Lim Sei Kee @ cK
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There are considerable similarities between
the management of projects and of events.
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Both are unique, time-limited operations.
Objectives and getting started
↓
Planning
↓
Organizing and preparing the event
↓
Implementing: running the event
↓
Divestment / legacy
Conception
↓
Definition
↓
Production
↓
Operations
↓
Handover or divestments
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In setting objectives for an event, these
can be tested using the SMART formula:
Specific
 Measurable
 Achievable
 Realistic
 Timely
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Specific: not framed or worded badly, or are confusing
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Measurable: being able to know whether they are being
achieved, or whether progress is being made towards them
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Achievable: it must be genuinely possible to put on the
event
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Realistic: irrespective of whatever flights of fantasy the
clients may want you to achieve
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Timely: taking into account what can be done in the time
available
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The use of work breakdown structures
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Project planning
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Gantt charting
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Risk assessment
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The job broken down into its rough
component parts
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Identify the work that one person or a
related team of people can do.
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Identification of critical tasks and external
dependencies
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Critical tasks are essentially those functions
that must be completed first, in any sequence
of activities, for the activity to proceed.
 Concentrate
 Provides
attention on the jobs
the framework for setting
deadlines for checking progress
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Two critical tasks:
 identification of venue
 construction of the tent
Construction
 setting up the framework
 fitting of the external covers
Once these things are achieved other activities
can take place.
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The follow on tasks are called dependencies.
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External dependencies are those issues that are
outside the event co-ordinator’s direct control
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EG: Having to hire furniture for an event.
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The more external dependencies a project has,
and the more unusual they are, the more risk
there is of the project going wrong or failing
completely.
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Using software such as Microsoft Project
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By hand using graph paper.
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‘Decorate venue’ may be a perfectly adequate
statement of a task, but ‘Put green balloons
one metre above the doors’ is overspecification.
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It shows:
the various tasks that have to be done in a
time-sequence order;
 what the various tasks are;
 how long they should take;
 when they should be completed;
 what happens if a task, especially a critical
task is delayed.
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The filled black boxes:
the tasks completed so far
The white boxes:
those still to be done
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Various things were ordered and arranged.

Only one item is shown as having been ordered –
the flowers
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It does not show the resources available to
do the job.
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Someone may be given too much work to do
in the time available.
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It may be difficult to find out how long
things genuinely take to do.
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In some cases, Gantt chart might be best
applied backwards, starting at the deadline
and working back in order to find out how
long doing something will really take.
Work out a simple Gantt Chart for the event:
 “Surprise birthday party for our classmate”
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1. List down the various tasks that has to be
done.
 2. Work out a time sequence order.
 3. Draft a simple Gantt chart.
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The events co-ordinator must address the possibility
that something might go wrong at an event.
Risk assessment is a way of attempting to identify
potential risks and taking steps to reduce or
mitigate them.
It is also the starting point for being able to produce
contingency plans and emergency procedures.
 Risks
to staff and others
 Risks in marketing an event
 Risks in health and safety
 Risks in catering provision
 Risks in crowd management
 Risks in security
 Risks in transportation and deliveries
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The outcome of careful risk management might
be to save someone’s life.
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You are then likely to be faced with a choice of
approach, either fairly conceptual or broadly
processual, in deciding the best way forward for
your specific event.
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After dealing with the criticality of addressing
the appropriate scope and detail of the likely
risks facing your event, you can work out a
Risk Assessment table.
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The event taking place is a small regional
kite-flying championship, which happens to
be taking place next to a cricket ground on
the same day as a cricket match.
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Naturally, each event is different, and the
impact must be assessed individually.
 1:
Assessment
 2:
Evaluation
 3:
Control measures
 4:
Recording activity
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In assessing the risk at events, our initial
judgment can be based on existing practice
and on an awareness of what constitutes the
routine and predictable and what does not.
 Low
risk events
 Medium risk events
 High risk events
Typically, these are indoor events;
 It involves no unusual or specialist activities;
 There is already considerable expertise and
experience amongst management and staff.
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Examples: banquets and dinners, either
indoor or in marquees.
Very large indoor events, in locations that
the public might not attend regularly,
 Alternatively where these are outdoor,
involving large numbers of people, but with
no obvious or perceived dangerous activities.
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Examples: large-scale sporting competitions,
public shows and street festivals.
Events involving significantly large number of
people in activities and locations they are
unfamiliar;
 Where there is little or no existing knowledge
or experience of the event.
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Examples: high speed racing events, largescale complicated open air events (1st time)
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Event managers and coordinators should
strive to ensure that they provide a safe event
and a safe environment for all concerned.
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In all events, but especially high risk events,
the need for adequate and sufficient staff
training, is absolutely vital.
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You are in charge of organizing a wedding
banquet for a couple at KIGS. You need to make
sure that the location is safe for all the
attendees.
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Carry out the risk assessment and present
your findings accordingly.
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This is an INDIVIDUAL task!