IFOW

Seamless Hybrid Innovation: How First Sight Media Delivered a Multi-Location Future of Work Conference

At First Sight Media, we’re passionate about delivering flawless hybrid experiences, and the Future of Work Conference was no exception.

As the closing event of the Pissarides Review, this occasion needed to bridge geographical divides while maintaining engagement. We made it happen through innovative technology and meticulous planning, ensuring a seamless and interactive experience for attendees across five UK satellite locations and online.

Expanding Access Through Innovation

The Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) aimed to expand the audience while maintaining sustainability. Kester Brewing, Associate Director at IFOW, highlighted the need for an inclusive model, “The project included a requirement for widening access, which either meant multiple smaller events in a round-UK roadshow or innovating with this satellite-hub model. We wanted good geographic representation from across the UK, so we were keen to have satellites in Wales and Scotland. We were also keen to work with existing networks of people to increase the local impact. We have been working with the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and The Productivity Institute, so these were natural candidates when we looked for partners in England. Minimising the carbon impact of people travelling to London was key."

By integrating the hub in London (Warwick Business School at The Shard), with satellite venues in Cornwall, Manchester, Wales, and Scotland, the event drew together 110 attendees at The Shard, 105 across satellite hubs, and over 300 online participants, as well as many hundreds watching the content on-demand.

Our Role in Flawless Execution

Bringing together multiple locations required a technically invisible setup where attendees focused on content, not complications. Brought on board in September 2024, our team conducted extensive planning, including site visits and virtual assessments depending on the venue. We decided to use Zoom to provide a cost-effective solution while leveraging the venues’ existing infrastructure.

“First Sight Media’s calmness and competency were standout,” Brewing shared. “They were so good at listening to our spec, and meeting the different challenges in each location.” - Kester Brewing, Associate Director at IFOW.

Delivering a Seamless Multi-Location Event

To create an interactive experience, dual-camera setups were implemented at The Shard. This created dynamic visuals, splitting between speaker and content, a remote camera in Edinburgh, and virtual plug-ins for Cornwall, Cardiff, and Manchester, ensuring seamless integration. As a result, three simultaneous but unique outputs were generated:

customised displays at the hub, so only those interacting were seen
a mixed feed to a live YouTube stream
tailored views for each remote location

Questions from all participants, in-person and remotely, were submitted using Slido. Before and during the event, a WhatsApp coordination channel was used for real-time communication, ensuring flawless execution.

“The key challenge was managing the virtual plenaries for each session,” Brewing noted. “The vMix tech worked brilliantly to have people able to interact in their rooms without feedback.”

A Defining Moment

A standout moment came when a live, on-video question was posed to keynote speaker Lord Patrick Vallance from a satellite hub. “Lots of jaws dropped at that moment,” our client recalled. “It just showed, ‘this is gonna work.’”

Strategic Success Through Early Collaboration

By partnering with the organisers early in the planning process, we were able to take a strategic approach. This allowed us to assess the locations, understand the requirements fully, and tailor the best solution for the event and the budget, in this case, using established and well-used platforms. We overlaid our knowledge in bringing the content together, mixing and publishing it to give a seamless and professional experience for such an important event. We used this tech, coupled with our know-how to allow us to tailor viewing experiences depending on location.

Beyond the Event: Lasting Impact

All sessions were clipped into evergreen content, extending the event’s reach. Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what Brewing shared with us:

Cornwall Satellite: “Our attendees were full of praise for how IFOW broadened things out to bring the voices from beyond London front and centre of the discussions using the wonders of digital technology. I think we all learned a lot about what is possible from an event of this kind.”
Cardiff Satellite: “It was a pleasure for TUC Cymru in Cardiff to be one of the hosts of the Final Conference of the Pissarides Review. A broad range of leaders from business, government, trade unions, academia and skills participated in a lively discussion, responding to the Review and the keynote speaker – Lord Vallance. The innovative use of technology meant that we could proactively participate in the conference.”
From the Edinburgh Satellite: “Just a wee note from me to say thank you for putting on a great event yesterday. I thought the satellite session in Edinburgh worked really well and we were having fantastic discussions in the room.”
Online Participant: “I’m online and it’s all working brilliantly.”

Hybrid Events: The Future of Conferences

The Future of Work Conference showcased that hybrid models are scalable and sustainable. With the right technology and a skilled production team, multi-location conferences can enhance engagement while managing costs and reducing environmental impact.

For organisers looking to innovate, this event is proof that hybrid and multi-location formats are the way forward. We’re proud to be at the forefront of delivering events that connect people, wherever they are.

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