CES 2021 just got over, and it was a pretty unique experience this time as it was all-digital, thus more towards the trend of futuristic events. If you are new to the term CES, Consumer Electronics Show(CES) is an exciting place for tech enthusiasts, journalists and influencers. It starts in the second week of a new year, involving all leading tech companies which reveal their products and concepts for the upcoming year. It is a wild show!
It’s my great luck to be in touch with amazing platform. During the previous year’s CES, I did rebranding and stall design for a tech startup pois. This time, for CES 2021 I have worked as a pro bono model for one of my friend’s startup wehear.
I’ll segment my digital tech event experience in three different categories :
- Great experiences
- Unpleasant (need to change urgently)
- Average (over time it can turn into great experiences )
Great (wow moments!)
Real saver in pandemic time.
During Covid-19 lockdown many businesses had a halt on their cash flow. Exhibitors bear transportation costs, designing and printing marketing materials, stay-over, and zillion other costs whereas digital events save a lot of time, effort and money.
The original idea of a digital show is awesome, CES brought it to me without me having to visit Las Vegas, or even stepping out of my room! A big shout out to CES for taking this step.
Interaction in real time
I can reach out to people from the team of founders, to the Industry Specific Professional eg. Designer & engineer, Sales, Marketing etc .
Information lasts for a month
Even after the completion of a virtual event, I can see the contacts and the previous chats for up to 30 days. It is a true gem of an element for highly engaged people like entrepreneurs and C level professionals.
Needs an improvement on urgent basis!
Repetitive permissions.
Being a private person, I would prefer to share my contact details with the familiar and trustable connections only. I think common check box design with future enable/disable functions will improve the experience.
Fixed header
This aspect irked me the most. A big black slab with information on it was constantly in my range of vision.
‘Hide on scroll down, show on scroll up’ technique is great for such types of designs where the information inside header is essential to the user but is not on the visual range at all times.
Improvement over time
Missing Icons & longer Loading time
It took me time to learn when I was new to the digital platform (Day before it started) I had to look for every details and read each items.
Introducing a unique iconography is a real opportunity. Pictorial representation before any copy improves scannability at much faster rate.
Pagination on new exhibitor discovery
It is a rigid structure and less flexible to go with.
Whereas Infinite scroll saves a lot of time and custom interest based exhibitor discovery can be possible!
Things that I wish existed
A mobile app
Android/iOS apps are really helpful during interactions. Everyone has muscle memory while using their mobiles. Quite easy to interact on a mobile messaging app rather than the web app!
3D interactive section
In an on-site trade show, If something fascinates me, I can touch and feel the product and hence perceive the material quality, fusion of materials and design efforts on its various aspects. This Tactile perception is eliminated in virtual events, but if it’s possible to be shown the product from multiple angles like 360 view , then it would be one of the aha moments for me!
Overall it was really good and learning experience for me, CES has created one standard for the virtual event. Kudos to the team of Microsoft and other technology partners for building a clean, minimal and up-to the mark system and completing successfully first ever digital event of CES. Great work 👍
There is always a debate on real and virtual things. Both have their own positives and negatives. In my opinion, Presently, In person ( face to face ) meetings are the most efficient way and are more authentic than the virtual meetings.
But with more advancement in technology like VR/AR, the event industry might take a big place in digital platform.
What do you think of online events?
Have you attended any trade shows or tech events ?
I would love to hear your experiences and perspectives.
P.S. — Thank you for reading, Pardon me if I have made any silly mistakes during writing and explaining aspects. This is my first ever blog on the internet, I welcome your thoughts and feedback :)
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