As The QEII Centre celebrates its 40th year at the heart of the UK’s events industry, one of its longest standing clients, Caroline Windsor, Associations Director at professional conference organiser and creative live events agency TFI Lodestar, reflects on the experience of attending conferences in the 80s, and contrasts how the industry has evolved, four decades on.
Casting your mind back to events in the 80s, what did a typical conference or corporate event look like?
I think association congresses had more formality – or pomp and ceremony – back then. For example, the officers of the society would wear their chains of office or medals throughout the congress. There would always be a dignitary – either a member of the royal family or the government – who gave the opening address. AGMs were a standard part of the congress and often lasted half a day alongside lengthy prize giving ceremonies, and the Accompanying Persons tour programmes – organised for delegates’ guests – were almost as important as the scientific programme content!
How did the absence of the technology we now take for granted – AV, live streaming, event apps – shape the way events were planned and delivered?
The work carried out by PCOs was very manual then and very resource heavy. We managed abstract submissions on spreadsheets before the advent of specialist software, and the scientific programme committee reviewed the abstracts on paper (forests of it). We spent days ensconced in meeting rooms with the committee deciding which abstract should be presented in which session and adding them to a master schedule (again on paper) with colour coded Post It notes. It sounds like a recipe for disaster nowadays, but it worked, albeit slowly!
What were delegate expectations like then compared to today, and when did you start to notice the shift?
Delegates took enormous pride in attending the congress of their professional association, either because their research was accepted for presentation and/or because they were able to network with the world leaders in their field. On the whole, they would attend the congress sessions all day every day and the exhibition would be empty outside of the scheduled refreshment and lunch breaks.
While I think delegates still take pride in being part of their professional association, there are so many more demands on their time and attention now. People come and go throughout the scientific sessions and there are always things going on in the exhibition area. There is far more emphasis on choice and personalised agendas, which has evolved with the use of technology and social media since the 80s.
Is there anything from the 80s approach to events that you think the industry could learn from looking back?
Association congresses were the place to meet people and network, hopefully leading to collaborations and the advancement of scientific research. I remember one conference when two groups of doctors from two different countries got together and realised that by combining their research, they had advanced the treatment of diabetes by ten years or more. The celebrations were fantastic! These collaborations obviously still happen, but it would be great to see delegates making the most of face-to-face discussions rather than being glued to their devices.
How would you describe the food culture at events in the 80s, and how far has it progressed since?
The variety of food and the quality of presentation was far inferior in the 80s compared to today. I think most congress lunches were buffet style, but occasionally there would be a seated served lunch, often with wine – which is very rare now. I can’t remember vegan choices in the 80s and there was very little emphasis on healthy options. Gala dinners were usually formal dress with table plans and the inevitable chicken or beef main course with potatoes and two veg – no wonder delegates prefer a more relaxed evening now!
If someone from the events industry in 1986 walked into an event today, what do you think would surprise them the most?
I think it would be the variety of content delivery, from live surgery sessions to remote speaker presentations live streamed from across the world to hands on training opportunities. There’s so much opportunity for knowledge growth and new experiences; it’s a very rich environment now.
How has the relationship between event organiser and venue evolved over the years, and how has working with the QEII team changed alongside that?
There is a much greater willingness to work together for the success of the congress and the satisfaction of the end client, whether that’s the society, the exhibitors, the speakers or the delegates. The QEII team have a very positive attitude and are open minded about some of the more unusual suggestions we have brought to the table. Flexibility and solutions focus is key to our partnership.
What does The QEII Centre represent to you as a venue, beyond the practical? Is there something about it that keeps drawing you back?
It’s about the people first and foremost. Organising a large congress requires everyone to pull together, often dealing with significant challenges along the way. You need trust and willingness to find solutions to make it a success. The QEII and TFI Lodestar teams have proved time and time again that we work effectively together on behalf of our clients.