In our third installment of the "Sessions" series, we had the pleasure of diving deep into the intricacies of event content and management with two of Atlassian's brightest minds: Josh Shepherd, head of event technology and innovation, and Holly Venable, a key player in event strategy and production.

This conversation shed light on how Atlassian is redefining the attendee experience by leveraging new technology to design year-round content journeys and personalizing audience experiences. Here's a recap of the key takeaways from this illuminating discussion.

Here are some of our favorite quotes:

• “The way we approach content strategy is to look at a digital event as a year-long experience campaign.” - Holly [1:10]
• "Innovation stems from valuing what works while continuously questioning how we can elevate existing successes to create new and different experiences." - Holly [8:33]
• "As technology advances, we're able to offer extreme personalization for attendees, crafting individual pathways and unique engagement experiences tailored to their preferences." - Josh [9:45]
• "Three weeks out from the event, our focus is on closing loose ends, ensuring every aspect of the attendee journey is seamlessly integrated for a successful experience." - Josh [19:01]
• "Recognizing diverse attendee types—be it ticket buyers, partners, customers, sponsors, or speakers—is crucial for crafting tailored experiences that cater to each group's unique roles and interests." - Holly [20:22]
• "Our holistic content strategy involves post-event content syndication and collaboration across the organization, not limited to marketing, aiming to engage and build lasting relationships with attendees." - Holly [31:15]

Our Top 7 Takeaways

1) Proactive vs. Reactive Event Technology Strategy

Josh Shepherd emphasized the transformative role of technology in event planning and execution. Moving beyond traditional reactive approaches, Atlassian focuses on forecasting and investing in emerging technologies to stay ahead. This proactive strategy is essential for crafting engaging and seamless experiences for attendees worldwide. Shepherd's forward-looking perspective underscores the critical role of technology in the dynamic landscape of event management.

2) Broadening the Scope Beyond Flagship Events

A significant theme that emerged from our discussion was the importance of extending the engagement beyond flagship events. Both Josh and Holly highlighted the strategy of weaving together various event types, from flagship to regional, to create a continuous engagement ecosystem. This approach signifies a departure from viewing events as isolated occurrences, aiming instead for an interconnected network of engagement opportunities.

3) Fostering Innovation and Collaboration

Holly Venable brought to light the value of innovation through curiosity and collaboration. In an industry where repetition often prevails, Atlassian champions the exploration of new possibilities to refresh and elevate the attendee experience. This commitment to innovation ensures that every event offers something unique, preventing the predictability that might deter repeat attendance.

4) Personalizing the Attendee Journey

The dialogue also touched on the integration of technology for personalizing attendee journeys. As technological capabilities evolve, so does the ability to offer bespoke experiences based on individual preferences. This shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to extreme personalization is a testament to Atlassian's dedication to enhancing attendee engagement.

5) Closing Loops and Perfecting Experiences

As an event nears, the focus shifts to final preparations and ensuring the integrity of the attendee journey. Josh's insights revealed the meticulous process of closing loose ends and double-checking every element to ensure a flawless event execution. This phase is crucial for the overall success and attendee satisfaction.

6)  Diverse Attendee Personas and Tailored Experiences

Acknowledging the diverse needs of attendees is paramount. Atlassian's strategy involves creating tailored experiences that cater to various attendee personas, from developers to executives. This nuanced approach enhances engagement and satisfaction by meeting specific interests and expectations.

7) Holistic Content Strategy Across the Event Portfolio

Lastly, our interview underscored the holistic content strategy Atlassian employs across its event portfolio. By leveraging post-event content syndication and cross-organizational collaboration, Atlassian aims to foster ongoing relationships with attendees through relevant, curated content. This strategy ensures that engagement extends beyond the confines of the event itself.

Final Thoughts

Our conversation with Josh and Holly from Atlassian revealed the depth of strategy, technology, and innovation that goes into creating memorable events. Their insights serve as a valuable blueprint for anyone looking to elevate their event management game in today's rapidly evolving landscape.

Read on for the full transcript of our conversation…

**Full Interview Transcript**

Chris: Well, Josh and Holly, I appreciate you doing this. Any time we get a chance to chat with folks like yourself that are deep in it on a daily basis and doing it at a high level, it is really awesome. So I just want to jump right in, and if you don't mind, I'd like to start with Josh, and then Holly, you can follow. If you can just give a little background on your current role, and then we'll jump into some questions I have.

Josh: Absolutely. Thanks, Chris. And likewise, it's always fun to talk to you. So, my current role is Head of Event Technology and Innovation at Atlassian. I oversee all the components that build up the tech stack that supports and drives all our events for marketing across the company. As a result, we're always digging into what's newest, what's great, where do we direct, and what do we invest in today that gets us where we want to be in three years. So it's an exciting place to be.

Chris: That's cool. Thanks, Josh. And how about you, Holly?

Holly: I work on the strategy and production side of things. My background is as a creative director. I was brought into Atlassian a little over a year ago, working on event strategy and attendee journey specifically, and also helping with the production side. Essentially, what I do is I work with internal teams cross-organizationally as well as creative agencies to develop the attendee journey, both from the in-person experience and the digital experience. So Josh and I cross worlds frequently because we're always looking at what tech we can use within the live experience, like in person. And then how do we really look at what's trending with the digital experience and try to hit the mark with those audiences and their expectations? And also, what kind of content are we trying to put out there and how are we syndicating it during the event but also post-event? Because I think a lot of companies are thinking about a digital event as like a one-and-done. I know I dropped it. It's good. And we're trying to look at it from a more holistic view as like a digital event is really a year-long experience campaign.

Chris: No, no, it's good. And we'll try to go really deep there too. Now, for context, are you guys focused on the flagship Atlassian events, or is that your primary focus, or do you think broader than that?

Josh: Yes, there certainly is. Like, I mean, we start with the flagship events, which are our tier one. But we have slightly smaller ones that are targeting specific markets. We have our regional events. There's a whole suite, and we're trying to figure out how they all weave together and how one isn't just an endpoint that you participate in an event and then that's the end. We want to nurture and bring people along and engage them in different ways so that they get what they need and they participate in more events and community and learning and whatever that is. So it's not just a quick yes, it's the flagship event. So they come to that and then celebrate that. That's the end. We want to make sure that there is no endpoint there. But yeah, it's all the events across the stack.

Chris: That's awesome. Now it's interesting because as I was thinking about this, I was excited to interview you both. It feels like the role of the event strategist or even the role of the head of event technology is a fairly new role in the corporate space. And you're starting to see it more and more, but it's definitely not something I believe I saw, you know, five years ago, ten years ago. Maybe it was construed as something else. But what's your take on it, and why do you think it's evolving in this way, and where do you think it goes from here? Holly, go ahead.

Holly: Yeah, sure. So I agree with you. I started out my career in events with a creative agency. And this is just over the past nine or ten years. What I've seen is events were predominantly run by the ops teams or production teams within the marketing arm, right? And so a lot of the event producers were really just looking at it like, how can we bring clowns out or something like that, you know? And so there has been a 100% more of a strategic shift to what is the rationale behind everything that we're doing? How do we tie back every single one of the creative elements that we're doing for not only this event but across events, as Josh was talking about? Because it's really about looking at your portfolio of events and how your different personas are interacting with you and your brand and your products at each one of these touchpoints. So I know that on our team, even in the last two or three years, we're digging more and more into the strategy and making sure that the strategy of the underbelly of everything that we're doing has a rationale and a why behind it. And then following that up with more data and measurement to see how it performed. Because if you're not looking at how even if it's a tiny little like photo op, how many of your attendees actually interacted with that photo op? And if it was a third, then what's something you can do differently next time? So really looking at it strategically, but also making sure that the messaging from the top down from like the top of marketing when you're hitting your keynotes all the way down to that expo experience is also aligned and then again spread across your digital. So it's gotten much, much broader and much, much bigger.

Chris: Absolutely, and Josh, what about from your perspective, the event technology side?

Josh: I'm chuckling over Holly saying it's gotten much bigger. Everything has grown exponentially in this world related to events. I'm similar to Holly in that I came from an agency, which I think many of us did in this industry because it gave us a breadth of experience. The event technology role has evolved from being reactive, where we used to solve a problem for an event by throwing tech at it, to now being proactive. We're thinking about what building blocks we need to put in place not just for now, but for two to three years down the line. We're focusing on creating a firm foundation with data layers and connecting to various corporate systems. We're also looking at how to build experiential elements on top of that foundation that are part of the attendee journey. The role is becoming more common in enterprises because we're trying to build a strategy around it rather than just solving problems.

Holly: To follow up on what Josh said, he and I share a mutual curiosity about what we can do with technology and how we can integrate it in new ways. There's a tendency in the industry to repeat what worked last year, but we're questioning how we can elevate that to make the experience new and different for attendees. We're looking for ways to push the boundaries and integrate technology. Josh and I have a lot of "what if" conversations.

Josh: Exactly, Holly. One enables the other. We're now creating individual pathways for people and focusing on extreme personalization. We're thinking about attendee journeys based on who they are so that the content and event experience is tailored to them. The technology is catching up, enabling us to do more with personalization and attendee engagement.

Holly: And one more point related to the original strategy question: Josh and I can brainstorm at our level, but we're also working on explaining why our ideas are relevant to stakeholders, especially those in the C-suite. The way we do events has changed, especially with the shift to digital during COVID. We're working on changing the mindset to embrace shorter keynotes, more visual content, and engaging media snippets. It's all about making the content more engaging and suited to today's audience preferences.

Chris: You both mentioned the attendee journey and the importance of connecting the dots across a portfolio of events. How are you strategically doing this, and how do you work together on it?

Holly: It's an evolution. Our annual flagship event, Team, is followed by Team tours and market events. We're looking at how we can cascade content down from Team to smaller events and even webinars. We're also capitalizing on our community, which is a huge part of Atlassian's success. We're enabling our community leaders and sales teams to use content from Team to engage with their audiences. It's a work in progress, but we're looking at how to template and streamline our digital presence across all events.

Josh: The collaboration often goes both ways. Holly comes up with great ideas and asks if they're possible, and we explore together. Alternatively, I might find some technology and consult with Holly on how we can use it strategically. Another aspect is integrating technology across teams. For example, simplifying the login process for attendees can reduce friction and enhance their experience. We aim to streamline their journey, so they can easily access content and engage with our community without unnecessary obstacles.

Holly: Adding to that, we've been exploring community-led conferences. In 2023, we started experimenting with an 'event in a box' concept, where we provide local leaders with the tools and key information from our flagship event, Team, to share with their communities. It's about providing proof points from customer stories and packaging our strategy in a way that resonates. We're focused on making content engaging because if we have 50 breakout sessions that aren't interesting, it won't matter how many we offer. We're pushing to highlight customer stories and successes because people want to know if something worked for others before trying it themselves. It's about aligning our content and technology with how people consume information.

Chris: So, you're three and a half weeks out from Team 24, right? From a strategy perspective, I'm assuming your content is set for the most part.

Holly: Yes, we are always changing things, but the content is mostly set.

Chris: What are you focusing on right now, three weeks out?

Josh: Three weeks out, it's about closing loose ends. We're tying up any incomplete pieces and often chasing down other teams to fill in blanks. We're taking one last step back to review each attendee journey from every perspective to ensure everything is smooth for them, whether it's navigating through content or the in-person event. There's a lot of double-checking to make sure everything is in place.

Chris: And when you think about the attendee journey for an event like Team 24, how many attendee types do you have in mind?

Holly: We have four intended audiences, but we also have a large partner community that attends. We tailor experiences for each audience type. For example, C-level executives are not likely to attend breakout sessions; they're looking for exclusive experiences and interactions with Atlassian leadership. We have team members dedicated to creating specific experiences for different audience segments, including technical users and non-technical teams like HR and marketing.

Josh: It's also about tailoring the event experience to align with attendees' roles and interests rather than sticking strictly to predefined tracks or attendee types. We're looking at how we can make the journey more intuitive for attendees, so they can engage with content that captures their attention and is relevant to them.

Chris: And how do you align content delivery with how people want to absorb it, especially in a digital world?

Josh: In the digital world, people don't typically sit and watch long recordings. We need to acknowledge that digital and in-person experiences are different and plan for them accordingly. It's about making content delivery align with how people prefer to consume information.

Chris: Personalizing the attendee experience is crucial, even if you have 20 tracks. There are always nuances that attendees will want to explore. Also, ancillary content that supports their interests and connects the dots throughout the year is important. How do you connect the attendee persona and journey from event to event, and then to the next event or community event?

Holly: It's a work in progress for everyone in this field. A lot of it comes down to basic marketing principles, like assessing who the event is for and ensuring we attract the right people, not just a large quantity. We aim to understand where each attendee is in their journey through our portfolio of events. For example, someone who has attended a regional community event might be interested in a larger market event, which can be a positive experience if it's valuable to them. We focus on engaging people so they can build their own networks, which is crucial for the attendee journey.

Josh: To give a concrete example, when attendees finish watching a video at a digital event, the standard recommendations for what to watch next shouldn't be limited to just that event's content. It should include the most relevant content across other events, whitepapers, webinars, webpages, and community discussions. This approach helps attendees continue their learning journey without being confined to a single event.

Chris: As you both were talking, it's clear that multi-product organizations like Atlassian face the challenge of addressing where the attendee is in their product adoption and sales cycle. How do you nurture them along that path?

Josh: Events evolve from just trying to attract everyone to becoming more targeted and strategic. They start as profit-driven, then become industry conferences, and eventually evolve into thought leadership events. This progression is about discussing the industry, solving problems, and providing value beyond just selling products. It's about learning together and innovating.

Chris: Lastly, Atlassian has flagship events, community events, and other tiers. Can you elaborate on that?

Holly: We have five tiers of events, totaling over 500 a year. This includes our flagship Team event, market events, conference appearances, webinars, and more. We're not involved in all of these directly, but we work across the organization to ensure that the content is relevant and valuable for each attendee persona. For example, we might incorporate university courses or sales team infographics into the digital platform to enrich the attendee experience. Our goal is to create a curated experience for each persona and to repurpose content effectively across our event portfolio.

Chris: Well, thank you both so much for your time. I always learn a lot from our conversations, and it's always a pleasure.

Josh: Absolutely, thanks, Chris. It's been great talking to you.

About Sessionboard

Sessionboard is a next generation speaker & content management platform that simplifies the complex workflows and disjointed communications that exist around speaker and content management. From call for papers, abstract evaluation, awards, applications, agenda building, speaker onboarding and communication, and speaker CRM, Sessionboard helps event organizers and marketers work smarter, move faster, and improve their ROI.

The results? A faster-growing event, more productive staff, seamless collaboration with speakers and more time back to do what you do best—building epic experiences.

Get Started

Ready to witness the power of Sessionboard? Schedule a free demo today and elevate your collaborative experience!