Keeping key event-design principles, and event-experience design objectives, in mind, along with creating a proper workback schedule, are crucial to planning a successful event. By Don Douloff, March/April 2009

Event planning entails a plethora of complex details requiring top-notch organization and multi-tasking skills.

Where to start? Right here, with advice culled from Event Planning, written by industry veteran Judy Allen, who dispenses invaluable recommendations on the pre-planning thought process and on how to create a proper workback schedule (also called the critical path).

Next step is the aptly named critical path. As Allen writes, “successful event execution depends on how detailed and accurate your critical path is and how strictly you adhere to the guidelines.”

Basically, the critical path configures the organizational framework of the planning process — timelines, delivery schedules, confirmation dates and supplier and venue requirements. A properly set-up critical path outlines what has to be done, and when.

Organize your critical path via headings corresponding to the months from contracting to the event date. “Break down into weeks the two months prior to the start of the event,” she notes. Create calendar pages for that purpose, and, at the top of each, list contract business-day cutoff dates, so they will be top-of-mind and readily identifiable. Keep in mind that they are “business days before your supplier contract fulfillment begins. Most hotel and supplier contracts stipulate business days (Monday to Friday) for cut-off, attrition and cancellation dates,” notes Allen. Moreover, the contract start date doesn’t always coincide with your event date. For example, if a supplier’s set-up starts a day or more before the event date, that is their start date. The same would be true for the venue, since it would be contracted to permit an early move-in. “You are calculating for contract guarantee cutoff dates, not the actual number of days prior,” writes Allen. In this scenario, you could have multiple, different cutoff dates for your team of suppliers. List them in order, for easy reference. Grouping them by time (12 weeks prior to event; four weeks prior to event; one week prior to event; two days prior to event, etc.) helps compartmentalize everything into manageable bundles.

By organizing everything in month and date order, you will be able to clearly delineate any operations bottlenecks and, along with that, identify any conflicting business and personal deadlines.

The next step, says Allen, is to schedule your critical path backwards, incorporating time buffers and deadlines to give you some breathing room.

List them in date order, so you’re always cognizant of them and can make changes as needed. Another tip from Allen: Leave those dates intact, but using your calendar, back up their due date by at least three days — choose an appropriate day of the week that’s not a holiday and jibes with your schedule — and list your deadlines in sequential order.

Give yourself leeway. For example, “your food and beverage guarantee should not be scheduled to be called in the same day as your expected RSVP from Guest List A or B, as you will need time to figure out if the final count will also affect the number of tables you need, room layout, etc.,” counsels Allen.

If, after receiving all your RSVPs, you’re dropping beneath the guaranteed minimum, you’ll require time to plot other options before calling in your final numbers. “Building in time buffers is essential. Do this for the balance of supplier and venue deadlines,” says Allen.

Before you begin the planning process, Allen advises to keep five event-design principles in mind: The elements (all the parts that make up the event); the essentials (must-haves); the environment (venue and style); the energy (creating a mood); and the emotion (feelings). It’s also important to keep in mind five event-experience design objectives. In Allen’s view, events should be educational; enlightening; engaging (connecting the company/group as a whole); energizing; and entertaining, but with a very exclusive educational twist… and even a mix of all of these elements.

– Don.Douloff@mtg.rogers.com