Event Planning

A systematic approach to event management is essential. Event managers are accountable to event promoters, stakeholders, legislation, rules and regulations affecting events and the financial impacts of a poor event. These are just some of the reasons it crucial to carefully plan events.

A good planning process has important benefits for customers, performers, venue staff and hirers of the facility, these may include ...

• Gives customers and performers the best event experience

• Identifies tangible deliverables that have been promised

• Details work schedules

• Ensures effective management of resources

• Provides staff with clear understanding of policies and procedures

• Enables consistency

• Outlines roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of individuals and sections within the organisation

• Helps establish guidelines, which if based on sound legal advice, reduce potential for liability exposure and possible legal action

• Reduces conflict and duplicity

• Assists users, contractors and service providers understand the organisation and how it operates

• Outlines management’s expectations of the organisation’s performance and those who work within the organisation

• Provides a sound basis for employee training programs

Event plans include event details such as start and finish times, venue opening times, ticketing arrangements, facilities and resources to be provided by the venue, specific arrangements for the staging of the event and additional commercial activities that may be taking place around the venue. The event plan could also detail event staffing requirements, bump-in and bump-out activities and perhaps a minute by minute event run sheet.

Event plans are great tools to keep staff up to date with the event arrangements. Staffing briefings give staff the opportunity to ask questions or get clarification on information in the event plan.

The event business is very dynamic and whilst changes are inevitable sound planning minimises the negative effect of these changes.