Idea Exploration Stage (IES)

At this stage, the event is just an idea. The idea is explored further to see if more investigation is warranted to perform a formal Feasibility Stage (FS) (the next stage).

An overall goal and aim should crystallise by the end of the IES stage, but this is more formally detailed as part of the FS stage. Implicit in thinking about goals and aims is who the audience for the event will be – an initial understanding of the audience should be defined on at this stage.

This is also the stage at which the financial parameters should be agreed. For example, is the event intending to make a profit, break even, run as a free event or even allowed to make a loss? If the event (e.g. a pump-priming event) is allowed to make a financial loss, then the limits of that loss need to be agreed.

One should also agree on the probable and maximum number of attendees at the event as this will certainly impact venue choices and requirements in the Feasibility Stage.

Even at the Idea Exploration Stage, it should be possible to discuss the balance on the type or combination of types of sessions throughout the event in terms of:

  • Informing (e.g. Speakers)
  • Exploring (e.g. Discussion session)
  • Creating (e.g. Hackdays, Bring Your Own Data (BYOD))
  • Learning (e.g. Software Carpentry (SWC)/Data Carpentry (DC) or other instructive approaches)
  • Networking (e.g. lunch/coffee and other social sessions)

If this stage is approved, an Event Lead (EL) (the person in charge of both the vision and delivery of the event) should be identified, and effort from others should be assigned to form a co-ordinating group during the FS stage. For smaller events, only the EL may be required. The EL is the Project Manager for the event.

The lead should ideally have experience organising events. If they do not, then they should have a mentor assigned so they can learn as they go along. The mentor and the main stakeholder do not have to be the same person and often won’t be.

The Event Lead is answerable to the stakeholders (if there is more than one stakeholder, there should be a Lead Stakeholder (LS) who can make the final decisions).