organizing a small event? Maybe a meetup with about 30 attendees? Get started quickly by using one of our pre-built maps.
If you are organizing a big event, we strongly recommend that you design a custom map. Just like the choice of a venue is important in a real world event, the design of your map will drastically change your attendees experience. Spend some time designing a map with your colors and your logo! If you are new to map design or do not have the time, patience or skills to do it, we can put you in contact with skilled designers!
The correct map size
While designing a map, the first thing will be to find the correct size for your map.
You will need to make an estimate of the number of concurrent users on your map. The term "concurrent" is important. You will not need the same map for 1000 attendees on the course of a day or for 1000 attendees but during one hour. Your map should not be too small (otherwise attendees will not be able to walk-around quietly), and it should not be too big (otherwise attendees will have difficulties finding their way or finding people to talk to).
In our experience, a map of 80x80 tiles is a perfect fit for 100 concurrent users.
Streaming conferences
An event usually features talks performed by one or several speakers. You can host the talks inside or outside WorkAdventure.
Inside WorkAdventure:
- Up to about 30 people, you can hold your conference inside a classic "meeting room". The speaker can share his/her screen and anyone can ask questions at any point in time. Of course, the speaker or an administrator can moderate the talk.
- If you are planning more than 30 attendees, you should consider building a "podium". The speaker will speak on this podium and the talk will be broadcast to the audience using Youtube Live (attendees can see the Youtube Live feed inside WorkAdventure).
Outside WorkAdventure:
Maybe you already have a Webinar solution and you are looking to use WorkAdventure only for a "social" event. We also support this kind of setups. Several organizers already successfully organized events using LiveStorm for the "webinar" part and redirecting attendees to WorkAdventure during the pauses or at the end of the day for the social event part.
The correct map plan
When designing your map, make sure you divide the space into clear zones. Here are a few samples:
Organizers desk: Next to the entrance, you could put a desk with one or two people from the organizers team to welcome the attendees.
Sponsor booths: If you have sponsors, each sponsor should have its own booth. Put the sponsor logo, a desk (that acts like a meeting room). Also, we like to put a computer on the sponsor booth. When attendees are walking next to the computer, an iFrame opens with the sponsor website (or a recruitment form, etc...)
Speaker space: Plan a dedicated space for your speakers. Somewhere where attendees can go to and talk to the speakers.
Give some rhythm, use your imagination
Keep your attendees engaged by planning some small events. For instance:
- Send a global message to all your attendees to let them know a demo is going to start on a sponsor booth
- Organize a big virtual photo at the end of the event (it's fun!)
- Ask your sponsors to organize raffles and games! You can ask attendees to count the number of hidden mascots on the map, or ask them to find the hidden rooms. Or you can design a labyrinth... let your imagination loose!
Features
Open or restricted access: Your event can be accessible to anyone who has the link, or you can restrict the access to a given list of attendees. You can upload the list of attendees using a CSV file. Need to manage attendees through an API? Contact us.
Role management: You can give special rights to some of your users. Administrators can ban users who are not respecting your code of conduct. Moderators can mute users in meeting rooms, etc...
Custom characters: You can also design your own characters (or your own clothes). Custom clothes can be restricted to a set of users. For instance, you can decide that only the speaker are allowed to wear a green jacket.
Sponsors / booth: Plan a cosy space for your sponsors. Put a dedicated meeting room for them where they can make live demonstrations or engage with your attendees.
Moderation: Your attendees can report users with an incorrect behaviour. Administrators can send one to one messages with users behaving poorly and can ban users that breach your code of conduct.
Send a global message: Administrators can send a global message to everyone on the map. It can be a text message, an audio message or both. Very useful to remind attendees that a new talk is starting or that they should come and see a demo on a speaker booth!