George Town Festival 2024: Volunteer Experience Part 1 – Why Location Matters

 


Having recently had the privilege to be able to volunteer for the whole period of the George Town Festival for the first time, I had the opportunity to get a new perspective on the event.  



One insight was on communications. In particular for the event locations. It should never be assumed that the event location is sufficient for the event attendees to find the location. This was particularly true for one location which is in a prominent landmark in Penang. 

There were 3 distinct routes to get to the auditorium, where the event was going to be taking place. However, some of the options were time sensitive, so depending on what time the show was taking place, the route options may not be available at that time. Normal signage was lacking, so we had to supplement the signage with our posters, which were on the small side. These needed additional creative additions and combinations to be visible.



Signage by themselves were still not enough, as the team found during the first performance. We were subsequently deployed at the strategic locations to help direct attendees in the right direction.

PM Retrospective:

  • Project Phase: Initiation

    • Insight Identification: Recognized the importance of effective and detailed communication regarding event locations.

    Project Phase: Planning

    • Route Analysis: Identified three distinct routes to the auditorium, with considerations for time-sensitive options.
    • Signage Strategy: Planned to use additional signage due to insufficient normal signage at the location.

    Project Phase: Execution

    • Signage Implementation: Deployed supplementary posters, though initially small and requiring creative enhancements for visibility.
    • Team Deployment: Positioned team members at strategic locations to assist in directing attendees during the first performance.

    Project Phase: Monitoring and Controlling

    • Assessment of Initial Efforts: Determined that supplementary signage alone was inadequate.
    • Adjustments Made: Increased visibility of signage and maintained team presence to ensure effective attendee direction.

    Project Phase: Closing

    • Lessons Learned: Ensure future events would include enhanced communication strategies, better signage, and team member deployment for direction.
#pmandre
Location: George Town, Penang, Malaysia

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