Your event app has become the event

You came to a conference to meet people. First, please create an account.

Verify your email. Enter the OTP. Complete your profile. Select your interests. Allow notifications.

Lovely. You now have a more committed relationship with the event app than with anyone in the ballroom.

Somewhere nearby, a colleague has simply walked up to someone and said hello. Reckless. Completely untracked.

I like event technology. Give me a useful gadget and I can produce a fairly convincing business justification before the box is open.

But I do wonder how many things we ask guests to do because the platform has a feature and the proposal has a screenshot.

If I’m attending, my questions are fairly basic.

Where do I go? What’s happening next? Who would be interesting to meet? Can I get a coffee before this starts?

An app that makes those things easier earns its place. Especially if I can arrive, find what I need and get on with the day without completing a small onboarding programme.

There’s plenty of room for clever technology in events.

Ideally, it leaves some room for the event.

Anyway, I’ve forgotten my password. Apparently my previous one lacked a special character.

I thought that was my entire contribution.