CRACKING THE CODE
his month has me thinking about human interactions in a live setting , which is a bit of an odd way to start an issue themed around event technology . I ’ ve had the pleasure of fostering connections online , but those connections only flourish into a relationship when complemented by interaction in-person .
Take the Conference News Global Event Tech Summit for example . It ’ s an event all about event tech , with some of the best and brightest event platforms in attendance , it ’ s an in-person event . On the face of it , you might question why , events about tech should belong online right ?
But it ’ s an inescapable fact that people buy from people , people need interaction in-person , a fact that ’ s only be exacerbated by the industry being shut indoors over the pandemic .
What I ’ m trying to say , is that we , as an industry , need to think more laterally about event tech . It ’ s no longer a case of online events being the be all and end all of tech-enabled events . Now it ’ s about using tech to enhance the live experience , to lay the groundwork for in-person interactions , to be more sustainable , to connect people from across the globe .
In this issue , we talk about the nature of online communities , how tech competency is becoming ever-more prevalent for eventprofs and how tech is a vital industry for moving the DEI needle . We ’ re also showcasing some of the platforms out in the market with the return of our CN Tech Review .
Technology is changing the way our industry works , but there ’ s still plenty of room for innovation while we are in this moment of change . The success of tomorrow will be for those willing to try and those who find the perfect blend of online community and in-person interaction . CN
Cameron Roberts Editor Conference News www . conference-news . co . uk