We are pleased that more and more Model United Nations conferences in Europe are approaching us and would like to use a LineUpr event app. Since last year we can also welcome the IsarMUN to this circle.

As one of the biggest MUN events in Germany, they also benefit greatly from an event app. In this interview, Anna-Sophie explains how they were able to enhance the communication comfort for all participants with LineUpr and at the same time were able to work sustainably. Have fun while reading.

LineUpr: Hello Anna-Sophie. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself.

Anna-Sophie: Hello. Thank you for the opportunity and your support!

I am 20 years old and have been studying Law (StEx) and the Near and Middle East (B.A.) for 4 semesters as a double degree at the LMU in Munich. Last year, together with my Co-CEO Sebastian Eppelt and a team of over 50, I set up the Isar Model United Nations 2018. As a MUN conference, we have been simulating the committee work of the United Nations and similar international institutions (e. g. NATO, WTO, …). This has been done for one weekend every year for the last 12 years under the umbrella of our parent organization MUNAM e. V. (Model United Nations Association Munich e. V.) with over 200 student participants from all over the world.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on average on the planning of the IsarMUN?

Anna-Sophie: In total, more than 50 students and young professionals participated in the organization of IsarMUN on a voluntary basis last year. Of these, 13 were involved intensively throughout the year in the planning and implementation. Divided into an “Executive Board” and an “Academics Team”, we start about a year in advance with the logistics and content organization of the IsarMUN. Weekly meetings to discuss what has been achieved in the different work areas, where there are problems and what is still to be done. As the conference gets closer, more time will have to be invested by each individual. During the conference itself, the team will be on duty almost 24/7. From setting up in the morning and coordinating the lunch break, to taking care of the evening program, which often goes into the morning hours – sleep becomes a minor matter. Depending on your position and time, the IsarMUN will be a full-time job.

LineUpr: What makes the IsarMUN so special?

Anna-Sophie: The IsarMUN is one of Germany’s largest Model United Nations conferences. In addition to having the beautiful Munich as a location, we are particularly renowned for our internationality. Our more than 250 participants were made up of 51 different nationalities last year. Hardly any other MUN conference in Germany is that international.

Furthermore, we attach great importance to organizing exciting offers for everyone, from MUN-Newbies to the old hands. Thus, in addition to several beginner and refresher workshops, we also have an entry-level program for committee chairmen and, for the first time last year, we had an academic specialization program.

LineUpr: You used LineUpr for the first time. What was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Anna-Sophie: First and foremost is the comfort for the participants. With LineUpr, our “delegates” always have all the important information, whether it’s directions, room information or timelines, on hand and do not depend on a printed version that can be easily misplaced or forgotten. Also, with LineUpr short-term changes always reach our participants swiftly and without any deviations.

LineUpr: How did you use the app before, during and after the IsarMUN?

Anna-Sophie: We mainly used the app to share the schedule and the allocated rooms/location information with our participants. Additional information such as the dress code for the respective agenda item could also be integrated practically. For future conferences, we would like to make the IsarMUN app even more interactive, allowing us to share not only the schedule, but also documents created during the conference, and to generate participant surveys.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Anna-Sophie: We received consistently positive feedback. In particular, our final feedback reflected the enthusiasm of the participants. So, when asked what was especially useful, LineUpr was mentioned again and again and the Multiple Choice question designated for LineUpr showed that all participants regarded LineUpr as a valuable addition to the conference.

LineUpr: Why should other MUN conferences use an event app?

Anna-Sophie: First and foremost, the comfort for the participants, as well as the simplification of the communication and the resulting increase in the professionalism of the entire conference are of paramount importance. Also, LineUpr can serve as a valuable tool for a greener conference and significantly reduce paper usage. Of course, depending on usage, this also means valuable savings on printing costs.

LineUpr: Which top tips for the use of LineUpr would you like to give to other organizers?

Anna-Sophie: LineUpr is so intuitive to use that not so many tips are needed. But what we definitely want to recommend is to invest enough time in the preparation of the app on the one hand, and on the other to assign a person responsible for the app during the event to fully exploit all of the great possibilities.

LineUpr: Thank you Anna-Sophie, for the great interview. We are always happy to support Model United Nations conferences with a LineUpr Event App. More interesting information can be found on IsarMun.org. They are also worth a visit on Facebook and Instagram.

We are already looking forward to the conference this year.

The post Event Apps for MUN Conferences – Experiences of the IsarMUN first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Imagine being able to attend a political meeting at the headquarters of the UN in the rooms of the Human Rights Council just once. Someone who is allowed to experience this every year is Cindy Bischofberger. She is the co-organizer of the GIMUN and because of the location, the GIMUN has a special advantage. She is allowed to hold her conference on the premises of the UN Headquarters in Geneva.

Since 2018, GIMUN has been using an event app. How much time Cindy invested in the creation and exactly what she used the app for is what this interview is about today. Have fun while reading. ?

LineUpr: Hello Cindy. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself.

Cindy: I am an International Relations student in Geneva, currently occupying the position of Under-Secretary General of Logistics for GIMUN (Geneva International Model United Nations, a student non-governmental organization with Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations). I grew up in the German-speaking part of Switzerland but am now lucky to have surpassed the national linguistic border by doing my studies in the French-speaking region. I have always been fascinated with foreign languages and cultures and love to travel and get to know diverse people from around the globe. These interests are perfectly summed up both by my university courses, but also my activity for GIMUN.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on average on the planning of GIMUN?

Cindy: That is a really difficult question. As MUNs are in general based on voluntary work, nobody really does statistics about the amount of time that goes into the organization of such an event as the Annual Conference. I can definitely say that the workload was different every other week. Sometimes, I spent only several hours a week, other times more than 8 hours a day. It is also important to add that the whole GIMUN Team consists of more than 20 people having different tasks (Committee Management, HR, Logistics, Translation and Interpretation as the Annual Conference is a completely bilingual event, Cultural Events, Press, etc.). The involvement and effort of every person contributed to a successful conference in the end.

LineUpr: What makes GIMUN so unique? How do you differentiate yourself from other MUN events?

Cindy: Compared to other MUN events, the two things that make GIMUN unique would have to be its bilingualism and the location of the committee session in the European headquarter of the UN. We are privileged having the chance to use these facilities, which only makes the bilingualism possible (as the booths for interprets are available there and make it possible to have direct interpretation in four of our six committees). Already the opportunity to have an NGO badge and walking around freely (and getting a sense of orientation in the many different buildings), discovering the Human Rights Council with its amazing ceiling art done by Miquel Barceló and enjoying the breaks outside looking for the peacocks are special.

The bilingualism, on the other hand, gives you an insight into the real world when every word of the delegates are translated into several languages. It is amazing to see the interprets their work and the participants of the conference overcoming their language differences and reaching common goals nevertheless.

LineUpr: What was the decisive argument for you to use an event app? How can also other MUN conferences benefit from an event app?

Cindy: Eric from LineUpr contacted us directly and we gladly took the chance to have an event app for the first time. It was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to every other MUN as it gives you a different platform to share information. With the advancements of technology, everyone is used to having access to information all day at every place, so an app is convenient to have all the people involved up to date at every moment. Guessing from LineUpr’s openness and friendliness, if other MUN conferences are also interested in having an event app it would be worth contacting LineUpr directly

LineUpr: How long before the event do you start creating the event app? How much time do you invest in the app?

Cindy: Once again I cannot say exactly how much time it took me to create, complete and keep updated the app. Although it is really easy to handle the website on which the app is made, it took me between at least 30-40 hours to include all the necessary information. Because there were some last minute schedule changes, most of the work was done around two weeks before the conference.

LineUpr: When and how do you inform the participants of the event about the event app?

Cindy: Exactly due to the last minute adaptions, we just informed our participants one day before the conference about the existence of the app and reminded them once again during our Opening Ceremony the following day. I would have loved to publish it a little earlier so that the participants could have also made use of the general information (how to get to Geneva, what apps are useful in the city).

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Cindy: Apart from some people having had problems getting the app to the home screen of mobile phones, we have just had positive feedbacks. Especially during the day of registration where rooms had to be changed a lot with the many workshops going on, everyone was glad to have direct access to the schedule online. The same goes for the first day at the UN. Furthermore, it was also appreciated having the addresses of the places for our social events in the evening so that they were easy to fin.

Some people were surprised, as they have never seen an app for a MUN event. However, several people told me that the participants made good use of the app during the whole conference.

LineUpr: How has your event or event organization changed by using an event app?

Cindy: I can start with my personal experience: I did not have to know every room of every committee by heart, but could just look at my phone to answer the questions of people that were lost Furthermore, it is another possibility to show visibility of the whole organization and motivate the whole team to try something new that has never been done before. For our 20th Anniversary this year, the survey about a new slogan was easily integrated into the app and every person had fast access to it. For the rest of the communication, it would maybe have been better to have a link to our Instagram and Facebook page, as most of the information was published there by our Public Relations Director. As there was a lot going on, we, unfortunately, have not had the chance to adopt this procedure which would have made the app even more useful.

LineUpr: Is there a crazy story from the last event that you want to share with us?

Cindy: Well, I would not say that it is a crazy story, but definitely a funny one. When organizing the catering for the dinner on Saturday night, we went to pick it up with a Renault Clio and the four men handing out the food just looked at us as if we were mad. “How do you want to put everything inside this tiny car? You will have to drive at least 4 times to get everything to the conference”. We proofed them wrong by just driving twice and having fun cruising the city center with a car packed with yummy pizza and some drinks, being able to provide the hungry participants a full catering right on time after the Opening Ceremony.

Side note: because the Opening Ceremony was in the ancient building of the University of Geneva, we had no elevator to take all the catering up to the second floor. This meant that we arrived out of breath and could barely speak when we had to give a speech presenting our department.

LineUpr: Which top three tips would you like to give to other organizers when using LineUpr?

Cindy: 1. Definitely look at how other MUNs have organized their apps and what they included in it. This helped me a lot when thinking about the setup and what to include in the schedule etc.

2. Be cautious when it comes to the pictures you want to include in the app: make sure that they are quadratic and not any other form so that you have no negative surprises when the upload is done.

3. Start to familiarise yourself with the website where you create the app already in the beginning, this makes it easier when you actually add more information about your event.

LineUpr: Thank you, Cindy, for the nice interview. We learned a lot about your MUN event. It is certainly very exciting to be able to carry out your MUN event in the rooms of the UN.

You will find more information about the GIMUN on their website, Twitter, and Facebook. And for all those who are more of the optical type, visit the GIMUn on Instagram or YouTube.

In the case, you also organize MUN Events, talk to us. We would love to support your conference with an event app.

The post Event Apps for MUN Conferences – The GIMUN and Experiences of Cindy Bischofberger first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Hamburg Climate Week is the largest environmental communication event in Europe. This event is coordinated, among others, from the German Ocean Foundation which used LineUpr for the first time in 2018 as an event app. Of course, that makes us incredibly proud.

In this interview, Katrin Meyer from the German Ocean Foundation tells us more about the Climate Week, how she specifically used the LineUpr app and what big charity events should consider. Have fun while reading. ?

LineUpr: Hello Katrin. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the German Ocean Foundation.

Katrin: The German Ocean Foundation is a charitable organization that promotes dialogue between business, science, society, and politics through an intense and constructive dialogue. Our goal is to strengthen the ocean consciousness in Germany. As head of office I am responsible for various things, from classic office work to the organization and implementation of exciting projects.

LineUpr: On behalf of the German Ocean Foundation, you also organize the Hamburg Climate Week. Can you tell us something more about this event? What content do you offer the participants?

Katrin: The foundation participates in and co-ordinates the Hamburg Climate Week as the largest environmental communication event in Europe with over 200 activities related to climate change and sustainability. In particular, it is about the joint implementation of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which have been globally valid since 2016.

LineUpr: Who is the typical target group of the Hamburg Climate Week and how do you reach them? What channels and tools do you use for marketing and presentation?

Katrin: The Climate Week’s target group is very diverse and ranges from young people to retirees. That is why it is incredibly difficult with the targeted approach. The Climate Week has educational activities, organizes lectures, cultural events and also a theme day where sustainable products and ideas can be experienced. So it’s a big mishmash of different activities for very different target groups.

LineUpr: Do you also use printed products for marketing the event or distributing information locally? If so, which and why?

Katrin: In the context of the Climate Week, we are using fewer and fewer printed products (posters, flyers, classic PR work) and are increasingly trying to offer our information digitally. This is not easy with the target group because, for example, there are still people who do not use a smartphone or a computer but are still very interested in the climate week. Basically, we want to reach everyone but the goal in the future will definitely be digital.

LineUpr: You have used LineUpr for the first time. How did you learn about LineUpr and what was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Katrin: We’ve done a lot of research and sifted through many companies that deal with websites and apps. We came across LineUpr through a recommendation. We were delighted with the possibilities. The decisive argument was the quick implementation and easy handling – and with it the clarity of the individual activities including the search functions.

LineUpr: Have you already used event apps? If so, what are your experiences? If not, what has been against the use of an event app?

Katrin: So far we have not used an app because in the context of volunteering we ultimately lack the money and staff to do it.

LineUpr: How did you use our app before, during and after the Climate Week?

Katrin: We used the app one month before the start of the event and informed participants about the app in every mail. Also on the posters, flyers and digital screens, we pointed out the appropriate link.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Katrin: The visitors reacted to the app in very different ways. Many were excited about the local search feature, the offline feature and the ability to build their own program. This was mirrored back to us several times. A person in the subway just spoke to us about how great he found the app. But overall, we didn’t manage this year to encourage enough people to use the app actively. The use of an app for such free event weeks, which take place between work and leisure in different locations throughout the city, seems in our view, not yet familiar in the market. At festivals and conferences, of course, an event app is popular – perhaps because people here pay money for their tickets.

LineUpr: Is there a unique story about the Climate Week that you would like to share with us?

Katrin: Climate Week is unique in Europe and a social initiative in response to not responding to the urgent implementation of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. For example, solar energy is currently the cheapest form of energy and German politicians are still allowing companies to relocate pipelines to Germany to transport fossil fuels from crisis regions to our country instead of consistently implementing the politically desired energy transition. The Climate Week wants to set an example with many and above all highly qualified participants in and with society.

LineUpr: Which top three tips would you like to give other organizers when using LineUpr?

Katrin: We are very satisfied with the app. The tool has done more than promised because the use was also fun. My tips: 1. Organizers must include the app in advance in their communication, of course accordingly intense, that’s a crucial factor. 2. Use the copy function for entries! 3. The simple customization of the logos and title images and the comfortable insertion of texts from our website via copy and paste have made work a lot easier.

LineUpr: Thank you Katrin for the great interview. With the German Ocean Foundation and the Hamburg Climate Week, you are pursuing such an important goal. Thanks to people like you, this has meanwhile also reached the core of society and the discussion is finally on the move. But as you say, there is still a lot of potentials up there. More information about the Climate Week is available on their homepage or on their profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We are very happy that we are allowed to support you a bit on this crucial task. ?

The post Event Apps for Multi-day Events – Experience of the Hamburg Climate Week first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Today we have the co-organizer of the largest MUN conference in Germany. Lukas from HamMUN will tell us what the term MUN stands for and how an event app can support these conferences. Have fun while reading. ?

LineUpr: Hello Lukas. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself.

Lukas: Gladly! My name is Lukas; I am 21 years old and study economics at the University of Hamburg. I started attending Model United Nations conferences during my school years, and have been involved in the organization of HamMUN for the last two years, this year, together with Olga, Secretary-General, I was in charge of the conference.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on average on the planning of HamMUN?

Lukas: The HamMUN takes place every year in December and planning usually begins in February. It usually takes one to two months for the team to be created. This year, our core team comprised 25 students who helped to organize HamMUN during their studies. For Olga and me as secretary-generals, but of course also for the rest of our team, that meant 10 to 20 hours of work per week in most cases. If there was a lot of work to do, then it was necessary to work through an entire weekend.

In the summer, the 50 or so chairpersons of our 15 committees, who applied from all over the world and helped us prepare the content, joined us. Of course, we must not forget the great assistants who helped us sometimes with 20 hours during the weekend. In total, 100 people in different positions were involved in the implementation.

LineUpr: What makes HamMUN so unique? How do you differentiate yourself from other MUN events?

Lukas: Firstly, we are the largest MUN conference in Germany and one of the largest in Europe, so of course one already sticks out of the crowd a bit. Then, of course, there would still be (how could it be different in Hamburg …) the parties! I’ve been to 10 different conferences myself and have not found any other one to organize such good parties to get to know the other participants in a relaxed atmosphere during the evening.

LineUpr: You have already used LineUpr twice. What was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Lukas: In recent years, we have given our participants a booklet with the schedule and key information about the conference. In 2017 we used the app and the booklet in parallel. We were so pleased with the feedback and our experience with LineUpr that last year we decided to use the app exclusively. On the one hand, of course, this saves costs and resources for printing, but it also has many other benefits.

LineUpr: How did you use the app before, during and after HamMUN?

Lukas: In the one to two months before the conference, we started to use the app, especially for survival tips, to prepare our participants for the weekend in Hamburg. The main part of the usage was of course during the conference with the schedule and the site plan. This year our campus was full of construction sites and the map function really saved us.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Lukas: The feedback for the app was very positive. Both for the practical added value as well as for the layout and the optics.

LineUpr: Why should other MUN conferences use an event app?

Lukas: An event app is an excellent alternative to a traditional paper conference booklet. It saves resources, the information can be updated later and I cannot say enough about how convenient the map function is for the participants. The benefits seem to have already spread in the MUN world since the HamMUN 2017 and I think that there will be even more conferences coming to you in the future.

LineUpr: Is there perhaps an extraordinary story from the last HamMUN that you would like to share with us?

Lukas: On Saturday morning a participant contacted us via WhatsApp and asked us how to get to the university, he woke up the morning after the party in the zoo. In retrospect, it turned out that one of our organizers allowed a joke. Actually, we should have been skeptical from the start. With the map function of the app, he would have found the way to the university on his own…

LineUpr: Which top three tips would you like to give other organizers when using LineUpr?

Lukas: Start a few months before the conference to try out the app and discover the individual functions, the design works super intuitive and you can change everything later without much effort. If you have to make announcements during the conference, the app is a great channel for it and, of course, most importantly: Do enough advertising for the app so that all participants can see that it exists and how practical it is.

LineUpr: Thank you for the great interview Lukas. MUN events are a great idea and we are always very proud to be able to support these events with our apps. More information about HamMUN can be found on their website, Facebook and Instagram.

We are looking forward to the next HamMUN.

The post Event Apps for MUN Conferences – Experiences of HamMUN Conference first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

An event app for federal student council conferences- that’s what this interview is about. We have Effi Drews from the University of Bonn as a guest. She will explain to us what a federal student council conference is and how an event app makes life easier for organizers and saves both money and stress. We hope you enjoy reading. ?

LineUpr: Hello Effi. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the BuFaTa.

Effi: My name is Effi Drews and I am both the chairman of the Student Council for Geosciences at the University of Bonn, as well as the deputy chairman of GeStEIN.eV, the German umbrella organization for geoscientific student councils. Once a semester, we organize a conference for student representatives from all over Germany, Austria, and Switzerland with the name “Bundes Fachschaften Tagung der Geowissenschaften” or BuFaTa for short. Approximately 100 students meet in a different city (in November 2018 in Bonn) and exchange ideas about their studies and student council work. It is about networking and therefore forms a common voice for the student. We work on topics such as safety in the field, studying with physical disabilities, co-operation with other geoscientific associations and much more. In addition to workshops, there are also specialized lectures and various excursions based on the subject of geology in the region.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on the planning of BuFaTa on average?

Effi: We were a team of 10 students who met at least once a week for a year. The closer the conference came, the more we sat together, towards the end we met almost every day. For the event itself, we had about 35 helpers who worked around the clock to attend to the participants’ needs or culinary desires. Besides, there were lecturers from the Institute of Geosciences who organized excursions and gave lectures.

LineUpr: Why did you decide to use an event app for BuFaTa?

Effi: We always had a conference booklet with all the information. Of course, they had to be printed early so short-term changes were not possible. This takes time, costs a lot of money and is bad for the environment. Also, we experienced that participants lose the booklets after a maximum of two days and then do not know what is next on the agenda. We were able to solve all these issues with LineUpr. Changes are possible spontaneously and only very few lose their mobile phones. Also, we could integrate much more information because we were not limited to just a few pages. The linking of the events with places has also saved us from explaining complicated directions.

LineUpr: How did you share the event app among the students?

Effi: We sent the link via e-mail to all of the conference participants and presented the app again at the first joint meeting.

LineUpr: For what information did you use the app? How did you use the app specifically before, during and after the BuFaTa?

Effi: During the event, several workshops or sessions ran simultaneously at some times. The app gave the participants an overview of the places where they occurred. Also, concrete times, like for breakfast or plena could be seen. We were also able to link all the significant pubs in Bonn and give a good overview of the evening program. Contents of the lectures, the excursions and workshops gave the participants the opportunity to inform themselves in advance about the different offers.

LineUpr: How did your students react to the app?

Effi: Positive! The ability to reread everything without having to rummage through the booklet was well received. The offline usage was especially important because some persons were worried about their mobile data.

LineUpr: Generally speaking, can other BuFaTas also benefit from the use of an event app?

Effi: It facilitates the communication between the organizers and the participants enormously because of its actuality and clarity. Also, the design of the content is easy to understand and saves a lot of work in advance.

LineUpr: Is there a unique story about the last BuFaTa that you would like to share with us?

Effi: At the beginning of the meeting, I was often asked things like, “When’s lunch? Where do I have to go? “After two days at the latest, I did not have to answer anymore because several people who stood around me all answered at the same time:” It’s all in the app!”

LineUpr: Great ?. What top three tips would you like to share with other organizers when using LineUpr?

Effi: Linking to the map is worth it! Send the app to the participants a few days in advance, so that they can read it and look forward to coming! The more colorful, the better! Everyone loved the colors and many pictures.

LineUpr: Thank you Effi for the lovely interview. Volunteer and student events are often a bit different than traditional conferences. We think that organizers can always learn a lot and give their events a splash of creativity.

More information about the association Gestein e.V. is available on their homepage. Otherwise, of course, they have profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We look forward to supporting you at the next BuFaTa.

The post Event Apps for Federal Student Council Conferences – Experience of BuFaTa GeStEIN in Bonn first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Since the beginning of LineUpr we have supported student organizations with event apps. As a beta tester, they played a key role in the further development of LineUpr. A popular field of application for our event apps are the so-called welcome days of newly enrolled students. These events are designed to make it as easy as possible for you to start your studies.

Today is the day we finally publish an interview with such a student organization on the blog. We have Dario Klapp from the Student Council FB16 of the University of Kassel. He tells you more about exactly what such welcome days are and what typical tasks a student council has. Of course, it is also about the use of an event app and how other student councils, in general, can benefit from event apps. Have fun while reading. ?

LineUpr: Hello Dario. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the Student Council 16. What are your tasks?

Dario: Hello. I am happy to take time for your questions.

Something short about me: My name is Dario, I am 23 years old and I study computer science at the University of Kassel. Since the first semester, I have been a member of the Student Council for Computer Science and E-Technology. The FSR is often merely referred to as the student council and is committed to the interests of students of the faculty. We mediate problems with professors, answer questions about studying and can draw on a wealth of experience.

LineUpr: Every year you do the welcome days. What is this about? What is the goal of these three days?

Dario: The welcome days are part of the O week (orientation week) and should help the freshmen find their way around the campus. In the three days, we try to explain to the newcomers how studying actually works and what the curriculum and examination regulations are.

We also value team building and networking. Especially at the beginning of the study, it is important not to miss this connection. In the welcome days, contact to other students are made and you get to know each other. We as a student council create the necessary framework with a pub crawl & Co.

LineUpr: Why did you decide to use an event app for the welcome days?

Dario: Each year, the department publishes a freshman booklet that bundles the key information for undergraduate students. This booklet is essentially an approximately 20-page DIN A4 booklet, which includes, among other things, the schedule of the welcome days. The big disadvantage of such a booklet on paper is that a freshman rarely has this for more than a day. With your app, everyone could access the programme and the essential data. With the help of posts, we can also share relevant information with the students afterward.

LineUpr: How did you share the event app among the students?

Dario: We printed a reference together with a QR code in this year’s paper booklet. We also referred to the event app during the welcome presentation on the first day as well as during the tutor talks. Of course, there was also a post on Facebook.

LineUpr: For what information did you use the app? How did you use the app before, during and after the introduction days?

Dario: I added the programme for the introduction days to the app. In addition to the room numbers and times, I also included our partners with their contact information in the line-up. This year we had an FAQ section for the first time in the app through which we answered recurring questions.

After the welcome days, we used the app for two surveys with free text fields. So we received feedback, which flows into the planning for the next time.

LineUpr: How did your students react to the app?

Dario: The feedback was consistently positive. We also presented the app in the university-wide student councils conference. Some student councils were so enthusiastic that they announced that they would like to use an event app from you next year as well.

LineUpr: Great. Thank you for this support. Generally speaking, can other student councils also benefit from using an event app for their welcome days? If yes, how?

Dario: Absolutely. We were mainly aided by the feedback and survey function. Also, the ability to create posts is excellent. Other student councils also know the problem of not being able to receive feedback. Since we have over 200 beginners every semester, an electronic evaluation is more than useful.

LineUpr: Is there a unique story from your last introduction days that you would like to share with us?

Dario: Maybe not from this year, but two or three years ago, there was something special: The pub crawl of a friendly student council was classified as an unannounced demonstration and disbanded by the police.

LineUpr: Oh. That’s an unpleasant surprise. Which top three tips would you like to give other organizers for the use of LineUpr?

Dario: If you’re designing an event app in the university area, then these would be my three tips: 1. Use the corporate design of your university for the color scheme. This makes the app look very official. 2. Start the places and the line-up. Then you can link them directly when creating the programme. 3. Print flyers with the QR code to the app.

LineUpr: Thank you, Dario, for the great interview. Although we already work with many FSRs, you are the first to be featured on our blog. We are delighted that the LineUpr app also brings a lot of added value to this particular case. By the way, more information about Dario’s student council can be found on Facebook.

We are looking forward to 2019 and to supporting you again at the welcome days.

The post Event Apps for Welcome Days- Experience of the Student Council 16 of the University of Kassel first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Youth unemployment in Southern Europe, the situation of refugees, Brexit, the further development of the Eurozone, these are all critical issues of the European Union. The Rethink! EU Conference is a conference dedicated to these topics.

Nora Bittmann is part of the organizing team and explains in this article why these topics are so relevant that using a classic programme booklet for this number of participants results in a massive mountain of garbage and how easy it is to create an event app with LineUpr. Have fun while reading. ?

LineUpr: Hello Nora. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the Rethink! EU Conference.

Nora: Hi, I am 24 years old and study “Philosophy, Politics and Economics” at the University of Witten / Herdecke (UW / H). Together with eight fellow students from my degree programme, I conceptualized and implemented the Rethink! EU Conference from August last year up until July 2018. For us, the project was about developing new ideas for the future of the European Union. It was important for us to talk to young people from different countries to bring in as many perspectives as possible. Our main topic was justice. We then discussed this for a weekend with varying points of view and in different formats.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on average on the planning of the conference?

Nora: We all did a lot of work in the months of preparation (August 2017- June 2018). How much any one person worked is difficult to say. We were organized in teams (e.g. marketing, logistics, content, participant support) and there was a lot of work to do depending on the project phase. But since we all continued to study usually (some of us even in two courses at the same time), it was quite a high workload.

Since the project is located at the UW / H, we also received support from there. Not only in terms of conception but also regarding implementation, we were able to fall back on the university’s infrastructure.

LineUpr: What makes your event special?

Nora: Youth unemployment in Southern Europe, the situation of refugees, Brexit, the further development of the Eurozone, etc. There are currently many problems in the European Union. The EU is a remarkable achievement, but at the same time, there is a need for reform. In our opinion, solutions are needed that are developed jointly by Europeans. Therefore, we focused on the aspect of networking among the young Europeans and the opportunity to discuss ideas for our future coexistence. To make the weekend as attractive as possible, we invited international experts for lectures and workshops. Besides, there were formats such as the World Café and Best Practice Sharing to enable participants to engage in active discussions. It was not just about getting new input, but, above all, thinking about how to become active yourself. Coming together -Evaluating Justice – Taking Action. These were the mottos for the three days of the conference.

LineUpr: Do you also use printed products to market the event or distribute information locally? If so, which and why?

Nora: We used posters and flyers to advertise at our university (and also other universities). The posters were very eye-catching but only printed with the necessary information. There was a bit more information on the flyers, especially about the content. Our main aim was to achieve more visibility at our university because we wanted to recruit participants and also needed a helper pool for the conference weekend.

LineUpr: How did you learn about LineUpr and what was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Nora: Another conference that takes place here at the university, the Oikos Winter School, had already used LineUpr before and was very happy with the handling, design possibilities, etc. An important argument for us was that printed programme booklets- and by 100 participants also a huge mountain of garbage – could be gotten rid of. This fits in well with our innovative concept.

LineUpr: How did you use the app before, during and after the EU Conference?

Nora: We informed the participants in an email before the conference and also during the opening about the app. It was almost our digital “guide” with information about the programme and the speakers. But additional information such as bus schedules, emergency numbers, etc. were also available. It also allowed us to easily communicate with participants during the conference, provide help with questions and organize feedback through the app. Having everything in one source made things easier for us.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Nora: The feedback was very positive. Many found it very convenient to have the most important information so compact and clearly available at all times. We did not ask for feedback on the app, but it was clear from our general questionnaire that the participants liked the app.

LineUpr: Is there a crazy story about the last conference that you would like to share with us?

Nora: I do not know about anything crazy, but it impressed us how many committed people with good ideas have the desire to make a difference. It was very nice to see on this weekend!

LineUpr: Which three top tips would you like to give other organizers when using LineUpr?

Nora: Just try it! The app is easy to use and offers many options for customization. It’s really fun to work with it!

LineUpr: Thank you very much for the great interview, Nora. Conferences like yours are very important for social development. Today more than ever.

We look forward to the next edition in 2019 and we hope to be able to support you again.

The post Event Apps for Conferences – Less Waste and Better Communication at the Rethink! EU Conference first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Today, TEDx events are the focus of our interview. We host Sandra Bier from TEDxUniHalle event. As a founding member, she will tell us more not only about the development of her event but also about TEDx events in general.

Also, this article is about the actual use of an event app at TEDx events and how other such events can benefit from an event app.

LineUpr: Hello Sandra. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and TEDxUniHalle.

Sandra: With pleasure. I work as a project manager for the statewide student competition futurego Sachsen-Anhalt, I am 29 years old and live in the beautiful Halle upon the river Saale. I have been part of the TEDxUniHalle team since the beginning and I’m the president of the “Ideenspektrum Halle e. V. “, which we founded as the organizational basis for TEDxUniHalle.

The team found each other in October 2016. We consist of students and employees of the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg as well as volunteers. It all started with an idea from Jonas Kühl, my colleague at that time, to bring a TEDx event to Halle (Saale), and we soon found fellow participants.

TEDxUniHalle took place for the first time on 1^st June in 2017 in cooperation with the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU). The MLU represents a significant partner, which supports us intensively. We organized the first TEDx event in Saxony-Anhalt, which we are very proud of. In 2018 the second event took place and at the beginning of October, we started planning the third edition.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on the planning of the event on average?

Sandra: We usually start planning an event in October of the previous year. Overall, we have about nine months to plan. We are 15 team members working in different groups with a different focus, such as the speaker acquisition team, the venue team, etc. The schedule is very tight in general.

The speakers are undoubtedly crucial to the event, so we need to spend a lot of time here. Over the entire period, the team for “speaker acquisition” has a very high workload. From acquisition and selection to coaching and general support, this part spans over the entire planning period and the follow-up.

The fundraising team is also of great importance because we finance the event entirely through sponsorship funds and donations. Especially at the beginning, the workload to find suitable partners is very high.

Social Media is of great importance, especially for the promotion of the event, but of course also for other announcements concerning TEDxUniHalle, the presentation of the team and in general the communication with people interested in our event.

LineUpr: How do you decide on the main topics and speakers for your event?

Sandra: Above all, we look for exciting stories and research results, especially in the Martin-Luther-University, but also in the environment around the art university in Halle or the university in Merseburg. We also get recommendations from former speakers. But if a topic moves us very much, then the speakers do not need to have any connection with Halle or the above-mentioned universities.

We meet with anyone interested in giving a talk. We listen to their story or topic suggestion and then we choose if it fits to our event.

LineUpr: Which channels and tools do you use for the marketing and presentation of the event?

Sandra: We mainly use social media channels. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are especially crucial for us. And of course, our website. On Flickr, you can also find all photos of the previous events.

LineUpr: Have you already used event apps? If so, what are your experiences and why did you choose LineUpr for this event? If you have not used an event app yet, why not?

Sandra: We have always used LineUpr for TEDxUniHalle. The great thing about the web app is that the application is straightforward. You can incorporate all the information quickly and easily through templates. However, I think it’s best that you have the opportunity to completely customize the app to your individual design. So it feels authentic to the users as well. You can quickly add any changes, for example in the schedule on the day of the event, which would not be possible with a physical programme.

Since it’s a web app, our event attendees did not have to download an app from a store, but could directly use all the functions. Another big advantage is that it works offline.

We also plan to use LineUpr for our next TEDx-event.

LineUpr: How did you use the app before, during and after the TEDxHalle?

Sandra: Before the event and of course at the event itself, we referred to the use of the app.

The presentation of the speakers is of great importance for us and here the interaction of text and photo is crucial. This works in the app without problems. Of course, the timing is essential for the event. For example, with the app, we could also provide snack/restaurant/café recommendations near the venue. The users knew where they could best spend the breaks. We also asked for feedback on our event using the app.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Sandra: We did not actively ask for feedback on the app. However, we only received positive feedback on the usage of the app. Many visitors share our opinion on sustainability, so the usage of the app was very well received.

LineUpr: What is the added value of an event app for TEDx events in general?

Sandra: In this day and age everything feels like it’s happening via smartphone and digitally. And for an event characterized by innovation, such as TEDx, an event app simply fits perfectly. Besides, we have made it our goal to produce as little garbage as possible at an event and a digital “event booklet” is good for this. Designing, putting together and printing a programme is a lot of extra work. LineUpr offers the possibility to easily integrate all information, pictures and schedules into one app and it always looks professional and is up-to-date.

LineUpr: Which presenter/speaker from the last years are you particularly proud of and why? Which speaker would you like to have on your stage?

Sandra: Oh, it’s tough for me to just pick one speaker because the event is characterized by its variety of different topics. I always think it’s good to talk about taboo subjects. This year (TEDxUniHalle 2018), Isabel Peter held a talk about the deaths of children and why they should have the right/opportunity to die at home. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in Germany, despite existing laws.

Generally, I would like to see more women on stage. I would like to win Gesa Neitzel as a speaker. After her bestseller “Breakfast with Elephants” and her experiences of becoming a ranger in Africa, I would like to know how her story continues.

LineUpr: Thank you, Sandra, for this powerful interview. There were really impressive and profound statements here. You together with the TEDxUniHalle-team and the whole TEDx movement, in general, are doing an outstanding job to regularly focus on the essential issues of society. We are very proud to be able to help you with this. More information about TEDxUniHalle can be found on their homepage or the social media networks Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, and Youtube.

We look forward to the next edition and event app with you.

The post Event Apps for TEDx Events – More Efficient Event Communication at the TEDxUniHalle first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

What does a typical scouting event look like? And does it make sense to use an event app for such events? This and much more is clarified in this article together with Lucius Schweizer. He is part of the organizing team of the PFF18 EXPLORE- one of the biggest events for scouts in Switzerland.

LineUpr: Hello Lucius. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the PFF18 EXPLORE personally.

Lucius: Hello. The PFF18 EXPLORE was a festival from scouts for scouts and anyone in Liestal, Switzerland who wanted to come. PFF stands for Pfadi Folk Festival, which takes place at irregular intervals throughout Switzerland and has its origins in England.

I, together with Barbara Hochuli, was responsible for communication.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on the planning of the event on average?

Lucius: The Organizing Committee started to form 3 years ago and we ended up with 17 people in 9 different departments. Then more people joined the different departments. I cannot tell you a definite total number. Only in the communications department, there were finally 25 people.

As I said, we started three years ago. Because it’s an event of the scouts we all work voluntarily in our spare time.

LineUpr: What makes the PFF18 EXPLORE special? What added value do you offer the participants?

Lucius: The PFF combines the values of Scouting in Switzerland with the classic elements of a festival. So the PFF is also a big scout camp. The bars and buildings are provided by Pfaditechnik. There is, like at camp, food that you could pick up with your own dishes and in addition to the onstage programme, there were a lot of typical scout programmes offered, such as campfires.

The great thing is that everyone has a similar background and you can just easily get into a conversation with everyone there. A bit like a very big family party. ?

LineUpr: Who is the typical target audience of your event and how do you reach them? What channels and tools do you use for marketing and presentation?

Lucius: As mentioned above, the classic target group are scouts from 16 years to 30 years. But it is also open to anyone else who is interested (not even scouts) and is at least 16 years old.

Because of the size and the good networking among the scouts, we have limited ourselves to Facebook, internal association advertising and word-of-mouth distribution. Also, we used Instagram and have a homepage that provides those interested with lots of detailed information.

LineUpr: Do you also use printed products to market the event or distribute information locally? If so, which and why?

Lucius: We distributed flyers regionally and throughout Switzerland at various in-house events. The content was a short description and a “save the date”. In Liestal we put up placards and flyers, and during the festival, there was a printed programme in the form of a map. We were also allowed to advertise via the mailing authorities of the Scouts Regional Associations in our border neighbors Germany and France.

LineUpr: How did you first learn about LineUpr and what was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Lucius: LineUpr was given to us. We were not necessarily looking for a digital solution for our festival. The possibility to use the offer free of charge and also offline at the event and also the simple configuration and being able to offer an added value to our visitors was then crucial in deciding.

LineUpr: How did you use the app before, during and after the PFF18 EXPLORE?

Lucius: We promoted the app before the event but mainly used it during the festival. It was thought to be complementary to our printed programme. The visitors could there / via the app also look at the entire programme and see more information that did not make it to the printed version. For example, we praised the favorites function and encouraged our visitors to put together their individual festival programme in advance.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Lucius: The app was mainly used by people who found our printed programme too big (it was the size of a map). This alternative was very much appreciated. I think that our printed schedule was used on the campground and the app on the smartphone was used in the area in front of the stages. However, we did not have the capacity to get specific feedback during the festival.

LineUpr: Is there a crazy story about the PFF18 EXPLORE which you would like to share with us?

Lucius: Shortly before the festival a non-scout came up to us with an extraordinary request and in the end, we were allowed to help him make a marriage proposal to his girlfriend, who is a scout.

LineUpr: Thank you, Lucius, for the exclusive interview. Until now, we have never accompanied a scout event with an event app. So thank you for this opportunity. If you would like to know more about Scouting, then visit the homepage or go to Facebook. Optical stimulations are also available on Instagram.

We are already looking forward to accompanying you again next year.

The post Event Apps for Scouts – The Perfect Team of Digital Programme and Printed Map first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Have you ever heard of the Bachelor Thesis Day at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)? On that day, undergraduate students of health professions at the ZHAW present their thesis to their families, friends and other interested persons.

Philipp Funk and Nina Stadelmann help to organize the event. They explain how the event has benefited from an event app and what role parallel event points play in it. Have fun while reading. ?

LineUpr: Hello Philipp and Nina. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the ZHAW.

Philipp and Nina: We both work at the ZHAW Department of Health Professions, which comprises about 1,600 students and 300 employees. Philipp is the Online Manager and takes care of all digital channels including websites, social media, etc. Nina is responsible for our events as event manager and has also co-organized the Bachelor Thesis Day.

LineUpr: You used LineUpr for the “Bachelor Thesis Day”. What is this event about and what added value do you offer the participants?

Philipp and Nina: On the day of the bachelor thesis, around 350 undergraduate students present their thesis in 175 presentations. This event is organized in the style of a public event for internal and external persons who are interested. So also family, friends, practice institutions and other interested parties can experience the final presentations in the form of a small (knowledge) festival.

LineUpr: Who is your typical target audience and how do you reach them?

Philipp and Nina: The main target group are our bachelor students of all five health professions – occupational and physiotherapy, nursing, midwifery as well as health promotion and prevention. They also have to attend some presentations as preparation for their own bachelor thesis. The families and friends of the presenters, as well as practice institutions or other interested persons, are also invited.

LineUpr: How did you learn about LineUpr and what was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Philipp and Nina: Our programme is very extensive with around 175 presentations by the 350 students and it takes place in parallel and in different rooms of the University of Applied Sciences. Our primary goal was to create an app that would help participants build their personal agenda for the day as intuitively as possible. We learned about LineUpr through our internet research.

LineUpr: How did you use the app before, during and after the Bachelor Theses Day?

Philipp and Nina: We sent the link to the app via e-mail about three days before the event and published it on our website so that visitors could already put together their individual programmes.

During the event, the participants were able to download the app via conveniently placed QR codes on the infoscreens on site and could thus also read detailed information about the speakers and their work.

LineUpr: How did your students react to the app?

Philipp and Nina: We have received very positive feedback from the students and lecturers about the app and have often heard that it greatly simplifies creating individual programmes. While the app will not completely replace a printed program, it will innovatively complement it.

LineUpr: Do you think that other events of this kind can benefit from an event app or is this an exception for you? There are also Bachelor Thesis Days at other universities.

Philipp and Nina: Yes, similar events with so many parallel events can definitely benefit from the app, especially if there is also essential background information on the presentations or speakers available. We do not know if other colleges also organize such days – if so, the app would certainly be a good thing.

LineUpr: What are the top three tips you would like to give other organizers for the use of LineUpr?

Philipp and Nina: Firstly, adapt the structure to the needs of the visitors and not primarily to those of the organizer (user-centered).

Secondly, send the link to the app early enough so that participants can put together their own agenda.

Thirdly, strategically position the QR code in various places and include a notice that says that you only need to focus your cell phone camera on it on getting directly to the programme. (Note: Many smartphones today no longer need a QR reader, but the regular cell phone camera can recognize the code)

LineUpr: Thank you Philipp and Nina for the great interview. It’s always so exciting to get an insight into different types of events during these talks. More information about the Department of Health at the ZHAW can be found on their homepage and on social networks such as Facebook, Youtube and LinkedIn. For visual motivation, we also recommend a look at Instagram.

We look forward to your next events and to how we can support them with LineUpr.

The post Event Apps for Information Events – Example: Bachelor Theses Day at the ZHAW first appeared on LineUpr Blog.