LibraryMakers - Digital making event planning checklist

Digital making event planning checklist

Intro

Each event will be different and will depend on the audience and the type of event you are planning but hopefully this checklist can help you get started.

First steps

Plan out the objectives for the event. These could be learning objectives, promotion, outreach or a combination of things but it’s helpful to have a clear picture of what the aim of the event is
What’s the target audience? This includes skill level, age and maximum attendance.
Get the team together - Who will be involved? Deciding on roles and responsibilities as early as possible can help things run a bit smoother and ensure people are clear on who’s responsible for what.

A month before

Put posters up, distribute leaflets and notify any local press who might be interested. Also make sure to announce your event in newsletters and other communication channels with your library users.
Make sure the event is in all the local calendars as well as your own.
Is the space booked? If you have to book specific rooms or areas of the library or venue, make sure this booking is firmly in place. And then check it again just to be sure.
Time to start tweeting about the event
If you are providing refreshments for the event, confirm the amounts required and any special dietary requirements and the timings of any refreshment breaks planned.

A week before

Print out materials you will need to use on the day, such as a mailing list signup form or handouts for the activities planned.
Equipment audit - create a list of the equipment that will be used on the day, including extension cables, adapters, numbers of each item and who will be responsible for it.
If there are any extra steps or limitations for users joining your WiFi network, now’s the time to find out, document and test this. This can mean checking the connection process for different devices and on different operating systems.
If there are other organisers/presenters/organisations involved, send out a reminder email confirming times, venue and contact information.

On the day

Get the venue ready

Put signs to the venue from outside to help new visitors find their way.
Make sure other staff are updated and ready to point your attendees in the right direction
Signpost toilet facilities, prayer rooms and disability access points
Check if there are any fire drills planned that you should forewarn attendees about.
Arrange the workspace furniture for maximum participation and collaboration.

Technical setup

Make sure there are plenty of power sockets that are easily accessible
Wifi details are readily at hand and ideally posted around the venue.
Tech support (in whatever form that takes) is both forewarned and on speed dial.
Are you archiving the tweets for the day?

Follow up

Don’t lose the momentum at the end of the day - Be ready to communicate next steps to the people who attend your event. This can include ensuring people know if they can find or share blog posts about the event, how to contact you or other organisers and if future events are being planned.

Other things to consider

Photography permission - It’s always nice to notify people if you plan on taking photos or recording the event. If young people are attending your event, make sure you get the permission of their parents for any photography.

References

Hackday Manifesto

Digital making event planning checklist

Digital making event planning checklist

Intro

First steps

A month before

A week before

On the day

Get the venue ready

Technical setup

Follow up

Other things to consider

References

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