I organise an event

What comes first, and what can run alongside it?

Start with the correct edition, dates, timezone, descriptions and access for the responsible colleagues. Use the steps below as a working sequence, not one large publication condition: a call can be open while the schedule remains in preparation. All rooms or ticket products need not be complete to start collecting content.

Then configure CFP and reviews, registration and speaker preparation in their own workstreams. Before each public moment, complete the checks that belong to that stream.

1. Establish a shared foundation

Create the edition and check its public reference, calendar dates and timezone. You may copy settings from a previous edition; submissions, people and orders do not transfer. Give team members suitable access: who manages the edition, selects speakers and plans the programme?

Set languages and branding before substantial writing begins. Descriptions are needed in each active language; the edition name is shared. Then prepare days, venues and room layouts. An edition date is not a scheduled session.

Check the result: everyone works in the same edition. Publish the edition when its public description is correct, then inspect it as an attendee.

2. Agree on the content you want

With the speaker manager, decide on the audience, session types, durations and presentation languages. These choices limit what speakers can submit and what you can programme later. A primary topic helps route submissions to the right review group.

Ask a colleague with selection management to configure the call, organise reviews and coordinate selection and communication timing. This can be the speaker manager if they also hold that additional permission. A review target date is a planning aid, not an automatic release. Agree who may send decisions: that action creates a real expectation for the speaker.

Handover: the selection team handles submissions and decisions. The speaker manager then follows up released participation and preparation. You check that the content fits the event. Agree who handles missing responses; the title “organiser” does not itself grant additional access. Use the roles matrix to divide work.

3. Make commitments deliverable

After an acceptance is released, the primary speaker confirms participation. Omnia then hands the proposal over to Programme and creates one linked, private draft session; the speaker portal shows when that is done. Ask the programme team to develop that session rather than create a new one. See sessions and the CFP handover.

The programme team plans and publishes the intended revisions, using demand as a signal. Draft changes do not automatically change the public programme, and Omnia does not yet send programme change notifications. Coordinate ticket types, payments, required questions and attendee information alongside this work. The buyer is not necessarily the attendee arriving at the entrance. Working with sponsors? Also read sponsor teams and the sponsor portal; check available capabilities before promising a complete sponsor journey.

Check the result: view the public edition and programme as an attendee. Arrange a trial registration before opening sales; the complete checkout has not been verified during this documentation round.

Four moments when something becomes visible

1. Publish the edition: attendees can find public event information. Check the description in every active language. This does not automatically open or publish other areas.
2. Publish the call: it becomes discoverable according to visibility and configured moments. Check when submissions are allowed separately; discoverable is not the same as open.
3. Release decisions: speakers receive the intended outcome. Acceptance starts the confirmation period. This does not publish a programme.
4. Publish the programme: attendees see the selected programme revisions. Check the public session and schedule, including time, room and participants.

Read edition publication, call setup, decision release and programme publication at the relevant step. Check the public result in a separate browser window; management screens may still show draft information.

4. Prepare event-day operations and exceptions

Agree who handles a speaker cancellation, room change or registration problem. A room change needs to reach the correct published revision, and those affected need the right information. Read check-in and registration desk and onsite support for available capabilities and limitations.

5. Close deliberately

Follow up feedback, financial administration and privacy using the capabilities of your version. Archiving removes the edition from daily work; it does not erase personal data or replace retention rules. Assign an owner to each outstanding item.