Siterma 1

Sustainable Event Production in

Second Life

Sitearm Madonnasitearm@gmail.comwww.siterma.com

Siterma Consultants and ExpeditorsSecond Life Virtual Worlds Projects

Siterma 2

Sitearm Madonna

• Resident in Second Life since October 2005– Came from “city building game” online community– Goals focus on building a strong economy and high

quality of life

• Primary SL portfolio: Dublin in SL, USC Center for Public Diplomacy, Diegoland– Consulting and Project Management

• Pre-SL Background– Education in Physics, Systems Engineering– Work experience in Corporate Information

Technology, Entrepreneurial Organization Development

Siterma 3

Agenda

• Introduction

• Concept of sustainability

• Importance of recurring events to sustainability

• Factors of producing successful events in

Second Life

• Event Production in Virtual Reality

• Case Study Examples

• Summary

Siterma 4

Sustainability

• Sustainability means longevity

– Jericho – Oldest continuously inhabited city

on earth

– Greek Alphabet – Oldest alphabetic script in

continuous use today

– See: Metaverse Messenger 01-16-2007

– Or Google: “sustainable design”

Siterma 5

Necessary Conditions for

Sustainable Event Production

• Recurring events

– Continuous repeat attendance (“Regulars”)

– Continuous new attendance

• Impeccable Production Logistics

– Trained staff

– Pre-event publicity

– During-event high production values

– After-event publicity

Siterma 6

Recurring Events

• Attention is the currency of commerce

– Interchange of ideas, opinions, sentiments,

information, products, services and funding

• Events attract attention

• One-time events attract one-time attention

• Recurring events attract recurring attention

Siterma 7

Events / Attention / Sustainability

AttentionEvents

Recurring AttentionRecurring Events

Cumulative Growth

in Interest

Cumulative Growth In

Awareness and Support

Stability / SustainabilityCritical Mass Of

Sustained Support

Siterma 8

Production Logistics

• The better the logistics, the better the event– The better the event, the higher the repeat attendance– The higher the repeat attendance, the more sustainable the sim

• The event planner has production logistics areas to influence event success:– Pre-event publicity– During-event production– Post-event publicity

• The Event Planner Creed:– “When the logistics are impeccable, the event is

transformational”• Logistics: the science and art of managing a flow through a network

• Impeccable: flawless, complete

• Transformational: life changing

Siterma 9

Publicity / Production Event

Feedback Cycle

Pre-Event

PublicityAttraction Attendance

During-Event

Production

Good

Time?

Post-Event

Publicity

The event planner has three

production logistics areas to

positively influence attraction and

attendance.

Word of

Mouth

Repeat

Attendance

The event audience determines

actual and recurring attendance

Siterma 10

Necessary Conditions for

Sustainable Event Production• Planning

– Audience analysis– Event types, benefits, limits– Clear goals and measures of success– Committed funding of operating costs– Measures and feedback used to fine-tune planning

• Staff– Host staff trained in the theme of the event and managing the

energy and tone of the event (audience interaction)– Production staff trained in managing the logistics of before,

during, and after event production

• Talent– Presenters, performers skilled in their arts and reliable in

showing up

Siterma 11

Planning - Audience Analysis

• Who are you trying to reach– Circumstances: current location, skills, experience,

knowledge

– Desires: current goals, incentives, needs

• What shift in attitude and behavior are you trying to accomplish– Attitude: mindset, pre-existing world view, pre-

existing assumptions about “how it is”

– Behavior: actions subsequent to the event, what they tell others, what they do differently in the future as a result of having attended the event

Siterma 12

Example - Audience Analysis

• You own an insurance company operating in the UK

• Example attitudes to try to shift:– I’m young I don’t need insurance

– Insurance is a rip off– Insurance is too confusing

• Example behaviors to try to shift:– Why yes I shall buy your policy– This is wonderful I can’t wait to tell my friend Shirley

– I shan’t buy your policy now but you’ve made me realize I need to get one soon

Siterma 13

Event Production In Virtual Reality

Benefits

• Convincingly Present– “High Tech High Touch”

– Immersive / Interactive / Intuitive

– Exceeds web sites, chat rooms, web cams, blogs, voice and video conferences

• Long Distance– Operate from convenient locations

– Eliminate or reduce travel cost and time

– Find and work with many more people worldwide than otherwise possible

• Safety

Siterma 14

Event Production In Virtual Reality

Types of Events

• One to One

• One to Many

• Many to Many

• Real World

• In World

• Mixed

• Scheduled

• Impromptu

• Free Form

• Moderated

– Glenn’s Rule of Six:

When you have six or

more people in a group, you will have at

least two different conversations

• Recurring

• One-Time

Siterma 15

Event Production In Virtual Reality

Limits

• Participant Prerequisites– Fast Internet Connection– Computer with Good Graphics

– Computer Fluency

• Platform Constraints– Limit on Max Avatars Per Sim– Platform Reliability and Performance

• Media Constraints– What can (and can not) be transmitted and

experienced long distance– Sight, Sound – Yes; Touch, Smell, Taste – No

– Inspiration – Yes; Bodily Fluids - No

Siterma 16

Case Study Examples

Dublin in SL

• Hostess Training Track– Ability to consistently train new

hostesses as experienced hostesses move on

• Logistics Checklists– Required to continuously produce

high-quality events hosted by many different staff

iCommons in SL

• Goals and Measures Analysis– Especially required for a first-ever

event

• Pre-event Publicity– Three-day event required three

weeks advance promotion

– Detailed daily program and multiple event posting

• Logistics Checklists

• Post-event Publicity– Record showing pictures,

captions, and providing links to media articles

– To provide a reference for planning next year’s conference

Siterma 17

Dublin in SL - Bedford Simulcast

Hostess coordinates with Guests, Performer, and Live Venue Sound Tech

Siterma 18

Dublin in SL - Hostess Training

• Barmaid/Barman– Take barmaid training– Work impromptu hours– Receive tips

• Social Events Certified Hostess/Host– Take hostess training– Work scheduled events (five as trainee, five solo)– Receive fees and tips

• Live Music Events Certified Hostess/Host– Take live music production training– Work scheduled hours (five as trainee, five solo)– Receive fees and tips

• Pay and responsibility increase with training and experience

Siterma 19

Dublin in SL – Hostess Training

• Basic Hostessing Topics– Guest Greeting– Event Announcements

– Attendance Reports

– Griefer Management

• Advanced Hostessing Topics– Event Energy Management

– Stream Coordination With Performer– Simulcast Coordination With Live Venue

• Staff Services to Other Sim Projects– Learning and working with other sim themes

Siterma 20

Dublin in SL – Logistics Checklists

• Job Descriptions– Team Leader– Hostess Scheduler

– Entertainment Scheduler

– Shift Leader– Event Producer

– Event Poster– Weekly Ad and Event Schedule Signage

• Checklists– Social Events

– Live Music Events– Special Events

Siterma 21

iCommons in SL – Pre-Publicity

“Curiosity Ad” printed three weeks in advance to attract the attention of potential attendees.

Siterma 22

iCommons in SL – Goals and

Measures Analysis• Event:

– iCommons Summit 2007 (iSummit 2007)

– 15-17 June, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Real World

– 15-17 June, Ilha de Intercambio, Second Life, Virtual Reality

• Purpose: To create a parallel iCommons Summit 2007 conference in virtual reality in Second Life

• Indicators of Success:– Mixing the Two Worlds (Real and Virtual)

– Reaching More People via Second Life

– More Awareness and Use of Broad Sharing Vision, Principles and Methodologies

– Successful SL Conference Experience for iCommons and USC

Siterma 23

iCommons in SL – Logistics

Checklists• Draft online work space products during early

planning– iCommons In World Critical Path Preparation

Schedule

– iCommons In Second Live Equipment List For Dubrovnik

– iCommons In World Conference Schedule

• Final logistics products– iCommons Summit 2007 in Second Life Event Post

Formats (20 individual posts)– ICommons Hostess schedule (5 live keynote, 6 live

music, 5 live dj)

Siterma 24

iCommons in SL – Post-event

Publicity

• iCommons Summit 2007 in Second Life Online

Reference Page for Media and Attendees

– Used for press-releases to media two and one week

before event

– Used for live updated program schedule during event

• iCommons Summit 2007 in Second Life Event

Pictures

– Used for media feature articles after event

– Available to be used for planning next year’s event

Siterma 25

iCommons in SL – Post-Publicity

Janford Flax in iCommons in Second Life watches business partner and spouse, John Buckman, in

iCommons in Real Life.

Siterma 26

Summary

• Sustainability means “longevity”

– Recurring events are necessary for sustainability

– Recurring events lead to cumulative growth in

attendance, interest, and support for your projects

• Follow the Event Planner Creed

– “When the logistics are impeccable, the event is

transformational”

– Trained Staff (Job Descriptions, Event Checklists)

– Production Logistics (Pre-event publicity, During-event production, Post-event publicity)

Siterma 27

Thank You!

• More Information:

www.siterma.com - Sustainability Design Info

Vote for WEB-261!

Jira.SecondLife.com