Bridging the Audience Chasm

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd International Association of Conference Centers session. The topic surrounding the event was “Incorporating Advancing Technology into the Meeting Experience.” The eight panel group included individuals ranging from meeting space planners, learning experts and technology professionals.

The discussions included an analysis of audiences, creating optimal meeting environments, social media integration and providing proper infrastructure for technology. But my biggest takeaway came from Andrea Sullivan, president of BrainStrength Systems, Inc. She illustrates that younger audiences are no longer learning in a similar parallel to generations before. With a focus on collaboration, this generation is bringing new tools for engagement, communication and education into the business world. Not only is the backdrop of events and meetings changing, the entire business landscape is as well.

With evolving technology, social tools and fresh learning behaviors, there is an increasing disconnect between existing generations and this new generation. This chasm will only continue to grow as this younger generation blends with these existing individuals.

“People don’t learn well when they don’t feel safe,” says Sullivan. As we continue to embrace technology to enhance the meeting space, how are we to implement tools and strategies that don’t alienate older audiences not incorporating these tools without distancing the younger groups who rely on them for development?

The unfortunate reality for event planners is that they are no longer tasked simply with creating an environment. Four walls, a podium and Power Point doesn’t work anymore. The value of your message is measured by audience retention, and retention is dictated by the methods, tools and the experience that surrounds it.

Education

Your audiences, by definition, are there too be educated, entertained and/or socialize. Your implementation takes planning and strategy beyond the event; creating backchannels, virtual audience awareness, etc. Use these as opportunities to show how they are used and give older audiences multiple situations to develop an understanding. Event if utilization comes secondary to existing learning tools, their apprehensions will subside and keep from being obstacle to prevent learning.

Unification

Give younger audiences systematic tools that may seem basic, but may not be familiar to their modern structure of learning. Most of them understand digital tools, but are they familiar with analog tools?

As described by Mark T. Grein, Senior V.P. & Chief Experience Officer, Steelcase, Inc., “Analog tools offer persistence of information and strengthening of ideas.” Create an environment that provides a platform of unified learning channels.

Participation

Face to face meetings are quite simply enhanced by its very nature. While education and messaging is a standard, encourage audience participation that yields no boundaries. Let your audience interact with you. Let them interact with a virtual audience. Most importantly, let them interact with each other. Ideas beget ideas when you allow audiences to interface and you’ll slowly bridge the gap that divides them.

(Image by dying_grotesque via Flickr Creative Commons License)