Chapter Three
An Introduction to the
Project Management
Of Events
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-1
Chapter learning objectives
3.1 Appreciate the importance of project management
for the successful management of events
3.2 Identify the benefits of project management in an
event management context
3.3 Understand key project management principles
3.4 Explain the phases of event management.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-2
Introduction
• Events are larger and more complex than ever.
• Need systematic approaches to ensure they run on
time, on budget and in a way that satisfies
stakeholders.
• Project management principles are well suited to
event management.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-3
The importance of project management
• Project management involves systematically
planning and implementing activities to ensure
project completion on time, within budget and to the
required specifications.
• The time element is important in events as they
generally can’t be put back if a delay occurs.
• Events have significant impact on the economy and
have stakeholders demanding accountability.
• Events are multi-faceted, used for promotion, sales,
training, increasing the need for a systematic
approach.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-4
The importance of project management
• But what about the WOW factor?
– An almost indefinable quality that makes an event unique
and memorable.
– Gives an event impact.
– One argument is that structure and planning are not
conducive to creative thought that produces WOW factors.
– The other is that a cluttered mind cannot think creatively
either.
– The key is to provide structure for the details and let
thought run wild elsewhere.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
4-5
The benefits of project management
• A structured systematic approach
• Scalability
• A rich, diverse and practical body of knowledge
• Clear communication
• Professionalising event management
• Formalising or ‘depersonalising’ event management
• Ensuring accountability to stakeholders
• Providing a framework for training
• Increasing the profile of event planning
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-6
Key project management principles
• Feasibility
– Whether the event is possible
– If it can be planned and staged within timeframes
– Issues to consider include financial considerations,
availability of skills and resources and impacts of the event.
• Scope
– The parameters of the event
– What needs to be done, by whom, and in how much time
– Who is responsible for what
– Care needs to be taken that ‘scope creep’ does not occur
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-7
Key project management
principles
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
– Breaks a complex project into more manageable tasks.
– First level of categorisation is how the task is initially broken
down into functions.
– Second level of categorisation is what needs to happen to
complete those functions.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-8
Key project management principles
• Stakeholder analysis
– Stakeholders are any organisation or individual with a
vested interest in the event.
– Carefully check all agreements.
• Milestones and deliverables
– Milestones are the end of a package of work or phase.
– Deliverables are the items that confirm the completion.
• Risk management
– Even very small events have risks.
– Not just safety risks – financial, operational, legal.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-9
Phases of event management –
Initiation
• Mission Statement
– Summarises the purpose of the event
– Must consider stakeholder needs
• Aims
– Provide more scope to the mission statement
• Objectives
– Create measurable targets for the aims
– Must be SMART
• Event Proposal
– Includes all of the above plus key event information
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-10
Phases of event management –
Planning
• The planning phase answers these questions:
– What needs to be done?
– How do we do it?
– When does it have to be done?
• Separate plans are needed for:
– administration
– design
– marketing
– operations
– risk.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-11
Phases of event management –
Planning
• Organisational charts
– Shows the structure of the planning committee
– Includes reporting channels and task allocation
• Maps
– Shows exactly what will be happening where
– Often use CAD software to create maps to scale
• Models
– Usually 3-D representations that show different scenarios
– Assist with planning for issues such as crowd control
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-12
Phases of event management –
Planning
• Programs and schedules
– Timetables showing when particular activities occur
• Run Sheets
– Most popular event program/schedule
– Start out fairly basic, but increase in complexity
– Should not include the details inside the actual event –
these are in the script
• Script
– This is given to people with a part in the event, e.g.: MC
– Detailed breakdown of the formalities of the event
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-13
Phases of event management –
Planning
• Checklists
– Can provide control to the script
– Various versions for different purposes
• Gantt Charts
– Bar charts that provide a visual of the schedule
– Created by developing tasks to be done, setting timelines
for tasks, setting task priorities, creating the chart and
highlighting milestones
– Are a very clear way of communicating with stakeholders
– Good guide for people new to the events process
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-14
Phases of event management –
Planning
• PERT Charts
– Another graphical way to present information
– Involves identifying tasks and their priorities and charting
• Influence diagrams and sensitivity analysis
– Influence diagrams show the interdependence of tasks
– Sensitivity analysis is the influence of one part of an event
over other parts or the whole thing.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-15
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
1-16
Phases of event management –
Implementation
• Putting the plans into practice.
• Involves risk management and monitoring and
controlling of plans.
• Corrective actions must be taken when there are
gaps identified between the plans and reality.
• Urgency will be decided by whether it is a critical
task.
• Gaps can lead to identification of unrealistic
expectations or to budget over-runs.
• Work-in-progress reports are important.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-17
Phases of event management – Event
• Tangible products are usually handed over at
implementation.
• Events are not tangible and remain the responsibility
of the project manager.
• Testing cannot take place, making planning vital.
• The entire event must be mapped out in advance to
reduce the risk of unexpected problems.
• Staffing is also important to ensure that issues are
addressed immediately and professionally.
• Duration is short compared to the planning phase.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-18
Phases of event management –
Closure
• Guests leave and the site is returned to normal.
• Tools used to ensure smooth closure include event
shutdown checklist, WBS, task/responsibility list and
shutdown schedule.
• Regular events are likely to have a smooth
shutdown.
• Events with large crowds might experience delays.
• Crowd management plans are vital in these cases to
ensure crowd safety.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-19
Chapter summary
• Project management of events provides a
systematic approach to planning and
implementation.
• There are multiple benefits for project management
of events, including professionalism and
accountability.
• Project management principles such as scope and
milestones can be applied to give events structure
and to analyse the process.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-20
Chapter summary
• EMBOK (Event Management Body of Knowledge)
identifies five phases – Initiation, Planning,
Implementation, Event and Closure.
• These phases are characterised by planning tools
and systems that monitor the event.
• Tools include Work Breakdown Structures, PERT
Charts, Run Sheets and Gantt Charts.
• Project management systems can be used for
events of all types and sizes, making them
invaluable for an event context.
Copyright © 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPT slides to accompany Event Management: Theory and Practice 1e by Wrathall and Gee
3-21