Project / event management

• Sport events or projects are a determinant component to achieving Sport for All goals
• Depending on the scope, an event can be regarded as a project or as a complete programme (See AG2)
• Events can use different formats and have different levels of scope. In the situations, there are risk factors and, above all, unique opportunities that need to be captured by the event organiser

• Tips and suggestions that complement Module 4.
• This section applies to any Sport for All event.

• ISOs managers and staff devoted to Sport for All
• National Federations managers and staff
• Club managers
• Other event organisers and practitioners

Basic event management process.

There are three groups of tasks to be performed (event cycle):

A. Pre-event (40% of time):

1. Initiation and feasibility
2. Bidding (when bidding is required)
3. Call for competition/event (when involves external participation). Appendix 5 presents diverse templates
4. Detailed planning and preparation: Staff allocation in key tasks such as  (see Success Factors below)

B. Implementation (40% of time):

After the planning and testing phase, the implementation largely consists of controlling efforts and trouble shooting.

C. Post-event (20% of time):

Tip: Event cycle in TAFISA Certified Leadership Course in Sport for All Click here

Key Success factors (checklist)

• Diffusion and registration strategy
• Legal requirements
• Funding strategy
• Impact of previous events/event history & culture
• Uniqueness (substitutes?)
• Stakeholders mapping and selection
• Timing: Well-thought planning process
• Definition of main target group and goal, e.g., advocacy →city major and other authorities
• Facility/Venue selection, including weather and date
• Marketing (branding) and communications
• Early definition of staff and volunteers: roles, responsibilities and accreditation process
• Security
• Information management prior and during the event
• Basic health equipment: Water/Waste/Toilets/Water supply
• Sport material and equipment
• Officials (umpires/referees)
• Ceremonies
• Offices and storage
• Measurement and evaluation

Key Stakeholders (external) to consider, according to success factors (checklist)

• Authorities: Government, City Council (permissions)
• Volunteers
• Service Providers (drinks, sound system, mantling and dismantling)
• Medicals: First Aid, physiotherapy
• Security: Firefighters, Security/Guards, Police
• Facility owners (electricity, internet, Heating, Ventilation, etc.)
• Participants: Teams/sportsmen/individual athletes
• Officials (umpires/referees)
• Media (Video, photos, RRPP)

Tip: Visualise what is required by who (or which event stakeholder), where and when!

Role of an event manager:

• Setting clear objectives and tasks to which ALL parties are committed
• Defining efficient formal and informal lines of communication
• Avoiding duplication of works, waste of time and resources
• Promoting team effort, positive attitudes and enthusiasm at all times
• Coordinating the actions of all stakeholders and steering the event
• Dealing with people across all levels of the project
• Trying to get team members to perform at the required level
• Negotiate scarce resources
• Dealing with political issues

Tip: A clustered organisation approach with well-defined responsibilities is vital to the success of an event manager.

Organizing staff functions

After the project manager has allocated roles and supervision lines, the different staff levels are responsible of implementing and supervising the key tasks and success factors, either outsourced or with inhouse resources.

Indispensable definitions for each level are:

• Responsibilities
• Accountabilities
• Required external support
• Information flows

Recommended tool:  RACI diagram (Responsibility assignment matrix),  Click here to download.

Role of volunteers

• Volunteers are a vital component to secure one-time projects
• Allocation of functions is even more critical since most volunteers may lack specific education
• It is highly important to appropriately recognise their contribution and adequately train them to increase benefit to both the volunteers and those they work for

Managing massive events

Organizing Sport events with large groups have many inherent risks areas. One of the most important tasks of event practitioners is to identify and adequately manage the overall security of participants.

First level:

Double-check Security Guidelines, described in AG5.

Second level:

Once  the security of participants is secured, other factors should be managed:

• Enough places to store personal belongings
• Secure enough quantity of toilets
• Enough supplies to cover participant deliverables in the entry fee such as: apparel, snacks, amenities (e.g., participant medal)
• Inclusive criteria: Rules and entry requirements and use of adapted facilities
• In competitive Sport for All events (e.g., marathon), it is capital to secure transparent arbitration and timing systems
• Simplified register procedures, including payment options, access to invoices, among others
• Complementary activities are also advisable: food places,  gift shops, among others
• Other types of added values: parking places, discounts on accommodation (participants coming from abroad)

Tip: Depending on the event, as an event manager, you should be able to understand which are the “musts” that cannot be neglected, mainly security, and other factors regarded as mandatory by participants.

Other meaningful recommendations

Communication & media evidence plus other systematization products and can greatly contribute to constructing a future legacy of the event and the chances of securing and attracting new sponsors

Communication

• Hire professional photo and video services
• Produce a 2 min video and also include testimonials of participants

Measurement and evaluation

• Internal revision for knowledge management and lessons learnt is also relevant
• Keep evidence and records of key metrics:
• Number of participants
• % of female participants and other minority groups (people with disability, refugees, etc.)
• There are different forms to technically measure event impact and participant overall satisfaction:

Qualitative:

• In-depth interviews or focus groups
• Testimonials of participants and stories of change
• Direct observation using categories

Quantitative

• Impact of small-scale events. Click Here
• Large Scale Sport Events: Event Impact Framework