Managing events as projects
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The document discusses how event management can be viewed as project management. It notes that both events and projects are temporary, require coordination, have budgets, and follow a defined life cycle. Treating events as projects allows for a systematic approach, common terminology, accountability, and lessons that can transfer to other areas. Tasks, resources, dependencies, critical paths, and milestones are key concepts for planning and monitoring progress in both project and event management.
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Managing events as projects
- 1. Managing events as projects Event Planning and Operations | Dr Ashley Garlick
- 2. Learning outcomes By the end of the session, you will be able to: List the key tasks for a simple event Describe the difference between tasks and resources Discuss the importance of measuring progress
- 3. Think back… We looked at the different phases of event management
- 4. Source: Shone, A & Parry, B. (2019). Successful Event Management: A practical handbook, 5th edition, London: Sage Conception Definition Production Operations Handover or Divestment Objectives & Getting Started Planning Organising & Preparing the event Implementing: Running the Event Divestment/Legacies Event mgt activities vs Project mgt activities
- 5. Source: Silvers, J. (2013), Risk Management for Meetings and Events, 2nd edition, London: Elsevier Start Activity Initiation Planning Implementation Event Closure Finish Timeline Project life cycle
- 6. They are of limited duration Require a degree of co-ordination of goals Usually have a fixed budget Are a unique occurrence
- 7. Source: Bladen et al (2018). Events Management: An introduction, Abingdon: Routledge. Events Leadership One-time tasks Cross- functionality Teams Life Cycle Budget Characteristics of events as projects
- 8. Systematic approach Doesn’t rely on an individual Common terminology Accountability Open management Training Transferability of methodology Common to other areas Source: O’Toole, W and Mikolaitis, P. (2002) Corporate Event Project Management, New Jersey: Wiley.
- 9. Ever changing environment Large numbers of stakeholders Design Creativity Temporary Infrastructures
- 10. For a critical discussion, see: Caccamese, A. & Bragantini, D. (2012). Beyond the iron triangle: year zero. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2012—EMEA, Marsailles, France. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. Time Quality Cost The ‘Iron Triangle’ of Project Management
- 11. Projects are made of tasks Let’s look at the simple example of making a cup of tea…
- 12. Fill the kettle
- 13. Get the mug, milk and teabag
- 14. Boil the water and pour in the mug
- 15. Lose the teabag Bin or compost
- 16. …just in case you didn’t believe me
- 17. Enjoy your tea!
- 18. Work breakdown structure Task Task Duration Dependencies 1 Fill kettle 10 2 Boil water 180 1 3 Get mug 5 2 4 Put teabag in mug 5 3 5 Get milk from fridge 5 6 Pour water in mug 120 2,4 7 Remove teabag 5 6 8 Pour milk in tea 5 5,7 9 Stir 5 8 Making a cup of tea
- 19. Enjoy tea 5 Stir 5 Pour milk in tea 5 Remove teabag 120 5 Get milk from fridge 5 Put teabag in mug 5 Get mug Pour water in mug 180 Boil water 10 Fill kettle Start at kitchen Activity network: Making a cup of tea
- 20. Resources People Facilities Equipment Finance Materials Resources can be allocated to tasks. There are three types of resource: Work Material Cost Resources can either be proportional to the task duration, or static. Resources based on ‘effort’ can result in changes to the task duration.
- 21. The pattern of dependencies will create multiple pathways through the project The ‘critical path’ reflects the shortest possible time in which ALL tasks can be completed Any change in any task on the critical path will impact the project timeline Tasks on non-critical paths can be flexed to save costs, but not time But, beware that flexing these tasks does not create a new critical path!
- 22. What is our critical path? Start at kitchen Get mug Put teabag in mug Get milk from fridge Pour water in mug Fill kettle Boil water Remove teabag Pour milk in tea Stir Enjoy tea 10 180 5 5 5 5 5 5 120
- 23. Are not a task within the project itself, but are important moments when you assess the progress against the plan Should occur at regular intervals, but also when tasks outputs can be observed or measured Key milestones should allow time to take corrective action if needed
- 24. Event management and project management share common characteristics, and the principles of project management are often applied in events Time, cost and quality are all linked – you cannot change one, without impact one or both of the other two Projects are made of tasks The nature of the project depends on the duration and dependencies of tasks, which can have resources allocated to them The critical path identifies the most important tasks to manage, and can identify which tasks will impact the project timeline Milestones are vital in monitoring the progress of a project
- 25. Any questions?
Editor's Notes
- As mentioned when we started many of the original techniques for large scale building, logistical and public projects have been used and adapted to the events industry. Here we see how Shone & Parry have considered what activities are completed for each industry….look at the similarities.
- Silvers uses the stages of the project in the timeline and you can see the varying level of activity at the different stages……..low to start, lots of planning, quiet implementation as plans are in place, busy again during event and a quiet close….
- There has been discussion as to whether events fits within the project management definition of a project…….but PMBOK & it’s processes can easily be adapted to fit. Yes they can easily be seen as a project because….. Even at times where you think it is the same event such as a wedding or conference it is merely the principles that are the same in fact many aspects to the event will make it unique………each has a different clients needs or stakeholder requirements.
- Bladen believes there are 6 key characteristics when considering your event to be a project……. LEADERSHIP – this role depends greatly on the scale of the event – mega events will have a series of committees who are reporting to international bodies or governments. Smaller events will have direct leadership….the key is knowing the lines of leadership BUDGET – Income/Expenditure, forecasting. Often remember other considerations here such as schedules, timelines, life cycle of project, contingency all of which have an impact on the budget. LIFE CYCLE – a defined beginning and end. Consideration must be gven to where the key phases are for your project. IN some sectors such as engineering one phase is often complete before the start of the next – Event generally don’t have this luxury due to the length of the project and the way the project comes together…….now you see the importance of being able to multi task!!! TASK – Often many of the tasks for events are not repeated because of the unique nature or size of the task, for example think about volunteer management it can depend on the area, societies mood, commitment needed etc. Often can be even more challenging if different leads/cultures/places each time for the event……..this also makes it hard to learn from previous events. CROSS FUNCTIONALITY – often done without any formal authority – event managers really have more often than not been project managers due to the versatility in the skills range needed and the knowledge of the variety of key business areas…….other industries are more segregated in their approach. TEAMS – Events or projects don’t function without them….simple!!!! They often vary in size and knowledge throughout the duration of the project, often brought together on a short term basis for the project and can then adopt varying organisational structures….think about a ‘pulsating organisation’.
- It is a systematic approach that can be improved on as we know events can always be improved It avoids relying on one person and therefore avoids risk – there is systems for documentation communication etc - Uses common terminology IT ensures accountability to stakeholders (this can’t wait until the event is live!) It makes the mgt of the event apparent to all – not hidden It helps to train staff by providing a framework The Mgt methodology can be transferred to any project It is common to other businesses.
- These are for direct application to events…. A big part of events is taking advantage of new opportunities, traditional proj mgt approaches tend to be less flexible More stakeholder generally means more objs to try and meet again these objs can at times keep changing needing a degree of flexibility…….think of different expectations and intangible event outcomes….ie it was ‘fun’ event The ‘wow’ factor…..event design is hard to describe or quantify….traditional project mgt looks for defined deliverables at the initiation phases Many events are about abstract thinking not logical concepts and linear processes……creatives see boundaries as constriction to their ability to produce the event!.....they want artistic flair! Events have short timelines so when temporary infrastructure the short timelines do not allows for detailed planning and analysis which traditional proj mgt looks for.
- Like any human undertaking, projects need to be performed and delivered under certain constraints. Traditionally, these constraints have been listed as "scope," "time," and "cost".[1] These are also referred to as the "project management triangle", where each side represents a constraint. One side of the triangle cannot be changed without affecting the others. A further refinement of the constraints separates product "quality" or "performance" from scope, and turns quality into a fourth constraint. The time constraint refers to the amount of time available to complete a project. The cost constraint refers to the budgeted amount available for the project. The scope constraint refers to what must be done to produce the project's end result. These three constraints are often competing constraints: increased scope typically means increased time and increased cost, a tight time constraint could mean increased costs and reduced scope, and a tight budget could mean increased time and reduced scope. The discipline of project management is about providing the tools and techniques that enable the project team (not just the project manager) to organize their work to meet these constraints.