GCB Research development was , of course , also an immensely exciting phase for our research . Our study results now aim at providing everyone involved in business events of the future with orientation and inspiration for their own work in these very special times .”
A catalogue of innovation The ‘ Business Events of the Future ’ study is not the only forward-facing piece of research the German Convention Bureau has put together under its Future Meeting Space initiative . It also publishes an ‘ innovation catalogue ’, which ranges over the latest technology and how it can impact the business events sector .
The 4.0 version of the innovation catalogue was published towards the end of last year . It examined virtual reality , augmented reality , cloud computing , data analytics , artificial intelligence ( AI ), blockchain , the Internet of Things ( IoT ), 5G , quantum computing and more .
One idea the catalogue explored was that of “ avatar conferencing ” – something CMW delves into further in this issue on pages 48-50 , where we speak to the creators of new avatar-based virtual event platform enso .
The study expects events roles will begin to merge with ‘ community manager ’ -type roles , and greater technical knowledge will be required .
Avatars allow delegates to move around inside a virtual space – in enso ’ s case a Peruvian mountainside for its World Indigenous Forum – and interact with one another . The GCB ’ s research found that avatar conferences benefitted from higher engagement levels , holding attention for longer than video calls while keeping travel expenses at a minimum . The use of new technologies to attend meetings in one virtual room also allows for interactions that previously would not have been possible .
Immersive learning is another option explored in the innovation catalogue . Training courses can be conducted in VR and AR in order to increase the level of engagement . One example of this is a company called 3spin Dream , which provides immersive training courses for staff inside virtual reality environments .
Heike Mahmoud , from marketing conglomeration the Seven Centers of Germany , commented : “ Digitalisation
processes and new technology options will have a huge impact on our future daily business . Therefore , it is imperative to get a general overview of the new technological tools and top innovations in this fast-growing market .”
Kati Rittberger , of organiser Xing Events GmbH , added : “ The coronavirus has sparked a multitude of discussions on how we can shape events in the future . As a software company , one trend that we see as having a lasting impact on event analysis is AI . Predicting the success of an event can help us make the right decisions at the right time .”
The GCB ’ s next research project will be “ The changing ecosystem of events ”, which it will be working on throughout 2021 . The Future Meeting Space network will be looking at the challenges of the post-Covid era in its study , with a focus on the new opportunities created in the changed ecosystem of events .
ISSUE 111 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 15