6. Phase 1: Research and Concept, the Foundations of a Successful Event

Never Start from Scratch: Research as a Starting Point

When planning a new event, you rarely start from a completely blank canvas. The event may have been organised before, by you or someone else. You may have managed a similar event in the past. The client may have specific ideas or precise instructions. In any case, the first phase of the planning process must follow a structured path that provides a clear rationale for the event and a picture of how it fits into the surrounding context.

Too many events, even after the pandemic, lack structure in their planning, with vague or even non-existent objectives. The pandemic changed how we conceive the means used for events: virtual, hybrid and livestreaming are now an established part of the mix. Precisely for this reason, starting from solid research is even more important than before.

Mission and Values: The Event's DNA

The first concrete step in Phase 1 is gathering evidence about the client and their organisation. Many companies and organisations have a mission statement that formally summarises the organisation's purpose, values and goals. This information, often available on the website, provides fundamental clues about the client's culture and values.

An illuminating example comes from Wimbledon: neither the mission statement nor the values declaration mentions tennis. Yet, from both, it clearly emerges what their purpose is and what they consider important. This type of information guides the event manager in developing an event consistent with the client's identity.

It may seem obvious, but too many events are created without referring to these vital clues, and it happens that they contradict the client organisation's mission and values. As an event planner, it is also useful to verify that your own organisation's mission and values are compatible with the client's.

The 5 Ws: Conceptualising the Event

The initial idea for an event usually comes from the client and can be quite vague. A client might ask for a great event in an extraordinary place with lots of fun activities. It sounds exciting, but as a professional it is essential to work with the client to develop a clear concept from the start. The 5 Ws offer a simple but effective framework:

• Why: purpose, motivations, objectives. Why are we organising this event?
• Who: audience, participants, expected numbers. Who is this event for?
• What: activities, programme, theme. What will happen during the event?
• When: occasion, season, date and time. When will it be held?
• Where: location, venue, setting. In what physical or virtual context?

The concept that emerges from this process should be condensed into a one-page brief, easily shareable with the team and external suppliers. This summary document becomes the reference point for all subsequent decisions.

Creative Techniques for Concept Development

Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Once the basic information has been gathered, the creative process begins by generating as many ideas and perspectives as possible, without worrying too much about practical considerations. The divergent/convergent model involves two distinct phases: in the divergent phase you think creatively, outside the box, disregarding limits to produce a wide range of potential solutions. In the convergent phase, you screen ideas for feasibility, eliminating those that do not work.

It is essential to conduct this process in a group that is as diverse as possible, to ensure space for different perspectives. The best ideas often emerge from the cross-pollination of different viewpoints.

Mood Board

Creating a mood board is a visual approach to capturing and communicating the event concept. A collage of photographs, clippings, drawings, images and fabrics representing the desired atmosphere and style. Even those who do not consider themselves particularly creative can benefit from this process. The mood board is shared with the client, who can immediately assess whether the proposed ideas match their vision.

The SCAMPER Technique

When a more structured approach to creativity is needed, Bob Eberle's SCAMPER model offers a systematic framework for generating variations and innovations from an initial idea. SCAMPER is an acronym standing for:

• Substitute: what could be substituted in the initial idea?
• Combine: how can the idea be combined with others?
• Adapt: how can the idea be adapted to a different use or context?
• Modify/Magnify: how could the idea be modified or enlarged?
• Put to other uses: how can the idea be used for a different purpose?
• Eliminate/Minify: what can be eliminated or simplified?
• Rearrange/Reverse: how can the idea be reorganised or reversed?

A concrete example: if the original idea is a charity breakfast, applying SCAMPER could generate an event combining a bake sale with the format of a television baking competition. Guided creativity produces surprisingly innovative results.

Feasibility Screening

After generating a range of creative ideas, the moment of rationality arrives. Feasibility screening answers two essential questions:

Is the proposed event the best solution? Organising an event is probably one way to achieve the desired objectives, but not necessarily the only one. Screening must evaluate alternative solutions.

Does the proposed event have a reasonable chance of success? Optimism and ambition are important qualities, but reality imposes constraints that must be objectively assessed.

Screening Factors

• Financial: is the budget sufficient? Without knowing the available financial resources, you risk planning something unrealisable.
• Time: is there sufficient time to organise everything? Underestimating timelines is a frequent mistake, often worsened when unforeseen problems arise.
• Operational: are the necessary human, technical and logistical resources available?
• Marketing: do you have the skills and channels to promote the event effectively?
• Health and safety: are the necessary measures in place to protect all participants?
• Alignment with objectives: is the concept aligned with the client's mission and the audience's expectations?

The Sign-Off: Do Nothing Without Approval

Once all Phase 1 activities are complete, formal approval of the concept and budget must be obtained. This approval may come through a formal process within the client's organisation. A golden rule: do not proceed with concrete plans or purchases until you have a signed contract.

The proposal to the client may vary from a simple one-page document to a detailed report or verbal presentation. The purpose is always the same: sell the concept to the client and demonstrate you have the skills to deliver it. The ability to write convincing proposals is one of the most important competencies for an event manager: it is the main way new commissions are won.

Mistakes to Avoid in Phase 1

Experience teaches that the most serious problems in event planning almost always stem from a rushed or incomplete Phase 1. There is always the temptation to skip this phase and start immediately with operational planning, but doing so is at your own peril. Once detailed planning has begun, an event manager rarely finds the time to stop and reflect.

Experienced professionals recommend pre-empting: anticipating as many potential problems as possible before they occur. Using existing information, trusted suppliers and data from previous events is not laziness: it is working smartly, making good use of your time and resources.

The perfectionism trap

Another mistake is the opposite extreme: spending too much time on Phase 1 seeking the perfect concept. The divergent/convergent model helps avoid this trap: you generate a wide range of ideas (divergence) and then quickly screen for feasibility (convergence). The concept does not need to be perfect at the start: it needs to be solid enough to guide detailed planning, knowing it will be refined during the process.

Underestimating stakeholders

Forgetting a significant stakeholder at this stage can have costly consequences. A key supplier not consulted, a local authority not informed, a corporate department with veto power not involved: each of these omissions can surface in later phases with late objections, sudden vetoes and unforeseen costs. Stakeholder mapping is not an optional exercise.

From Concept to Approval: The Complete Path

An experienced industry professional advises: the client is not always right. Trust your experience and be prepared to say when things simply will not work. Your event organisation experience often exceeds the client's unrealistic expectations. This does not mean ignoring requests, but knowing how to translate them into feasible solutions that achieve the same objectives through different means.

Phase 1 concludes when you have an approved concept, an agreed budget and a clear plan for how to proceed into Phase 2. This sign-off moment is the point of no return: from here on, changes become expensive and time for reflection diminishes drastically.

Platforms like Play the Event support the entire Phase 1 process, from defining SMART objectives to stakeholder mapping, from concept documentation to approval management. Having everything in a single system facilitates collaboration with the client and team, and creates a structured archive that will feed research for future events.