Introduction
Many Events Management courses have a practical element, in which students plan and execute a live event. In order to prepare students for this live events scenario, it is important to bring in many of the key principles and concepts of events management in order to inform their choices and justify the decisions they are making in the 'real' world. This Guide focuses on the planning stages of a live event, combining concepts and practical elements to inform operations processes. Post-event activities, such as collation of feedback, evaluation and consideration of legacy are also examined, as this is an important aspect of events management and should be included in any planning and operations module. The module is usually considered a level above the introductory stages in the educational process.
Aims
The aims of a practical events management module could be:
- To build upon students' skills in the principles of events management and develop their knowledge and application of management processes within events;
- To enable students to apply principles of events management to a practical situation.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a knowledge of the issues and impacts of funding mechanisms, financial resources, budgeting and its application to events management;
- Apply a knowledge of marketing and infrastructural requirements to an event;
- Identify the appropriate legislation and regulations pertaining to the event industry, especially with regard to risk, health & safety, and its impact upon events management;
- Implement events management principles in a practical scenario and show competence in the techniques employed;
- Reflect upon their ability to operate in an individual and team based environment;
- Evaluate individual and team performance in running the event;
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Collect and evaluate customer feedback in informing event success and any local legacies.
Module Content
•Event Design and Themes
•Human Resource Issues: Management, Leadership and Volunteer Management
•Finance and Events: Budgets, Revenue and Price Management
•Sponsorship and Fundraising
•Marketing and Communications
•The Role of Information Technology
•Risk Assessment and Risk Management
•Events Law and Administration
•Health and Safety Requirements
•Contingency Planning
•Event Operations and Ethics
•Event Co-ordination
•Teamwork and Group Performance
•Evaluation, feedback and local legacies
Procedures for handling group situations
Information for students
It is expected that all groups will manage and handle group relations internally as if in an employment environment. It is expected that all group members will remain in contact with one another, attend meetings, fully participate, successfully complete action points, and engage in good team work practices. If you would like to formalise this by using a contract or agreement structure among group members, you are welcome to do so.
Managing your own group is a very important part of these modules and has an impact on your final marks. This does not, however, mean that you should pretend everything is rosy within the group at all times. This is unrealistic in many ways. What is expected is the management of group situations in a professional, mature and productive manner.
If there is a situation (e.g. someone is not contributing/ attending meetings) within the group, then the following procedures should be taken to remedy the situation:
1. An early as possible face-to-face meeting among group members should take place to sort out any situation. This should be a fair and balanced conversation, giving all members a chance to present their thoughts and views. This should be documented in signed minutes document to show how the situation was handled by the group.
2. If the situation remains, a written warning should be sent to the person(s) by the group delineating the situation and how it can be remedied.
3. If the situation does not improve, a second written warning should be sent to the person(s) by the group delineating the situation as it now stands and how it can be remedied. The Lecturer(s) should be copied into this email to be alerted that there is a situation within the group.
4. Face-to-face meetings of all group members should be on-going to see if the situation can be resolved. Signed minutes should be kept to document the handling of the situation among group members.
5. If the situation still is not resolved at this point, a face-to-face meeting with all group members and the Lecturer(s) will be held. Documentation and evidence of the situation should be presented to help resolve the situation once and for all.
6. If the situation is not resolved, group members who consistently fail to contribute could face being expelled from the group and thereby will not be able to take part in the assessment. This will ultimately lead to a situation where the student(s) affected will have to repeat the module next time it is running.
