Kelly Marek Blog #3

This semester I’ve learned how important technology is to the event industry. Every single guest speaker we had shared how technology is changing the event planning industry. I’ve worked as a Project Coordinator in the past and after taking this course I have analyzed various technological advances, such as a mobile event app or registration through tablet, that would make events I’ve worked at much more efficient. Keeping this in mind was essential when working on my final event project, as I thought through which technology would be most beneficial for the venue I went to. I think I will definitely think more creatively about how to incorporate technology into future events that I plan.

A second takeaway is regarding project management. Using the Teamwork software was really useful when planning the Haskayne case and made planning the BBQ so much easier. After using the tool I even recommended implementing project management software across the organization I currently work at. Our Operations Team thought it was a really good idea and allowed me to research various tools. I was able to create a Project Management Team that would demo and then test out a few tools. Now we are in the process of selecting one and implementing it across the organization. Because I learned how essential project management is I have already been able to use this skill in the real world and it has made my life less hectic.

Site management is the third most important takeaway I gained from this class. Before using the Social Tables software I didn’t realize how key planning out an event space would be. Working with the software was really fun and allowed me to understand more of what goes into site management. Things I hadn’t previously thought about, such as spacing chairs properly, or making sure there were enough fire extinguishers on site, became much more apparent when using the software. It was also a pretty fun experience getting to see the Social Tables office space and hear about how they are changing the events industry.