CHAPTER 6

Managing Event as a Project

INTRODUCTION

Events are larger and more complex than ever.

EG. Compare the 2012 London Olympics with the 1960
Rome Olympics
Need systematic approaches to ensure they run:
on time
on budget
to specified standards
and in a way that satisfies stakeholders.
Project management principles are well suited to event
management.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR EVENTS

A Project is a temporary endeavor undertaken

to create an unique product or services .
Project has a definite start and ending.
Project is controlled by Scope Cost and Time.
 Project management is the application of knowledge, skills,
tools, and techniques to project activities to meet Project
objectives
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
Project management involves systematically planning and
implementing activities to ensure project completion on
time, within budget and to the required specifications.
Project management concepts and techniques can be
applied to a broad range of projects such as: the building of
a block of apartments, a bridge or an aircraft; the design and
development of a software package; or, the planning and
staging of an event.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
But what about the WOW factor?
An almost indefinable quality that makes an event unique
and memorable.
Gives an event impact.
One argument is that structure and planning are not
conducive to creative thought that produces WOW
factors.
The other is that a cluttered mind cannot think
creatively either.
The key is to provide structure for the details and let
thought run wild elsewhere.
THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF EVENTS

A big difference between events and other projects is that

with events, the on time requirement generally contains
no margin for slippage.
Most events are advertised to the public to commence on a
specific date.
Tickets are organised well in advance, as well as
performances and other arrangements.
Postponing the event is virtually out of the question.
There is almost a total lack of flexibility in terms of
timing.
THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF EVENTS

The diversity of stakeholders now involved with events

has also expanded.
This has led to greater complexity and a greater need for
effective communication and sound project
management.
Government involvement in major events for
example, has increased substantially over the past few
years.
Large corporate events have become more
commonplace.
CORPORATE EVENTS

Large corporate events may be used for:

promoting sales
launching products
team building
staff training initiatives
providing incentives to staff
running meetings and conferences.
A project management approach to the planning and
implementation of these events leads to greater levels of
efficiency and effectiveness.
THE BENEFITS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

A structured systematic approach

consistent with the increased professionalism of event
management.
Scalability
Project management techniques are useful regardless of
the size of the event.
In addition, they can be used just as effectively on small
parts of a particular project or event as on the
entire event.
THE BENEFITS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Establishment of a rich, diverse and practical body of

knowledge.
The facilitation of clear communication within the
event team, with other stakeholders and with
external bodies.
Support for the professionalization of event
management.
THE BENEFITS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Formalising or depersonalising the event and

the event management process.
Ensuring accountability to stakeholders.
Providing a framework for the training and
development of human resources.
Increasing the profile of event planning.
KEY PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

Feasibility
Whether the event is possible
If it can be planned and staged within timeframes
Key aspects of feasibility relate to:
financial and infrastructure requirements
venue requirements and capacities
skill needs of managers, employees and volunteers
economic and environmental impact
legal requirements and potential legal problems
political support or opposition.
 Scope
The parameters of the event
What needs to be done, by whom, and in how much
time
Who is responsible for what
Care needs to be taken that scope creep does not
occur
Scope creep is:
a gradual expansion of the amount of work involved
in planning and staging the event.
occurs when the scope increases in an unplanned or
uncontrolled manner.
 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Breaks a complex project into more manageable tasks.
First level of categorisation is how the task is initially
broken down into functions.
Second level of categorisation is what needs to happen
to complete those functions.
 Stakeholder analysis
Stakeholders are any organisation or individual with a
vested interest in the event.
Carefully check all agreements.
Milestones and deliverables
Milestones are the end of a package of work or phase.
Deliverables are the items that confirm the completion.
Risk management
Even very small events have risks.
Not just safety risks financial, operational, legal.
PHASES OF EVENT

Closure
Event
Implementation

Planning

Initiation
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
INITIATION

Mission Event
Aims Objectives
Statement Proposal
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
INITIATION
Mission Statement
Summarises the purpose of the event
Must consider stakeholder needs
Aims
Provide more scope to the mission statement
Objectives
Create measurable targets for the aims
Must be SMART
Event Proposal
Includes all of the above plus key event information
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
PLANNING

Organisational
Maps Models
charts

Programs and
Run Sheets Script
schedules

Checklists Gantt Charts

PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
The planning phase answers these questions:
What needs to be done?
How do we do it?
When does it have to be done?
Separate plans are needed for:
administration
design
marketing
operations
risk.
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
Organisational charts
Shows the structure of the planning committee
Includes reporting channels and task allocation
Maps
Shows exactly what will be happening where
Often use CAD software to create maps to scale
Models
Usually 3-D representations that show different
scenarios
Assist with planning for issues such as crowd control
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
Programs and schedules
Timetables showing when particular activities occur
Run Sheets
Most popular event program/schedule
Start out fairly basic, but increase in complexity
Should not include the details inside the actual event
these are in the script
Script
This is given to people with a part in the event, e.g.: MC
Detailed breakdown of the formalities of the event
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
Checklists
Can provide control to the script
Various versions for different purposes
Gantt Charts
Bar charts that provide a visual of the schedule
Created by developing tasks to be done, setting
timelines for tasks, setting task priorities, creating the
chart and highlighting milestones
Are a very clear way of communicating with
stakeholders
Good guide for people new to the events process
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
PERT Charts
Another graphical way to present information
Involves identifying tasks and their priorities and charting
Influence diagrams and sensitivity analysis
Influence diagrams show the interdependence of
tasks
Sensitivity analysis is the influence of one part of an
event over other parts or the whole thing.
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
IMPLEMENTATION
Putting the plans into practice.
Involves risk management and monitoring and controlling of
plans.
Corrective actions must be taken when there are gaps
identified between the plans and reality.
Urgency will be decided by whether it is a critical task.
Gaps can lead to identification of unrealistic expectations or
to budget over-runs.
Work-in-progress reports are important.
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
EVENT
Tangible products are usually handed over at
implementation.
Events are not tangible and remain the responsibility of the
project manager.
Testing cannot take place, making planning vital.
The entire event must be mapped out in advance to reduce
the risk of unexpected problems.
Staffing is also important to ensure that issues are
addressed immediately and professionally.
Duration is short compared to the planning phase.
PHASES OF EVENT MANAGEMENT
CLOSURE
Guests leave and the site is returned to normal.
Tools used to ensure smooth closure include event
shutdown checklist, WBS, task/responsibility list and
shutdown schedule.
Regular events are likely to have a smooth shutdown.
Events with large crowds might experience delays.
Crowd management plans are vital in these cases to ensure
crowd safety.