iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Today, the most successful conferences are micro conferences. So produce for and market to a micro conference market. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #events #SmallMeetings #MicroConference #marketing #eventprofs

micro conference market: Photograph of a Lego model of a conference hall full of attendees listening to speakers on a stage. Photo attribution: Mini Dreamforce 2010

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 2h

Margaret Wheatley's book "turning to one another" provokes the simple question: "Are you willing to be disturbed?" www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/un... #listening #openness #willing #disturbed

willing to be disturbed: close up photograph of holding hands

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 3h

How we used ScribbleLive to create our live blog of PCMA Convening Leaders 2014 www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/co... #blogging #tool #LiveEvents #ScribbleLive #events #PCMACL #eventprofs

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 5h

Two experiences taught me why I try to avoid intermediaries as a consultant: divided authority, conflicting demands, and uncertainty about getting paid. #Consulting #IndependentConsultant #Freelancing #ClientRelationships #Business #newpost www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/co...

A diagram illustrating potential problems with relationships between clients, consultants and intermediaries. Three parties are shown in a chain: a consultant on the left, an intermediary in the middle, and an ultimate client on the right. Arrows from both sides point toward the intermediary, who appears caught between the competing demands of the other two parties.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 6h

Here are Jerry Weinberg's Ten Laws of Pricing. If you like them and want to know more, do yourself a big favor and buy his book! www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/un... #consulting #pricing #SettingYourPrice #SecretsOfConsulting #JerryWeinberg

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 18h

How can you help your board members better internalize your association's strategic goals? Here are three suggestions that may help. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/as... #association #nonprofit #StrategicPlanning #StrategicGoals #assnchat

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 20h

Design events with an overall structure in mind — and where you and the participants are open to the unexpected www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/le... #meetings #EventDesign #impromptu #serendipity #bagpipes #events #eventprofs

bagpipes event: photograph by Adrian Segar of a bagpiper whom he discovered attending and invited to play at an event

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 21h

It’s useful to distinguish between three different categories of learning: factual information acquisition, problem-solving, and building a process toolkit www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/le... #learning #training #InformationAcquisition #ProblemSolving #ProcessToolkit

three key kinds of learning: an illustration of a computer keyboard with the shift key replaced by a green "learn" key. Photo attribution: Flickr user jakerust

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 23h

Two experiences taught me why I try to avoid intermediaries as a consultant: divided authority, conflicting demands, and uncertainty about getting paid. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/co... #newpost #Consulting #IndependentConsultant #Freelancing #ClientRelationships #Business

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 30/09/2026

Can we do better than novelty at our meetings? Yes! Don't fob off your meeting attendees with new" or "different". Go for "better"! www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #novelty #better #different #eventprofs

novelty at our meetings: a photograph of a neon sign saying "novelties". Image attribution: Flickr user dopey

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 30/09/2026

We need to re-envisage event technology to significantly improve our events www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/te... #meetings #EventTech #improvement #technology #events #eventprofs

re-envisage event technology: photograph of a plastic sales blister-pack containing four AA batteries and a nail clipper. Photo attribution: Flickr user pierre-francois

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 30/09/2026

Is paid influencer marketing ethical in the meeting industry? Frankly, I doubt that it's an ethical practice. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #events #sponsor #sponsorship #EventMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #ethics #eventprofs

paid influencer marketing: an illustration of a human silhouette flanked by a heart and a dollar sign

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 30/09/2026

RIP, Conference Curator! The fantasy of the conference curator is dead. Instead, let conference attendees choose conference content. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #curation #myth #ParticipantDrivenEvents #eventprofs

RIP Conference Curator: photograph of two people walking in a high-ceiling art museum with large paintings on the walls

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 30/09/2026

Supporting connection between participants at our events allows them to take full advantage of the collective wisdom in the room. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #connection #ActiveLearning #SocialLearning #eventprofs

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 30/09/2026

9 Practical Tips for Letting Go of What No Longer Serves You in a Chaotic World www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/li... #LettingGo #Mindfulness #MentalHealth #SelfCare #Wellness #Meditation

A black and white photograph of (on left) fingers holding the cuff of a sweater over the hand (on right) fingers letting go of the cuff of the sweater from the hand "Let Go" by JFXie is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

I answer five questions about event process design, including: who designs the facilitation, what level of training is needed, and more… www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/de... #meetings #EventDesign #AskAdrianAnything #ProcessDesign #eventprofs

event process design: a diagram with three colored boxes with arrows between them from left to right. The first red box is labeled "Vague ideas concerning event objectives, and resources"; the second yellow box is labeled "EVENT DESIGN MAGIC"; and the third green box is labeled "Fully realized successful event!"

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

A glossary of 38 conference participation techniques that I cover in my book "The Power of Participation". www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #facilitation #participation #SessionFormats #GroupWork #eventprofs

conference participation techniques: a black and white photograph of jazz dancers leaping in a dance studio. Photo attribution: Flickr user teo_ladodicivideo

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

Here's a great introduction to working smarter: Harold Jarche's "Working Smarter with Personal Knowledge Mastery" free downloadable guide. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/le... #learning #WorkingSmarter #HaroldJarche #PersonalKnowledgeManagement #FreeGuide #assnchat

working smarter: An image of a window, a bicycle, and a plant box in front of a yellow wall. On the wall is a quote from Jay Cross: "Visualize the workflow of a physical job: produce, produce, produce, produce, produce, produce, produce, produce, produce. Now visualize the workflow of a creative knowledge worker: nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, flash of brilliance, nothing, nothing, nothing."

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

How did I get here? My first school environment was creative and playful. But my later education affected me in ways that took years to fade… www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/li... #education #play #LifeLessons #Froebel #school #connection

How I got here…a pile of old Froebel blocks used to immerse young children in play

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

Two experiences taught me why I try to avoid intermediaries as a consultant: divided authority, conflicting demands, and uncertainty about getting paid. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/co... #Consulting #IndependentConsultant #Freelancing #ClientRelationships #Business

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

Here are five fundamental questions about conference design. Have you answered them to your satisfaction for your events? www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #questions #improvement #eventprofs

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

How can we make conferences better? Here are two suggestions, plus my comments, by Samantha Whitehorn of ASAE's Associations Now. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #associations #concierge #connections #events #eventprofs #assnchat

make conferences better: photograph of two seated attendees talking at a conference. Photo attribution: Flickr user michigancommunities

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

Instead of inviting guest speakers to give a lecture, hold an Ask Me Anything, where participants get their questions answered and needs met. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #learning #AMA #AskMeAnything #presentations #lectures

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 29/09/2026

How can we build connection and engagement with the people with whom we work? By giving up control over the choices they're offered. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #GivingUpControl #choices #connection #engagement #eventprofs

build connection and engagement: photograph of a square yellow plastic sign clamped to a wire mesh fence. The pink sign says "CONTROLLED AREA" with a radioactivity symbol underneath.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

What makes attending conferences worthwhile? Some of the most useful conferences are those designed to solve participants' problems. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #cynefin #ProblemSolving #eventprofs

solving participants problems: Cynefin illustration by Edwin Stoop (User:Marillion!!62) - [1], CC BY-SA 4.0

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

Associations exist only in the mind. As evidence, here's the story of the birth of VISA, an association of tens of thousands of member banks. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/as... #associations #assnchat #eventprofs #VISA #CommunityOfPractice #agreements

associations exist only in the mind: A 1979 Visa credit card advertisement

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

How I work productively: including Getting Things Done, work environment, reliable backup, and working in sprints rather than marathons www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/pe... #PersonalEffectiveness #working #productivity #tips #breaks #GettingThingsDone #OfficeEnvironment #pomodoro

working productively: a photograph of the view out of my office window in early winter

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

How you program conferences depends (or ought to) on your answer to the question: Do conference attendees know what they want? www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #sessions #choice #ParticipantDriven #events #eventprofs

Do conference attendees know what they want? Photograph of a puzzled woman holding a camera lens to her ear.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

"Interaction is at the heart of cognition," say 28 scientists. I think they're right—and it's at the heart of events too! www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #MeetingDesign #interaction #cognition #eventprofs #assnchat

A representation of two people conversing, emphasizing interaction, heart, and cognition

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

We're seeing fewer decent-paid jobs and the need for universal basic income as we install more machines that replace former high-level work www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/te... #BasicIncome #technology #AI #TippingPoint #PaidWork

The end of decent paid jobs and the need for basic income: a fisheye view photograph of a production line of industrial robots devoid of humans. Photo attribution: Flickr user jurvetson.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

Two experiences taught me why I try to avoid intermediaries as a consultant: divided authority, conflicting demands, and uncertainty about getting paid. #newpost #Consulting #IndependentConsultant #Freelancing #ClientRelationships #Business www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/co...

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

If you want people to be transformed by an experience and find passion and engagement at an event, don’t lecture or test www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #passion #engagement #DontLecture #DontTest #eventprofs

passion and engagement: photograph of the backs of a happy couple, arm-in-arm, sitting on the shoreline looking out to sea. Photo attribution: Flickr user 98810885@N07

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 28/09/2026

AI comment spam is increasingly slipping past filters. LLMs are creating a new spam problem—and the arms race is just beginning. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/te... #AI #LLM #Spam #ContentModeration #WebSpam #Enshittification #Blogging

Screenshot of an AI comment spam, posted to my article "How to fix Apple Watch heart rate monitor not working". Comment: Great tips! I’ve been struggling with my Apple Watch heart rate monitor not working properly, and these troubleshooting steps are really helpful. I’ll definitely try the resets and check my settings. Thanks for sharing!

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

Event innovation has to be more than giving attendees souvenirs. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #events #innovation #branding #Disney #souvenir

Event innovation: an illustration of a large crowd of people watching a Disney Theme Park show

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

Conferences That Work continually evolve. That's why I published and then updated a free supplement to my first book on meeting design. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #evolution #learning #emergence #events #eventprofs

Conferences That Work continually evolve. Rather like how the design of Apple mice has changed over the years. Photograph of the first nine versions of the Apple Mouse displayed on a plexiglass board. Photo attribution: Flickr user raneko

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

Six reasons that make a strong business case for participant-driven and participation-rich meetings to replace traditional conference formats www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #conferences #connection #SocialLearning #eventprofs

Slide titled "Six reasons to change our conferences" 1 — Sessions provide no connections around content 2 — Lectures are a terrible way to learn 3 — The rise of online 4 — Professionals learn predominantly socially, not in the classroom 5 — Today, everyone has expertise and experience to share 6 — Most pre-scheduled sessions don't address actual attendee wants and needs

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

Sometimes, consensus is dangerous. Seeking it is hard for large groups. What's important is the journey towards consensus, not the destination. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/fa... #facilitation #GroupWork #consensus #InformedConsent #RomanVoting

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

The center of inattention www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/fa... #TaiChi #attention #inattention

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

Here's a powerful way to use visualization techniques to help meeting design clients figure out what they really want and need www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #ClientWork #visualization #drawing #eventprofs

help meeting design clients figure out what they really want and need: a client drawing of how they visualize their conference and the change it will create

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

An AI is given $25 and told to earn one honest dollar. Fifty-eight attempts later, it has earned nothing. Enter Waiting for a Dollar. #AI #AIAgents #AIHumor #WaitingForGodot #AutonomousAgents #post www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/hu...

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

How I use small ritual moments—hand-washing, bells, Pomodoro—to anchor attention, deepen presence, and convert ordinary life into purposeful practice. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/li... #Rituals #Presence #MindfulWork #Mindfulness #Productivity

Hands of a person performing Jewish ritual handwashing at a sink. Source: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/709805 CC0 Public Domain: Free for personal and commercial use

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 27/09/2026

My life now is a mix of joy, grief, aging, and connection. This reflection explores how embracing the present, however it comes, is its own kind of gift. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/li... #EmbracingNow #LivingInThePresent

A photograph of people riding on a roller coaster. Image source: https://www.pickpik.com/people-riding-roller-coaster-rollercoaster-roller-coaster-77819.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

My calendar of peer conferences reveals the wide variety of communities, organizations, & businesses using these events to provide valuable connections and learning. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #EventDesign #eventprofs #unconferences

World map of major geographic locations of some of the tens of thousands of peer conferences.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

What don't most schools teach? Make algebra, geometry, and calculus optional; teach programming to all children instead! www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/le... #education #teaching #programming #learning #school

What most schools don't teach—programming! Screenshot of a video by industry leaders on the value of learning to code.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

Do beats Show and Tell. Multi-sensory environments improve our ability to learn, requiring us to be active participants in our learning. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #learning #ActiveLearning #retention #participation #eventprofs

Do beats Show and Tell: a photograph of a kindergarten class with children sitting on the floor and a teacher and a child with an umbrella up front. Photo attribution: Flickr user wwworks.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

Which meeting design books should I buy? Here's a short overview of five books I recommend, so you can learn which meet your wants and needs. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #meetings #EventDesign #RecommendedBooks #eventprofs #assnchat

The cover of the book "Into the Heart of Meetings"

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

I know the world is crazy right now — and here's what you can do about it www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/li... #craziness #joy #pain #participation #BernieDeKoven

the world is crazy: old woodcut Illustration of the sun, stars, a tree, land, the firmament from The Never-Ending Play Of Life, in which Bernie De Koven is quoted by Chris Corrigan.

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

The folks at Kinetech Arts, San Francisco published this delightful illustration of body voting 101, inspired by a short presentation I gave www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #facilitation #BodyVoting #illustration #eventprofs

Body voting 101 Kinetech Arts Physical Poll #1 (graphic)

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Adrian Segar @segar.com · 26/09/2026

Here's my second post about posting on walls at events. It includes ways to avoid wall damage that should be acceptable to any venue. www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/ev... #WallPosting #methods #venues #events #eventprofs

photograph of an artist's jointed wooden human figure pointing at writing on a whiteboard. Photo attribution: Flickr user ezu

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