Computer Society Hybrid Conference Option Recommendations

Livestream of In-Person Conference

Holding an in-person conference (regardless of the number of attendees) with a virtual component

Livestream can take many forms:
- All Conference Aspects (including in-person paper presentations)
- Keynotes and Panels only
- Any mixture of the Conference Organizer’s choice
Conference may tie in a live chat feature (such as Slack or Discord or any other feature) to allow ‘real time’ questions and discussions, increasing virtual attendee engagement
Pros of Livestream
- All attendees (both virtual and in-person) can view and participate in the same live discussion and content
- “Stepping stone” between full-virtual and all-in person conference
Cons of Livestream
- High Cost (in certain cases) – Requires AV/livestream equipment, significant Wifi bandwidth at venue, both of which may incur high costs
- Time Zone differentiation – may not be able to reach all time zones efficiently with one livestream

Asynchronous Virtual and In-Person Conference

All paper presentations can be pre-recorded so both virtual and in-person audiences receive roughly the same presentations played at the same time through two different avenues
Conference may tie in a live chat feature (such as Slack or Discord or any other feature) to allow ‘real time’ questions and discussions and attendee engagement
Virtual attendees can also post asynchronous questions that can be answered after the session and made available via the virtual platform or mobile app
Pros of Asynchronous Conference
- Allows those who are unable to travel (both presenters and attendees) to still fully participate in the conference
- Allows for the possibility of gaining a wider audience and/or attendees
- Cost-effective – depending on virtual platform or mode of presentation dissemination
Cons of Asynchronous Conference
- Virtual Attendees could be missing out on important discussions, networking and/or information taking place at the in-person conference

Separate Virtual Track

Creating a separate track just for virtual attendees to disseminate Author Presentations

Virtual Track can take many forms:
- Pre or Post Conference posting of Author Presentations
- Post Conference posting of any keynotes or panel discussions
- Post Conference presentation posting with extended virtual chat hours for authors
- Live virtual Q&A track after in-person presentations

Pros
- Allows virtual attendees to access content at their own time and pace
- Allows for the possibility of gaining a wider audience and/or attendees
- Cost Effective – minimal overhead outside of virtual platform and/or any recording costs
Cons
- Virtual Attendees could be missing out on important discussions, networking and/or information happening in the in-person conference

Virtual Conference with International Micro-Events

Hosting a fully virtual meeting with localized micro-events that allow attendees to safely gather in their specific region according to their local or CDC/WHO health guidelines. (Examples from VIS and ICCV)

Micro-Events can take place in many forms (based on time zones)
- Viewing Parties for Virtual Components
- Some Presenters giving their presentations from a Micro-Event
- Networking Opportunities to view Conference Keynotes or other elements from the Conference with discussions recorded and placed on website
Pros
- Allows for less international and more localized regional travel for certain attendees
- Allows for safe in-person meeting in accordance with local/CDC/WHO guidelines
- Allows for discussions of conference material and/or networking opportunities
- Not all attendees required to take part in Micro-Events – still allows a full ‘virtual’ experience
Cons
- Can be logistically cumbersome if there are numerous Micro-Events for the Conference (Contracts, designating local chairs for each event, etc.)
- Can be cost prohibitive if the Conference is paying for the Micro-Events (expenses for venues, F&B, AV, etc)

Sponsorships and Exhibits for Hybrid Conferences

Onsite Presence:

Sponsorships/Supporters:

Company logo on printed collateral at the conference venue

Exhibitors:

If the exhibitor package purchased allows for, provide 6’ table or exhibit space for onsite presence.

Virtual Presence:

Sponsorships/Supporters

Company logo on conference website and virtual platform
Posting of company collateral on virtual platform via dedicated page

Virtual Exhibits:

Dedicated time slots for virtual attendees
Online gamification for virtual attendee engagement (virtual platform needed for this activity)
Provide virtual attendee and exhibitor interaction within the platform (ability to set up group meetings; one-on-one meetings; meetups, etc.)
Incorporate exhibitors into the conference program; allow for special exhibitor presentations during designated timeslots
Allow for 15 or 30 second commercials to be played prior to keynote or panel presentations
Company logo on conference website and virtual platform via a dedicated page
Posting of company collateral on virtual platform

Hybrid Conference Registration Rates

Regardless of the format in which a hybrid conference takes place, conference registration rates will still need to be charged for all attendees – both in-person and virtual.

Full Conference Registration is recommended for in-person attendees regardless of virtual/hybrid components
Livestream Conferences
- The same pricing for in-person and virtual attendees (or marginally less for virtual attendees) is recommended based on costs for AV/live stream components
Asynchronous Virtual and In-Person Conference
- It’s recommended that organizers charge a fee that is 50-70% of the in-person conference registration fee in order to cover all costs associated with a hybrid conference
- Both in-person and virtual attendees should receive access to content for a limited time (2-4 weeks) post-conference
Virtual Track
- Nominal Fee ($25-$50) recommended for full virtual sessions
- This fee covers any registration software or virtual platform pass through costs as well as ensure engaged participants
- Virtual attendees would receive access for a limited time (2-4 weeks)

Since Hybrid conferences are still a newer concept to the IEEE CS mode of operation, we will continue to update this document with further recommendations and learnings as our organizers.

Additional Resources: