From someone who set out to create a virtual event

Carmen Zahno, project manager at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), has already experienced a lot when it comes to events and other projects. But organizing a virtual event was also new territory for her. She spoke to us about her experiences, learnings and aha moments in an interview. We also found out what she would do differently next time and what she was particularly pleased about during the preparations in collaboration with Kilchenmann.

Carmen, could you start by telling us which event you held virtually and what exactly it was about?

There were actually two of them, one large and one slightly smaller. The first event was the StartUp Forum Aargau with over 200 participants, and the second was the "Stories of female entrepreneurship" event, which was attended by around 90 people. At the StartUp Forum Aargau, which was organized in collaboration with Standortförderung Aargau, we almost did something like pioneering work, as we transformed an existing format into a digital experience on a greenfield site - including a virtual trade fair environment specially developed by Kilchenmann and Appix AG with interactive trade fair stands, livestream elements, interaction options and a ceremony for awarding prizes to the best projects in this year's Swiss Startup Challenge.

How and with what lead time did you approach the project?

The lead time for the first event was two months, and then just two weeks for the second. This was because in the second round we had the opportunity to build on the existing environment and incorporate our experience from the first event. Of course, this was not yet the case with the StartUp Forum Aargau. As a first step, we worked closely together to develop a concept based on the possibilities presented by Kilchenmann. The basic idea was to create an experience that would offer our participants variety and numerous opportunities for interaction with a virtual exhibition hall including exhibition stands, an auditorium and workshop rooms. Participants should therefore have the opportunity to visit various stands within the virtual trade fair, interact with the stand supervisors, take part in workshops, experience the startup pitches, exchange knowledge and attend the StartUpChallenge Award Ceremony.

In which steps did you then implement the whole thing?

After the conception, we sat down again with our project manager from Kilchenmann and presented him with our ideas. Shortly afterwards, the rolling implementation began. The entire environment, including exhibition stands and workshop rooms, was designed and programmed on an ongoing basis. At the same time, the necessary communication tools were installed. Specifically, this involved live chats, dial-in options for workshops and the integration of videos. I was also confronted with numerous questions that I had never dealt with before. For example, we had to define how many calls the platform had to be equipped for, as the necessary lines had to be purchased and provided in advance. Another example is the question of which web browsers the event should work on, or security aspects that had to be taken into account. Ultimately, huge amounts of data are moved back and forth during such an event, which poses a number of challenges in terms of technical infrastructure. All in all, the organization of a virtual event is certainly no less complex than that of a physical event, but the tasks are completely different.

Were your ideas from the concept feasible with a standard solution?

Anything but that! The implementation was basically a first-time setup of Kilchenmann's current "virtualexperience" platform, which was developed in collaboration with Swiss partners. We were aware at the start of the project that the solution was still under construction, which naturally had an influence on the development process. For example, at the start of the project I had no sense of which requirements or adjustments would involve which implementation effort. Is my wish now done with one click or does the programmer have to invest a day's work? I learned a lot in this area, which was very valuable for me. The second implementation was a completely different story and today Kilchenmann offers the solution as a ready-to-use and modular platform.

Then came day X. How did the event go?

At the Female Entrepreneurship event, we were physically separated from each other due to the current corona rules at the time. This was different at the StartUp Forum and everyone involved in the organization and technology was on site. This made communication much easier and, although the format was virtual, it created that special event feeling among the participants that I personally really appreciate. But then came the big moment of shock, because when we figuratively pressed the start button, nothing worked. That really threw me for a moment, because at a physical event I would have quickly gone on stage and said that we were having technical problems or - figuratively speaking - simply put the banner that had fallen down back up again with double-sided tape and quickly organized an extension cable. In this case, however, I couldn't do anything and had to rely on the technicians to fix it somehow.

What was the problem? Could it have been prevented?

The login for the participants did not work and they were unable to access the platform. In the end, we started an hour late. Of course, hindsight is always wiser. The technical glitch could certainly have been avoided if we had started testing earlier or spent less time working on the content. We took this learning into account when preparing for the second event and everything went smoothly in the end. The bottom line is actually quite simple, at least in hindsight: the deadlines must be clear and consistently adhered to. From day X onwards, no more new content is entered or adapted so that there is enough time for the tests.

In retrospect, what advantages and disadvantages do you see with regard to the "virtual event" format?

I am enthusiastic about the possibilities that the format offers. In principle, you can do anything because there are virtually no limits from a technical point of view. You can combine different formats, bring in pre-produced content, broadcast live streams, set up different rooms and create a really great experience. On the one hand, you are more flexible virtually - but also slower, as you can do practically nothing yourself and are reliant on the professionals for every step. On the other hand, the wide range of evaluation options offered by a virtual event are exciting and instructive. And last but not least, with a virtual event you are of course independent of location, which simplifies a lot, especially - but not only - in times of corona and offers new possibilities with regard to speakers. A little tip at the end: Virtual formats also offer the opportunity to incorporate the physical aspect by sending out documents or a small event package before the event. We did this at the Female Entrepreneurship event in the form of snacks and information documents, which was very well received by our participants.

Carmen, thank you very much for the interesting interview!

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