Over at Sharpenr.net Jaan Orvet writes:

“We’ve all had them dangling around our necks – conference badges. But what do they really do for us? They tell the event staff that we’re allowed in to certain areas (and maybe even allowed a “free” lunch).

But how are they useful to us, the conference attendees? Ok, it’s handy to see people’s names, and see what their title or role is. Some badges have a schedule printed on them, which is nice.

Beyond that – usually the badge doesn’t do much more than just hang there.”

Precisely, and that is why we want to broaden the focus from the badge to the conference experience as a whole.

Jaan further writes:

“In my point of view a badge should do two things:
1) Help me identify people I know from the online world but that I have never met in real life.
2) Help me explore and experience the event in the best way possible.”

The first point is mostly a design issue and this is where the UX Australia competition is focused. But the badge itself has limitations on how useful it can be no matter how creatively it has been designed. And we don’t think that a better badge is the only solution to a better event experience.

The problem we and other conference attendees have is that we always end up with a smattering of flyers, business cards, session notes, email addresses, names, schedules and other info that we found useful and interesting.

Unfortunately all this info tends to end up in a drawer, tucked inside the conference bag, and it never sees the light of day again.

The problem is storage and access.

What we think is missing is a conference hub where you can store, and more importantly access, your collected info in an easy and quick way long after the conference has ended.

Our solution centres on QR codes and mobile devices.

As you know QR codes can link to huge amounts of information. They are easily created, and scanning is done using your cell phone’s camera.

Here is a scenario:

Imagine signing up for a conference. In the confirmation email you get a link to an app that you can install on your mobile device.

After installing, you use it to socialize with other attendees Crowdwine style, get the latest updates on schedules, hotel info, useful maps or any other type of useful conference information.

When you arrive at the conference you don’t have to stand in line for registration. You simply scan the registration QR code that is displayed on huge screens throughout the conference lobby.

All the info you provided about yourself when you signed up for the event gets printed together with your own unique QR code on the badge that you pick up as you breeze on through to the event hall.

Next you attended a great presentation. On your way out you scan the sessions QR code that’s displayed by the door. This action pulls the session slides and the speaker’s contact info in to your conference app.

During the lunch break you discuss the session with some fellow attendees. Instead of exchanging business cards you scan each other’s QR codes. This puts contact information, latest blog posts, portfolios, latest tweets etc into the conference app. Contextual, and easily accessible.

In the exhibition hall you watch an interesting product demo. You scan the exhibitor’s QR code and receive conference specific offers and all the info you could possibly need in to the event app.

Other things organizers use QR codes for include links to Google maps displaying places to eat lunch and dinner, and also other related events like BarCamps, bar crawls, parties and more. They are displayed on printed banners as well as screens throughout the venue.

Next you go back to the hotel to get ready for the conference party. But before the party you want to go down to the bar crawl and meet some local businesses. You scan their QR codes from the programme and the conference app creates a map with their locations, as well as giving you directions from your hotel to the crawl. Additional info about the business you chose is also added to your app.

At the party your meet more really interesting people and have a great time. Cheers.

After the conference has ended and you’re back at home base you launch the app and there it is – all the info you collected nicely organised and easily accessed and distributed to your other apps (Address book, Things, etc).

So, that is how we would like to experience future conferences!

As you can see, there are numerous benefits to us attendees. The pros for the organizers, sponsors and exhibitors are also many. Not least from a cost/environment perspective. Less printed material (that is outdated as soon as the event is over) equal less paper, ink and transport costs. Less physical materials means cheaper clean-ups and less time spent pre and post the event.

Back to the competition! Our UX Australia badge competition entries are over at the event’s Flickr group:

Look for the files submitted by “Nofont” and “jorvet”. Each badge version comes with a detailed explanation on our ideas for their components. Let us know what you think of them.