Event Model Descriptions and
Assessment
Peter Montgomery
Tom Duerr
8 January 2012
Outline
• Event value objectives
· test
• Event design parameters
• Models and value assessment
2
Event Objectives
• General objective: Maximize Event utility to the
aerospace community
· Share challenges and discuss potential solutions
· Disseminate knowledge
· Network “360”
· Mentor the next generation
· Provide integrated context across specialties and
·
domains
Enable AIAA member benefits and services that are not
self-supporting (e.g., STEM, Professional Education,
Public Policy)
3
Event Objectives (cont’d)
• Specific assessed objective: Maximize satisfaction
of Event participants
· Professionals
· Corporate and government representatives
· AIAA volunteer organizers
4
Specific Objectives: Value Attribute Decomposition
Value Attribute
Definition
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS
Technical content
Quantity and quality of papers presented per
(sessions, papers)
conference
Keynote speakers and Seniority/authority of speakers
plenary sessions
Special sessions (i.e., Quantity and quality of panels, distinction of invited
panel discussions)
panelists, current relevance of topics
Exhibits
Match with technical topics and attendee interests
Event
Availability of transportation (to destination and mass
locations/destinations transit at destination), entertainment, tours, family
activities, cost of hotel/food
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Specific Objectives: Value Attribute Decomposition
Value Attribute
Definition
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS (cont’d)
Social/networking
Quantity and quality of networking opportunities
events with other
attendees
Mix of attendees
Students to senior professionals, researchers to
program managers
Relevance to my
Growth potential into new areas; event relevance as a
professional life
whole to attendee; attendee’s ease of "selling" need to
attend; right mixture of above attributes that are
applicable to my job
Parallelism vs
Balance no. of parallel sessions against conference
conference length
length; 3-4 days preferred i.a.w. survey
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Specific Objectives: Value Attribute Decomposition
Value Attribute
Definition
CORPORATE/GOVERNMENT MEMBERS
Conduct business
Opportunities to meet privately to buy or sell
Meet customers
Opportunities to meet privately with customers
Network with peers
Opportunities to meet socially with peers from industry
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Specific Objectives: Value Attribute Decomposition
Value Attribute
TC/PC MEMBERS
Control over content
Control over venue
Identification with
conference
Definition
Call for papers, no. of paper and panel sessions,
quality
Time of year, region, city, hotel
Sense of community among peers; recognition for
contributions to conference; recognition at awards;
working group level social/networking opportunities
15 value attributes derived from member
survey and voiced concerns
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Event Design Parameters
• Organization
• Venue
· Duration
• Social
· Parallel sessions
· Awards
• Content
· Meals
· Technical scope
· Receptions
· Special sessions
· Plenary speakers
· Exhibits
Event “models” integrate all design
parameters to maximize objectives
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Alternative Event Models Assessed to Date
Name
Description
Current
•Current portfolio with minor change, e.g., some co-location
Consolidated •Current larger events (ASM, Fluids, JPC, Space, GNC,
SDM) with Aviation and Defense as centers of gravity for
consolidating smaller conferences
•Augment with systems development/integration elements
Integrated
•Comprehensive, domain-focused events providing integrated
content
•~4 events spread over the year: R&D, Aviation, Space, and
Defense
Unified
•Multi-domain, unified events split along R&D and SEIT
•One big event for R&D (winter) and one for SEIT/programs
(summer) and a smaller Defense conference
10
Alternative Event Models Assessed to Date
Eliminated by inspection as inferior to one or more
other alternatives
Name
Quarterly
Description
Quarterly conferences, each one with the same scope
Semiannual
Annual
Two big conferences, each with each with the same scope,
plus a classified conference
One annual convention with a series of smaller regional
conferences
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Model Assessment Quad Chart Template
Column colors denote stakeholder groups
Value Assessment
Description
•Principal features of event model
“Current” reference score = 0
Professional
Corporate / Government
Organizers
Scores relative to “Current”
which is assigned “zero”
Score ranges from “strongly
supports” (+2) to “strongly
opposes” (-2) the value attribute
Issues
•Most significant problems with
event model
Score evaluated for
each value attribute
Benefits
•Primary potential gains with the
event model
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Assessment: “Consolidated” Event Model
Description
•Current larger events (ASM, Fluids, JPC, Space, GNC, SSDM) with Aviation
and Defense as centers of gravity for consolidating smaller conferences
•Augment with systems development/integration elements
Issues
•Continued internal competition for
keynote and panel speakers,
exhibitors
•Limited leverage to grow appeal to
currently underserved industry
segments
•Potentially higher venue costs per
event
Benefits
•Easy migration path from current
portfolio
•Somewhat improved professional
and corporate satisfaction
•Potential reduction in portfolio costs
due to fewer conferences
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Structure and Notional Schedule:
Consolidated
Jan
ASM
Feb
Defense
•Strat/Tac
•Missiles
•WSE
Mar
Apr
SSDM
May…
Fluids
•AMT/GT
•AA
•ASE
•Flow Cont
•Fluid Dynamics
•PDL
•Thermophysics
•Aeroacoustics
•ICES
Anchor for Annual Gala to be determined
•SSDM
•Adaptive
Struct.
•NDA
•Gossamer
•MDO
14
Structure and Notional Schedule:
Consolidated
…Jun
JPC
Jul
Aug
Aviation
•JPC
•ATIO
•IECEC
•LT Air
•Hypersonics •Balloons
•Pwrd Lift
•ADS
•AC noise
•GNC
Sep
Space
•AFM
•Space
•M&S
•ICSSC
•Astrodyn
•CASE
•InfoTech
•CASE
Alternate years
GFY Q1
Survey shows
1st qtr of gov’t
FY poor time
for many
members
Consolidated model offers flexibility for
packaging and scheduling the Event portfolio
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Assessment: Consolidated Event Model
Value Assessment
Professional
Corporate / Government
Organizers
“Current” reference score = 0
Description
•Current larger events (ASM, Fluids, JPC, Space, GNC, SSDM) with
Aviation and Defense as centers of gravity for consolidating smaller
conferences
•Augment with systems development/integration elements
16
Assessment: “Integrated” Event Model
Description
•Comprehensive, domain-focused Events providing integrated content
•~4 Events spread over the year: R&D, Aviation, Space, and Defense
Issues
•Must manage to avoid
conflicting, parallel sessions
•Higher cost for larger venues
Benefits
•The “must attend” events in each
domain
•Excellent draw for VIPs and
exhibitors
•Growth potential within each Event
without need for new conferences
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Structure and Notional Schedule: Integrated
Jan
Feb
R&D Event
•SSDM
•Adaptive
Struct.
•NDA
•Gossamer
•MDO
•InfoTech
•AMT/GT
•AA
•ASE
Mar
Apr
May…
Defense
•JPC
•Strat/Tac
•IECEC
•Missiles
•Hypersonics
•WSE
•Flow Cont
•Fluid Dynamics
•PDL
•Thermophysics
•Aeroacoustics
•ICES
Anchor for Annual Gala to be determined
18
Structure and Notional Schedule: Integrated
…May
Jun
Jul
Aviation
•ATIO
•LT Air
•Balloons
•Pwrd Lift
•ADS
•AC noise
•GNC
•AFM
•M&S
•Astrodyn
•CASE
Aug
Sep
Space
•Space
•ICSSC
•CASE
GFY Q1
Survey shows
1st qtr of gov’t
FY poor time
for many
members
Alternate years
Integrated model provides flagship Events
spread over the year
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Assessment: Integrated Event Model
Value Assessment
Professional Members
Corporate / Government
Organizers
“Current” reference score = 0
20
Assessment: “Unified” Event Model
Description
•Multi-domain, unified events split along R&D and SEIT
•One big event for R&D (winter) and one for SEIT/programs (summer)
and a smaller Defense conference
Issues
Benefits
•Potentially excessive duration and
•The “must attend” AIAA events
parallelism
•Potential for more creative social
•Potentially too few opportunities for
and networking activities
member interactions
•Content growth and flexibility
•Exhibitor uncertainty over target
market
•Lack of control by TCs/PCs over
venue
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Structure and Notional Schedule: Unified
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
GFY Q1
Survey
shows 1st
qtr of
gov’t FY
poor time
for many
members
Aerospace Systems
Defense
Aerospace Technology
Meeting
•Strat/Tac
& Science Meeting
•Space
•AC noise
•ASM
•ASE
•Missiles
•ICSSC
•GNC
•SSDM
•JPC
•WSE
•ATIO
•AFM
•Adaptive •IECEC
•M&S
Struct.
•Hypersonics Anchor for Annual •LT Air
Gala
•Balloons •Astrodyn
•NDA
•Flow Cont
•Pwrd Lift •CASE
•Gossamer •Fluid Dynamics
•ADS
•MDO
•PDL
•InfoTech •ThermoPhysics
Unified model maximizes return
•AMT/GT •Aeroacoustics
•AA
•ICES
on investment for participants
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Assessment: Unified Event Model
Value Assessment
“Current” reference score = 0
Professional Members
Corporate / Government
Organizers
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Assessment: Value Comparison
• All Event models assessed to
improve Professional Member
and Corp / Gov’t satisfaction
over Current portfolio
• Integrated Model provided
greatest Professional and Corp /
Gov’t benefit with limited risk to
Organizer satisfaction
Organizers
Professional Members
Corp / Gov’t
Organizer satisfaction
identified as principal
transformation issue
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