Event++: My way to manage an event

      "Why to actually have an event???"

This can be summarized with Cesare Pavese's quote-

"We don't remember days, 

we remember moments"

Hence to get these sorts of memories; to build relations; to inculcate the spirit of teamwork and to check your potential of doing things, an event is the best way to get all these with one shot. For sure this will need many investments in terms of time, brainstorming, finance and so on so forth. You might have to struggle and somehow manage your conflicting team views but the takeaway will a better worth of all that simple efforts and presence of mind.

Once Director Sir taught me that for planning an event take care of two hierarchies one is as vertical and other is as horizontal. In this, the later represent departments and officials with whom you have to coordinate say it be IT Team, Finance, Cosha, Public Relations (LT, Taxi, Food), etc. and the vertical one start from student, faculty, HOD and reach the top officials' group- Director, Chief Guest, Speakers, Sponsors etc. Hence, before reaching till this top officials' group one have to go via many filters and that is necessary too. You can't trouble the supreme authority and let him scrutinize your applications; you must be well prepared in terms of approvals and perspective of the event you are planning.

Vision => Progress => Final Implementation =>Event

Starting and planning some event is decided by your vision. This vision includes the target audience, need of that event, approvals-things needed and guests. Then there comes the Progress phase which is the most crucial one in deciding the events' prestige and potential. You need to have few meetings, mail discussion and lots of brainstorming in this. New ideas must be discussed along with sharing of past experiences that will help to improve from last work you did. Any miscommunication or point missed in this phase may lead to loopholes in the event. If that loophole got cracked at some time you might be in sort of trouble.

In progress always respect you elders and motivate your team. As per my personal experience, every progress phase has a threshold point and at this point due to conflicts a team might split. Tough criticism comes and each one start blaming other. Keeping aside all these issues the final implementation must be focused because starting something is easy but to complete with perfection is hundred times tougher.

The final implementation includes the invitations, bookings, decorations, order, purchase and inventory assembling. Prepare a checklist for all these. Also from an event perspective, this covers the final work distribution like who is going to handle what (anchoring, technical assist. escort guests, high tea, etc). Each domain will be mentored by individuals; their presence of mind, leadership and dealing ability is tested. For say personally, passionate for anchoring, an anchor has to take on-stage decisions, prepare line and keep track of audience as well as the upcoming performance. Steve Martin has urged, "Be so good they can't ignore you." And that implies to every role you play in your life. Give your best so that the others themselves offer you the best without explicit request.

This I experienced when the chief guest himself at the end of the event presented the bouquet and encouraged the way of managing an event. Finally, always remember to thank all the attendees who devoted their time, chief guests, speakers and faculties without whom support an event is nothing. The success of an event lies in the support of these people.

Do remember post event logistics also, the finance clearing, event report and collection of feedback. Sometimes a small bit may create a big issue later, especially when finance is related. An event report must be circulated to cherish and update all that efforts you put and for record purpose also.

With a center focus to one of an event (CSI Felicitation Ceremony 2015-16) I shared this experience. Indeed, I faced many difficulties but now I can proudly say that we reached many milestones. The consent and visit of CSI Exec Com, President (2015-2016) Prof. Bipin V. Mehta, Director of School of Computer Studies, Ahmedabad University was itself the success of this event. His esteemed presence proved that work done for betterment and with hard work are always recognized and praised.

Thanks to Director Sir for encouraging students throughout the year. In one meeting he said that we need to match his pace, but when we went to invite him for this event he said, now we are ahead of his pace. This was the best compliment and appreciation our team can have. After the event HOD Sir said that I already knew that the event will be good because you were managing that and I had seen your dedication earlier also. A blind trust is the hardest of all and we achieved that. I would extend a special thanks Prof. Ravi Gorthi, Dr. Amit Neogi, Dr. Sakthi Balan, Mr. Mukesh Jadon, Mr. Vikas Bajpai, Mr. Dinesh Khandelwal and Dr. Preety Singh for all the help, encouragements and supports that they gave in various capacities for the student chapter of LNMIIT and trusting me for this profile.

-Pushkal