Slides on "Let's Predict the Future: Amplified Events" for a workshop session on "Predicting the Future" held on 3 June 2014 at the SAOIM 2014 conference in Pretoria, South Africa and facilitated by Brian Kelly, Cetis. See https://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/events/saoim-2014-lets-predict-the-future-workshop/

1. G: Emerging Technological Trends
Let’s Predict the Future!
A half-day workshop
at the SAOIM 2014
conference held on
Tuesday 3 June
2014 facilitated by
Brian Kelly, Cetis
Slides available
under a Creative
Commons licence
(CC-BY) 1
G1: Let’s Predict the Future:
Amplified Events

2. What Is An Amplified Event?
An amplified event:
• The talks and discussions are 'amplified' through
use of networked technologies in order to extend
the reach of the event deliberations.
Can include:
• Amplification of the speaker's talk: e.g. Video-
streaming; video/audio recording; …
• Amplification of the audiences' voice: e.g. use
of Twitter to ask questions and discuss ideas
Can be carried out:
• Top-down
• Bottom-up
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See http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Amplified_conference

3. Evidence of its Significance
We are now seeing:
• Variety of tools used for curating an event’s
digital content (e.g. Storify)
• A new profession starting to emerge: the
event amplifier
• Events managing event amplification e.g.
video–streaming; hiring event amplifiers;
producing guidelines; …
• Reports on best practices being
commissioned e.g. “Practices for Event
Amplification: a Greening Events II Report”
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4. Why Is It Important?
Event amplification can:
• Maximise impact of ideas at events
• Provide additional professional development
opportunities e.g. see “Open content and
open events: Professional development in an
amplified world”
• Provide environment benefits due to reduced
need to travel
• Provide marketing opportunities for events
• Provide learning opportunities related to use
of distance learning, MOOCS, ...
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5. Why is it Important Now?
Event amplification is important now:
• Ubiquitous networks
• Proliferation of mobile devices
• Ability to make use of existing tools e.g.
bundled in (Skype) or readily available &
used in other contexts (Twitter)
• We’ve seen a gestation period before it
became accepted as valuable
• Use is now mature e.g. less
inappropriate content on Twitter walls
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6. What Should/Could I Do?
You can:
• Engage in event amplification at ILI by
lurking
• Engage actively be participating in the
back channel discussions
• Speakers can encourage tweeting
during your talks
• Take a pro-active approach to
amplification of your organisation’s
events
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7. Biases and Prejudices
Note:
• I wrote a paper on “Using Networked
Technologies To Support Conferences” in 2005
• I created the “Amplified Conference” Wikipedia
entry
• Lorcan Dempsey, who coined the term, was my
boss
• @eventamplifier is a friend
You would therefore expect me to be
enthusiastic about amplified events!
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8. Questions
Any questions?
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