Face-to-face events are starting to take place once again, with the upcoming AESIN conference an early example of that. That is surely a positive sign after the lockdowns, vaccinations, isolation and general malaise caused by COVID-19. But can we expect things to be back to normal straight away?

A slow return to normality

LDRA attended the Autonomous Vehicles  live event in the US last week – the first since lockdown. It was great to see some people out the office but clearly many others perhaps felt it was too early. What it did highlight was that in-person events are back in earnest.

LDRA are also due to attend the AESIN Conference on 16^th September 2021 with its usual mix of exhibitor booths and presentations. Topics include Andrew Banks’ thoughts on “Existing Software in an ISO26262 and MISRA C context”, which is an important consideration in an industry that can’t possibly create all of the code it needs from scratch. An important, sector specific conference with pertinent content should provide an appropriate attraction.

Perhaps it’s therefore a good time to ask whether what might be different this time around, drawing on the experience of others who have already made that leap back into the conference hall.

Physical contact is no longer normal

Many of us have not seen clients, friends, and partners for over a year. It will be hard not to hug someone or come close to shake their hand. Most will have been tested or vaccinated, but we have spent 18 months making sure we are physically distanced. An event like the AESIN conference traditionally includes crowded presentations, and meal times and conference breaks designed for people to mingle. All of that will be compromised – and what there is, will take us out of our comfort zone.

So while some will probably default to a hug or to a handshake, others will feel more secure keeping their distance and simply waving or bumping elbows. Mundane conference items such as business cards now have a dark side with their potential to spread the virus. And what about large groups moving into and out of presentation auditoriums? Or mingling during coffee breaks? Minor interactions that were once managed instinctively will now demand conscious decisions.

Connections versus content

Although many virtual events have been impressive, networking has generally been lacking in quality and quantity. Every new opportunity to speak face-to-face is therefore likely to take on new significance. After each networking or session break, the desire to continue conversations may be strong, presenting challenges for those looking to keep things on schedule.

Missing the mute button

Finally seeing and hearing speakers live and interacting in-person with attendees before, during, and after each session is very exciting. However, we’ve all grown used to turning off our cameras and muting ourselves.  Multi-tasking to take calls or respond to email and messages isn’t really an option when looking to be fully engaged in a live event.

Hybrids aren’t the same

The AESIN conference remains an entirely in-person affair, but many others are likely to be hybrids for the foreseeable future. While some people have entirely valid reasons not to attend, balancing the demands of those online versus those attending face-to-face may not always be easy. As people move around an event it becomes logistically difficult to connect online attendees with good audio and video.

Health and safety

Heightened health and safety will compromise some of the networking experience of an in-person conference.  Proof of vaccination may be required. Masking may be obligatory. Social distancing likely to be in place, affecting everything from the head count at presentations to the seating at meal times. The need for this is obvious and indeed is likely to attract more people who are unsure whether to go. But it does represent compromise.

In summary

The return of in-person events is a significant benchmark in the return to normality. But it would be wrong to conclude that the events themselves will return to their normality straight away. It will be interesting to see how this is reflected in the upcoming AESIN conference.

References

https://www.pcma.org/5-lessons-inperson-events/

https://aesinconference.com/