Inside ICI ICI Technical Conference and Expo Goes 3D by Joseph E. Fritz, Executive Director


ast month, I shared with you the sequence of events leading to our decision to hold a virtual Technical Conference and Expo this year.


L Since


that time, a lot has happened. Nearly a dozen platforms were reviewed, all with similar functionality. Some were more user friendly than others and pricing was all over the map.


As it is our objective to offer our


delegates and exhibitors a worthwhile experience, the Institute has selected a product that not only has an easy user interface, but also offers a 3D exhibition hall. We feel that going 3D offers many benefits on which conventional 2D virtual exhibitions fall short. 2D events have the look and feel of a website, and offers little more than what an exhibitor’s webpage may currently hold. By going 3D, objects are viewable from all directions and each booth can have its own unique interesting feel to it. There are 10 standard booth designs with the 3D package that we have selected. Booths are customizable with the exhibitor’s logo and choice of colors. Additionally, booths can display images,


Figure 1 below: Booth Features documents, videos and 3D objects.


Making each booth unique, unlike the 2D equivalent, which would offer a similar layout for each exhibitor. If an exhibitor wants to keep their booth fresh during the event, which will run live for nine days and be available for on-demand viewing for four weeks afterward, the option exists to design several booths and change them throughout the live event.


Naturally,


there will be an additional fee for multiple booth designs. The demographic of expo attendees is getting younger each year.


The


majority of these attendees have grown up playing 3D point of view video games. Not only are they very familiar with this interface, but they have been trained to look at and explore all objects around them, heightening the probability that they will visit and explore each and every booth.


Regardless of whether we chose to use a 2D or a 3D platform, the booth cost to exhibitors will be the equivalent of a 10’x10’ booth at a conventional Expo, so each exhibitor will be getting more bang


for the buck. Barbara Tiseo has already


sent Exhibitor’s Guides to our Affiliate Members. If you have not received one and are interested in reviewing booth options, please visit the ICI website where you can download a copy. For the convenience of those


of you who are not in a position to immediately download the Exhibitor’s Guide, Figure 1 offers a summary of the booth features with thumbnails of the available booth designs.


In the event


that an exhibitor wishes to display more content than the standard booth designs can accommodate, a bookshelf may be added for a moderate fee. An example of a typical bookshelf is depicted in Figure 2.


The Virtual Expo Hall On entering


attendees find themselves in front of the Exhibit Hall Directory.


the 3D environment, This


directory offers delegates direct access to an exhibitor’s booth by clicking on the exhibitor’s name, or the delegate can choose to walk through the Expo pavilions, much like you would at a


Continued on pg 8


6 ❘ July 2020 ®


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