Prior to the event:

• Identify company to host meeting.
• Get phone number and email address for onsite contact.
• Identify target date, time, and duration.
• Request special equipment or services needed. See below for virtual advice.
• Secure space.
• Draft and publish the event with the location map on IEEE vTools.
• Create eNotice in IEEE vTools. https://events.vtools.ieee.org/
• Review event registration list and check for issues.
• After registration closes, print the registration list.
• Order food. (check to see if there is a preferred vendor list)
• Plan agenda.
• Secure co-hosts (other societies), speaker (distinguished lecturers, industry professionals) sponsors, and giveaways (from the host company or society).
• Suggested time – three hours.
• Proposed agenda
  1. Welcome
  2. Icebreaker (such as human bingo, icebreaker conversation starter cards, and icebreaker thumb ball)
  3. Activity presentation
  4. Mini keynote
  5. Dynamic Learning Activity
     1. Jenga Leadership Challenge (order Jenga game from Amazon, use label maker to print leadership challenges, put labels on Jenga blocks, as each person pulls a block have them read the challenge and discuss solutions with the group)
  6. Engineering Activity
     1. Bridge Building
  7. STEM & Humanitarian Impact Activity
     1. Brainstorming
     2. Mini project (everyone puts potential projects ideas on a sticky note, the notes are orally reviewed, and a project decided on)
  8. Professional Development Activity
     1. Career strategy (discuss career goals and how to achieve them)
  9. Engineering Activity
     1. Raspberry Pi (can be purchased on Amazon)
  10. Lunch/Networking
  11. Closing Remarks

 Day of event:

• Set up the meeting space. Be sure space accommodates meeting needs (classroom style for presentations, u-style for engaging meetings, table for registration, food, and/or activities, etc.)
• Advise attendees to bring ID and parking pass, if required.
• Ensure compliance with any company regulations/security/parking, etc.
• Put directional signs out for parking.
• When attendees arrive:
  1. Welcome attendees to the meeting.
  2. Make sure attendees parked in the designated lot. Validate parking or hand them a parking pass, if required.
  3. Create name tags.
  4. Encourage networking and information sharing.
• During the meeting:
  1. Welcome all attendees.
  2. Review safety procedures, facility information, housekeeping, and agenda.
• After meeting:
  1. Announce upcoming meetings and special events in IEEE Section / related IEEE chapter.
  2. Discuss IEEE programs and benefits.
  3. Thank the hosts, sponsors, and speakers.
  4. Thank the attendees.

Post event:

• Send a thank you note to the host.
• Share attendee feedback.
• Follow up on any action items.
• Report the meeting attendance in vTools. https://events.vtools.ieee.org/

Virtual meeting advice:

• Test out the ability to get a good internet connection with sufficient bandwidth prior to the meeting. Preferably, the test should be done at the same time of the day and on the same day of the week as when the actual meeting will take place.
• Make sure that access to the internet does not get turned off after hours and that the available bandwidth does not dramatically change for the worse during the period when you will need the access.
• Make sure that you have any required passwords, access permissions, etc. that will be needed to get access to computers or the internet.
• Have a backup internet option such as using a cell phone as a wireless hotspot.
• Do not depend upon the speaker and microphone in a laptop to be the audio interface between you and remote participants. Unless the person speaking is right in front of the laptop, it will be difficult for the remote audience to hear them and for the people who are onsite to hear questions or comments from the remote audience. Consider investing in a quality conferencing speakerphone or conferencing speaker/camera system. An Anker PowerConf speakerphone costs about $100. It uses electronic steering of microphones to pick up the voice of the primary speaker in the room while canceling out the background sounds. An Owl Labs Meet Owl Conference Room Camera costs $1000 to $2000. It will serve the same purpose as the Anker PowerConf speakerphone, but also includes a camera that can rotate 360 degrees to focus on the person in the room who is speaking.
• Have IT department representative available onsite in case of any issues.