New ideas for pharma events: ITB dmc organizes an offshore hackathon

In the Fresh conference, ITB dmc organized what they present as “the first Hackathon at sea in the world”. The challenge: “How to implement creative, artistic and dynamic solutions in pharma meetings, respecting its code of ethics.” A key issue for pharma professionals faced to a code of ethics known for his rigor. Participants were the Fresh conference attendees: meeting designers, developers of apps for events, bloggers, speakers and various specialists in innovation applied to art.

The ITB Hackathon was held aboard a catamaran which sailed the coast of Barcelona for two hours. It consisted of four teams, plus the jury. On the way, organic drinks were served, brain food (meeting design!), while two violinists performed a repertoire designed to enhance cognitive development.

The method? Quite free. They were not given an instruction on the time during which to create ideas vs to collect them, but somehow, the place, the size, the time and the subject led to most groups following the same timings. Results? The ideas could be grouped into four areas: format, technology, speakers and wellbeing. In terms of format, ideas pointed to introducing gamification, storytelling, interviews more than systematic keynotes, dessert breaks, and change time management in presentations.

For technology, it was suggested to replace traditional paper posters for computer graphics tools, interactive touch screens; avoiding powerpoint, distributing the content of the presentations in the app event so the sessions can focus on discussions and sharing. In speaker management, leading speakers to offer dynamic sessions that result in better learning, applying TED or Pecha Kucha formats for instance, as well as incorporating the figure of an expert MC.

And finally sacred wellness: the war in the coffees sugar is on, spaces are required to have natural light, with significant common spaces to encourage discussion and stimulate movement, ergonomic furniture, or even a neuroscientist make use of music and light to impact the experience.

The result of this collective brainstorming has been transferred to Farmaindustria for approval and subsequent dissemination among laboratories and medical meetings organizers. Stay tuned…