Idea Exploration Stage

At this stage, the event is just an idea. The idea is explored further to see if more investigation is warranted to perform a formal Feasibility stage, which comes next.

An overall goal and aim should crystallise by the end of the Idea Exploration Stage, but this is more formally detailed as part of Feasibility Stage. Think about the target audience before deciding on the goals and aims of the event. An initial understanding of who the audience will be is defined at this stage - i.e. which section of a particular community are you targeting by running this event. This is paramount to develop the next stages of the event: what sessions to run, type of content for each session, publicity, and outputs.

This is also the stage at which the financial parameters should be agreed. For example, will the event make a profit, break even, run as a free event, or is it allowed to make a loss? If the event is allowed to make a financial loss (e.g. a pump-priming event), then the limits of that loss need to be agreed.

You should also agree on the maximum number of attendees at the event as this impacts on venue choices and requirements in the Feasibility Stage.

Even at the Idea Exploration Stage, it should be possible to discuss the balance of the type, or combination of types, of sessions throughout the event in terms of:

  • Informing (e.g. speakers)
  • Exploring (e.g. discussion session)
  • Creating (e.g. hack days, Bring Your Own Data)
  • Learning (e.g. Software Carpentry/Data Carpentry or other instructive approaches)
  • Networking (e.g. lunch/coffee and other social sessions)

If this stage is approved, an Event Lead should be identified to manage the vision and delivery of the event, and effort from others should be assigned to form a co-ordinating group during the Feasibility Stage. For smaller events, only the EL may be required.

The Event Lead should ideally have experience organising events. If they don’t, then they should have a mentor assigned so they can learn as they go along. The mentor and the main stakeholder do not have to be the same person and often won’t be.

The Event Lead is answerable to the stakeholders - if there is more than one stakeholder, there should be a Lead Stakeholder who can make the final decisions.