MinneAnalytics is known among the data science and technology community for its engaging conferences. The first MinneWiADS: Women in Analytcs & Data Science Conference was initially planned as an in-person event. However, 2020 had different plans.
After it became clear that in-person events would not be possible in the near future, the organizers decided to go virtual with the conference. This posed unique challenges, such as finding a platform that would allow participants to engage with one another.
It was my job to solve these challenges, and finding the right tools was key. More than 20 speakers were confirmed to speak, and MinneAnalytics events generally draw 500-1000 participants. This was not a small event.
After researching and evaluating several options, I zeroed in on Emamo as the perfect scheduling tool for the event. To host the event itself, we chose a new platform from the UK called Hopin that offers a virtual experience that mimics in-person engagement.
More than 700 attended the virtual event on Oct. 30, 2020. Survey results revealed that the careful planning paid off.
Jackson Atkins 