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Organizing a Virtual Reunion for IIT Delhi

Client:

Alumni of IIT Delhi ’79 batch

Objective:

To manage a reunion of over 200 IITians and their families using a virtual event platform. The aim was to ensure that every session of the event goes smooth and technical glitches, if any, are addressed in real-time without disrupting the flow of the event.

Challenges While Organizing A Virtual Reunion Event For IIT Delhi:

  • Over 200 attendees who need to be able to talk and see each other throughout the event.
  • More than 60 performers over nine different types of activities.
  • Audience needed the flexibility to move into and from special break out rooms during the event.
  • Many live performances alongside many pre-recorded ones.
  • Time management to ensure that event does not stretch beyond the planned time.
  • Spotlighting the performers of every session in real-time
  • Muting and unmuting the participants based on the flow of the event
  • Being quick with unmuting and spotlighting in case of multiple performers
  • Renaming the participants who erroneously join with their device names
  • Calling people back from break-out rooms in the main room when they skip reading the broadcast messages.
  • Switching between live performances and prerecorded ones.
  • Giving the entire event a personal touch

Solution:

  • Decided on using Zoom platform as it matched the functionality requirements
  • Designed a detailed script with the list of the performers as well as the flow of the event
  • Assigned separate individuals as Event host, Zoom host, Co-chairs, Session hosts and backup Zoom hosts to reduce the chances of errors
  • Assigned separate personnel for both muting and spotlighting
  • Added certain symbols to the name of the performers to make them easily identifiable for spotlighting
  • Muting everyone before the beginning of a performance and at the same time informing the speaker to unmute themselves to avoid any unwanted noises
  • Did 10 dry runs of the entire event
  • Rehearsed all the sessions multiple times separately
  • Made breakout rooms with the hostel names of the participants to give a nostalgic touch

Results:

  • Since it was a virtual event, people staying overseas were also able to participate, making it a full house.
  • Performers were spotlighted and muted/ unmuted accurately.
  • The flow of the event was followed exactly as it was designed.
  • The event started and ended on time with no technical snag at all.