As a career-long association volunteer, I make it a constant practice to encourage others to offer to contribute to professional events and publications, always citing the many benefits including gaining visibility, getting to know colleagues better, and enjoying learning new skills. Having just returned from the extremely successful 25th annual conference of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (judging by the enthusiastic feedback on the program and the entire experience), I reiterate the encouragement, backed up by feedback from the entire conference team: Volunteering truly is a matter of getting more than one gives.
Not only did I enjoy every aspect of my activities as conference co-chair, I came away with valuable experience for 2012 (yes, I want to do it again). Happily, most of the takeways were confirmations that our judgment was right. Here are a few success factor illustrations I would give to other conference planners, based on the positive experience of having worked with a sterling team for almost a year. I hope to inspire readers that conference planning is fun and rewarding!
- Relying on other team members is paramount. Volunteering is not about "lone heroics" - it's about collaborating to ensure work loads are reasonable. I was so lucky to have a dynamite group with lots of experience - and doesn't it speak volumes that several members signed up to volunteer for 2012!
- No matter how carefully one plans, some things (usually ones nobody notices) will escape attention. Each such discovery is a useful tip to be applied to future situations: Memo to self - arranging for a different Master of Ceremonies to announce each new morning's and afternoon's events will reduce stress and give several others an opportunity to be "up there" getting used to the function.
- Consider the "culture" of the association to determine how to balance organizers' desire for punctual session starts with conference attendees' desire to network (the 20 June 2010 blog post focuses on the value of hallway conversations). At the very least, closing the doors when the session starts is a courtesy to introducers and speakers.
- Given that Conference Chairs need to check messages just as everyone else does, having a co-chair enables taking turns "hovering over the event" and "paying attention to our lives".
- Reach out to first-time attendees in various ways ranging from a simple arranged welcome handshake and chat to a formal orientation event (as is AIIP practice).
- Understand and document early on for everyone on the team the allocation of tasks. If it becomes necessary, reallocation is relatively smooth if individual task areas are clearly described.
- Keep good documentation for the current and the next crew. Next year's team is entitled to make new decisions and depart from past practice of course, but there is huge value in knowing what the previous year's experiences were. (I had, and have appointed for next year, a Knowledge Manager!)
- If there is an association management office (whose responsibilities typically would include such crucial practicalities as venue and hotel arrangements, catering and menus, AV, signage, attendee handout printing and bags, etc) - take advantage of such an office's expertise and build a solid working relationship! If there isn't such an office, consider hiring a professional planner for key logistics and overall support - evidence suggests the total work load of a typical full blown conference at a hotel is daunting for an all-volunteer crew.
- Arrange for social events in addition to the subject oriented events. Attendees get so much out of going on tours, having meals together, and the like.
My heartfelt thanks go to each and every one of you who set up AIIP 2011 and who came from near and far to make the conference so valuable and enjoyable.
