One + March/April 2011 - (Page 42)

> > H I G H -T EC H H U M A N I T Y BY DOUGLAS RUSHKOFF << THE CONFERENCE IS NOT ABOUT YOU I’M WONDERING IF THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY OF US. Of you, really: conference planners. While there’s without doubt value in meetings, terriﬁc value in the great ones, I ﬁnd myself wondering more often than not why, exactly, some events are held at all. There are plenty of conferences with clear, obvious and unassailable goals: a region bringing its businesses together to discuss economic development, a trade group gathering its members to exchange experiences and promote innovations, a new industry greeting its professionals—maybe for the ﬁrst time—as they explore partnerships and set standards. But there are an increasing number of events out there—and even meetings companies—that set dates and book venues only to back into whatever purpose or community they are supposed to serve. Organizers of the purposeful conference ask themselves tough questions about delegate needs and goals, time and money. I’m 42 one+ 03 / 0 4.11

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of One + March/April 2011

One + March/april 2011
Contents
Energy of Many
Impressions
Ultimate Fail
Overheard
Agenda
Ask the Experts
Thoughts+Leaders
Wonders, Man
Business Is Back
Top Spots
Connections
Irrelevant
Fail vs. Fail
Long Distance Sportsmanship
The Conference Is Not About You
Eat, Play, Love
Fantastic Fit
Where Tomorrow Happens
Middle Kingdom Come
All Together Now
Economic Impact Study
The Truth of Tech
The Social Networker
Applified
Super Wi-Fi Is Coming
The Kitchen Sink
@ Your Service
Your Community
Making a Difference
Until We Meet Again
MPI's 2011 Meeting Guide to Colorado

One + March/April 2011