Boost Virtual Events
Evaluation Guide
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Boost Virtual Events | Executive Summary 1
CONTENTS
Executive Summary ...................................................................................... 3
What Is A Virtual Event? .......................................................................... 3
Top 10 Reasons for Going Virtual ............................................................. 3
Introducing Boost Virtual Events ............................................................. 4
Sessions ................................................................................................ 5
Booths .................................................................................................. 5
Networking .......................................................................................... 5
Why Boost Virtual Events? ........................................................................... 6
Attendee Experience ................................................................................ 6
Look & Feel .......................................................................................... 6
Immersive Media ................................................................................. 8
Find & Act .......................................................................................... 10
Integrated Collaboration ........................................................................ 14
User Networking ................................................................................ 14
Syndication ........................................................................................ 20
3rd
Party Integration ........................................................................... 23
Event Management ................................................................................ 24
Configuration ..................................................................................... 24
Live Production .................................................................................. 26
Analytics ............................................................................................. 28
Boost Virtual Events Editions...................................................................... 30
Boost Virtual Events Feature List by Edition .......................................... 31
Optional Components ............................................................................ 32
Event Web Site & Registration ........................................................... 32
Content Capture, Streaming, & Production ....................................... 32
Content Hosting ................................................................................. 32
SharpLogic At Microsoft ............................................................................. 33
Frequently Asked Questions ....................................................................... 34
Summary .................................................................................................... 37
Boost Virtual Events | Executive Summary 2
Boost Virtual Events | Executive Summary 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This evaluation guide is designed to provide a brief overview of the
benefits of using SharpLogic’s Boost Virtual Events platform.
WHAT IS A VIRTUAL EVENT?
A virtual event is an online event that closely emulates the experience of
attending a live onsite trade show, training, or networking conference. In
many regards, virtual events provide the same major benefits as onsite
conferences, as well as adding the benefit of enabling attendees to
participate at their own convenience.
One key aspect to virtual events is that they are designed to complement
live onsite experiences. For example, an event owner may want to provide
onsite attendees with the ability to watch recorded sessions on-demand
after an event has concluded. In addition, the virtual experience may also
serve as the meeting place for users who share common interests
regarding conference material and want to discuss it in more detail.
As corporate budgets continue to be scrutinized, every company is feeling
the pressure to do more with less. Virtual events deliver a great return on
technical and marketing investments while expanding the breadth and
depth of the overall attendee experience.
TOP 10 REASONS FOR GOING VIRTUAL
1. Reduction in event budgets. Due to the economic downturn, many
companies cut back on their event budgets. Virtual events can provide
the same education, marketing or sales benefits with a fraction of the
live event cost.
2. Reduction in travel budgets. Virtual attendees can easily participate
using their home or office PCs.
3. Saving time for attendees. Business environment changes very
quickly, time is money. Virtual events remove the time wasted on
traveling back and forth to attend the event.
4. Attendee familiarity with online platforms. More and more people
are conducting business, learning, and networking socially online now.
5. Network infrastructure maturity. Abundant broadband access
enables high-quality video to be consumed broadly.
6. Enhancing the onsite experience. Onsite attendees can use the virtual
events to catch up on sessions or booths they miss.
7. Increasing the number of attendees through global reach. Some
potential attendees cannot make to the live show, but the flexibility of
virtual events with live and on-demand content fits all schedules.
For sales inquiries or to set up a
live demo, please contact:
For additional information
regarding Boost Virtual Events,
please contact:
Lan Kaim
Vice President
Business Development
SharpLogic
425.830.5412
Boost Virtual Events | Executive Summary 4
8. Increased scalability. Reserving the physical space for thousands of
sessions, booths, and users is expensive. With virtual events,
companies can reach a lot more attendees at a fraction of the cost.
9. Sponsorship opportunities. Virtual booths provide a great experience
for sponsors to highlight their services and interact with potential
customers.
10. Going green. Removing the travel and onsite requirements enables
events to minimize their environmental impact.
INTRODUCING BOOST VIRTUAL EVENTS
Boost Virtual Events provides an end-to-end platform for delivering virtual
events online. In addition to offering a compelling attendee experience
that includes robust Web 2.0 integration, Boost Virtual Events also
employs feature-rich tools that simplify the process of managing even the
most demanding events. Whether running a purely virtual event, or
complementing a live onsite experience, Boost Virtual Events is the ideal
option for trade show, training, and networking conferences.
Figure 1 – The Boost Virtual Events Demo, available at
http://events.boostweb20.com/Events/Demo
Futurewatch 2009, provided by
Meeting Professionals
International in partnership with
American Express, found that
meeting budgets will decrease
by 6% as a percentage of
organization’s overall budget.
The Professional Convention
Management Association study
found that 44% of meeting
planners expected to book
fewer off-site meetings in
2009/2010 and 41% of them are
going to postpone, cancel, or
rebook meetings already
scheduled.
Frost & Sullivan found that the
worldwide broadband subscriber
base has increased to nearly 304
million and is forecasted to
grow to 593.1 million in 2012.
US penetration of broadband is
forecasted to reach 40% by 2012
with Western Europe to nearly
50%.
Boost Virtual Events | Executive Summary 5
SESSIONS
Boost Virtual Events offers virtual sessions, which provide an intimate
experience for users to attend any session made available. Prior to and
during the live presentation, attendees can post questions or begin
discussions on topics relevant to the session, which may be used to guide
the speakers’ delivery. These questions and discussions are available after
the live session is over for on-demand viewers to follow. From the session,
attendees can also get more information about the speakers, as well as
download supporting materials, visit sponsor booths, and rate the session.
BOOTHS
The virtual booths provided by Boost Virtual Events enable sponsors to
showcase their offerings and connect with potential customers. They can
opt to provide a recorded video overview or a live video stream for visitors
of their virtual booth. Like sessions, booth attendees can ask questions,
participate in discussion threads, get more information about the booth
staffers, download case studies, and find more information about the
sponsor’s company and services. Attendees can also get in direct contact
with the booth owners, whether by public information such as email and
phone number, or even by live IM chat.
NETWORKING
A key element offered by Boost Virtual Events is the ability for virtual
attendees to network with one another. Users can fill out profiles, which
include details on their company and title, as well as their contact
information, such as email, phone number, Live Messenger account, Web
site URL, RSS feed, and twitter ID. From session, booth, and other
discussion threads, users can easily find other users with common
interests, connect on job opportunities, or discuss topics as subject matter
experts.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 6
WHY BOOST VIRTUAL EVENTS?
There are a few virtual event platforms available, and most of them offer
some level of sessions, booths, and networking. However, Boost Virtual
Events stands apart for providing a comprehensive set of innovative
features. Whether focusing on the attendee experience, integration of
Web and conference features, or the event management toolbox, Boost
Virtual Events delivers the most compelling offering available. In addition,
new features can be added and practically any part of the Boost Virtual
Events experience can be customized.
ATTENDEE EXPERIENCE
Virtual conferences are all about providing attendees with the best
experience possible. A positive user experience can draw in more
attendees as the network effects of satisfied customers begin to yield
returns. Not only will satisfied customers return year after year—they’ll
promote on your behalf and work hard to bring more people in to enjoy
the same benefits.
Figure 2 - Boost Virtual Events is delivered as a sophisticated rich Internet application
LOOK & FEEL
The look & feel of a virtual event is a critical consideration. Not only does
the experience have to fit in with the overall marketing campaign, it also
needs to draw in attendees and help them feel like they’re almost there in
person.
SILVERLIGHT
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 7
The Boost Virtual Events attendee experience is delivered as a rich Internet
application (RIA) that runs on Microsoft’s Silverlight platform. As a result,
Boost Virtual Events offers an incredibly engaging experience that
emanates a sleek, yet professional, appeal.
BRANDING
The Boost Virtual Events platform is designed to put the event’s brand
front and center. Virtually every element of the user experience can be
themed in accordance with a corporate or event style guide. If there is a
separate event Web site, the consistent branding will provide increased
confidence to attendees.
SIDEBAR
The Sidebar is a component of the virtual event experience that provides
attendees with quick access to event news, as well as their profile,
favorites, and Messenger communication options. The tabs may be
customized, including the addition of new tabs, for any given conference.
Figure 3 - The Sidebar provides convenient access to news, Live Messenger, the attendee
profile, and favorites
The Sidebar offers a series of
customizable tabs. By defaults,
there are tabs for:
- Event and user news
- Live Messenger contacts
- Live Messenger chats
- Profile editor
- Session playlist
- Favorite sessions
- Favorite users
Silverlight runs on all modern
operating systems and browsers,
including Mac OS.
According to Microsoft, there are
over 300 million Silverlight
installations. Users who don’t
yet have Silverlight can freely
download and install it in
around 10 seconds.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 8
IMMERSIVE MEDIA
Much of the time spent in a virtual event is spent viewing session and
booth videos. As a result, special attention is paid to ensure that video is
delivered as a core component to the overall experience, rather than being
bolted on through a popup window or external player.
FULL SCREEN
The entire application is designed for full-screen use, making the most of
the monitor real estate available. When watching video, attendees can
switch to a full screen view to enjoy the largest display possible. While in
full screen mode, users can still receive news, mail notifications, and
instant messages without disrupting video playback or the task at hand.
Figure 4 - In full screen mode, attendees can use their whole monitor to watch videos and
browse virtual conference content
MINIMIZATION
While watching session or booth videos, attendees may want to
participate in other parts of the application, such as networking with other
attendees, searching for other sessions and booths, browsing downloads,
or taking part in a discussion or Q&A. To facilitate this, Boost Virtual Events
attendees can minimize the video such that it is still visible and playing
while they multitask. If the video reaches a point where they want to
restore it—or bring it to full screen for optimal viewing—they can do so
without losing their place in other activities.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 9
Figure 5 - By minimizing the video, attendees can participate in social networking features
without missing the presentation
CHAPTERS
When watching videos in the on-demand experience, Boost Virtual Events
provides a rich multimedia playback experience. In addition to standard
controls for pausing, volume, and seeking, attendees can also preview
chapter thumbnails and skip ahead to key points of interest, such as
featured speakers and product demonstrations.
Figure 6 - Video chapters enable users to preview content before seeking to it
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 10
FIND & ACT
A common challenge for virtual conference attendees is the ability to find
and act on the information they need. For example, if an event hosts 200
sessions, how quickly can the attendee find the session that fit their
particular interests? Among 400 booths, how hard is it for an attendee to
find the sponsor that offers the services they need in their geographical
region? With Boost Virtual Events, both of these are a snap.
SEARCH & FILTER
Boost Virtual Events offers innovative solutions for searching and filtering
content. The advanced search views for sessions and booths enable
attendees to select multiple options for filtering the overall list down to
just the items that meet their criteria. The advanced search also supports
whole and partial keyword matching, providing a highly responsive
interaction that saves attendees valuable conference time. In addition,
sessions are color-coded to help identify which sessions have live or on-
demand video now, which ones are coming soon, and which ones will not
be available.
Figure 7 - Some events may have hundreds--or thousands--of sessions to filter through
(continued in next figure)
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 11
Figure 8 – Selecting a filter from one of the many dimensions, including date, timeslot,
track, speaker, level, availability, and more, makes it easier to find the content an attendee
is looking for (continued in next figure)
Figure 9 - The advanced search even allows multiple filter levels, enabling users to find the
sessions, booths, and networks they want to see, such as “sessions by day and track”
(shown here)
RANK PANELS
Attendees are often drawn to sessions based on their popularity or rating.
With Boost Virtual Events’ Rank Panels, sessions are displayed in a number
of different ways, such as “Highest Rated” and “Most Viewed”. In addition,
there are Rank Panels available for the sessions with the most active
discussions and most recent comments, as well as a panel with sessions
ranked by event manager’s recommendation. As always, Rank Panels can
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 12
be customized on a per-event basis to integrate other sorting options or 3rd
party data.
Figure 10 - Rank panels provide an easy way for attendees to find popular sessions, booths,
and networks
FAVORITES
As attendees browse the virtual event, they’ll often come across sessions,
booths, and other users they’ll want to revisit later on. Boost Virtual Events
provides an easy way for attendees to remember these items for future
reference, making them available for access in the Sidebar. In addition to
selecting the “Add to Favorites” button from the session, booth, or user
views, attendees can drag and drop search results directly onto their
Favorites List in the Sidebar to remember them for later.
Figure 11 - Favorite sessions, booths, networks, and users can be remembered with a single
click
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 13
Figure 12 - The Sidebar provides easy access to the attendee's favorites
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 14
INTEGRATED COLLABORATION
In today’s interconnected world, users expect applications to integrate
with the other users, software, and systems they use. Enabling attendees
to promote a virtual event by sharing sessions or other content with their
friends and coworkers via tools like Facebook and Twitter can help grow
attendance and a healthier ecosystem. Boost Virtual Events provides a set
of integration features that enable users to more deeply integrate with the
virtual conference, speakers, and other attendees, as well as the rest of the
world.
USER NETWORKING
One of the most difficult things to replicate in a virtual environment is
human-to-human interaction. However, thanks to some key Boost Virtual
Events features that enable and promote communication, attendees can
enjoy an experience that helps them feel like they’re almost in the same
room as everybody else.
LIVE MESSENGER
Boost Virtual Events offers access to Live Messenger from within the
virtual event experience. Users sign in via Live ID using the same
credentials they would in the desktop software (their username and
password go directly to Microsoft and not through Boost Virtual Events or
another system). Once signed in, attendees can participate in IM
conversations with any of their contacts, as well as add new contacts from
the conference. Note that these conversations are run purely through Live
Messenger and are not visible to anyone other than the participants. As a
result, they do not show up on discussion boards or Q&A.
According to Microsoft, there are
over 500 million Windows Live
users worldwide, each of which
already has a Live ID and Live
Messenger account.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 15
Figure 13 - Live Messenger integration enables attendees to stay connected with their
contacts from within the virtual event experience
A user can drag & drop search results onto a conversation. When this
happens, it is sent to the other IM conversation participants as a
recommendation. If the other participants are also logged into Live
Messenger from the virtual event, it will appear on the News tab of their
Sidebar, and they can click the recommended item to view it. If they are
logged in elsewhere, it will appear as a hyperlink.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 16
Figure 14 - When an attendee sends an IM invite to a contact, they are a click away from
joining or registering
Some attendees may opt not to use Live Messenger, or may simply want to
begin a conversation with a booth sponsor’s live representative
anonymously. For this, Boost Virtual Events offers an anonymous IM
option where the booth sponsor can register a Live Messenger IM address
to be made publicly available through the application. When an attendee
selects this option, they can begin a conversation with the representative,
who may also be in the application or using any other Live Messenger
client. From that point, the representative can collect contact information
or anything else the attendee shares in that private conversation.
Figure 15 - Any user may begin an anonymous IM conversation with another attendee,
speaker, or booth representative, even if they don't have a Live Messenger account
(continued in next figure)
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 17
Figure 16 - When beginning an anonymous IM conversation, attendees may share as much
(or as little) information as they feel comfortable with (continued in next figure)
Figure 17 - Anonymous IMs can be received within the Boost Virtual Events experience or in
the Live Messenger desktop client, making it much more convenient for people to
communicate outside of the virtual event
Anonymous conversations reduce
pressure for attendees and
increase opportunities for
sponsors.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 18
DISCUSSIONS AND Q&A
For sessions and booths, Boost Virtual Events offers two primary types of
user interaction: discussions and Q&A. Discussions are threaded comments
that enable attendees, speakers, and other subject matter experts to have
deep conversations regarding topics related to the session or booth at
hand. A poster can reply to a specific comment or to the thread in general.
Figure 18 - Threaded conversations live on to provide added value to sessions, booths, and
networks
Q&A offers a community-driven way for attendees to post questions,
propose answers, and rate potential solutions. After a question is posted,
anyone can propose an answer, which may be voted up or down
depending on its quality and accuracy. While it’s ideal for the response to
come from a speaker, this model enables other subject matter experts to
step in to ensure attendees are getting their questions answered. As with
most content, discussions and Q&A are persisted for the lifetime of the
virtual conference, both live and on-demand.
Figure 19 - Q&A provides an easy way for attendees to raise specific questions to be
answered by session presenters, booth staffers, or other subject matter experts
Discussions and Q&A update
automatically, letting the
attendee focus on the event and
not refreshing their browser.
The Boost Virtual Events
administration experience
enables moderation of
discussions and Q&A to ensure
objectionable content can be
removed quickly and seamlessly.
For more details, please see the
Moderation section below.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 19
USER PROFILES
To enable speakers and attendees to share more about themselves in the
virtual event, Boost Virtual Events provides customizable profiles for all
users. In addition to basic data such as their display name, avatar picture,
title, and company, Boost Virtual Events also offers the opportunity for
users to share contact information, such as their public email address,
phone number, Live Messenger ID, and Web site. Speakers and attendees
can also configure their user profiles to syndicate existing blog RSS feeds
and Twitter streams into the application. When attendees visit their
profile, it will show the latest entries for each with links to their external
accounts and feeds.
Figure 20 - User profiles enable attendees to share more about themselves and connect
with others
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 20
SYNDICATION
Virtual conferences with data that can be shared publicly (not
recommended for confidential corporate events) will often want to enable
speakers and attendees to promote their events broadly. Boost Virtual
Events makes this syndication of content easy with a series of features
aimed at growing the attendee base.
SOCIAL BOOKMARKING
Sessions and booths can be shared on 3rd
party sites, such as Facebook,
Twitter, Digg, Delicious, FriendFeed, and virtually any other social
bookmarking site, often with only a few clicks. When a user publishes an
item on one of these sites, it becomes instantly visible to all of their
contacts—and sometimes even people they don’t know—making it instant
promotion for the virtual event. In fact, promotions like this coming from a
trusted friend or family member can be significantly more effective than
traditional marketing methods. In addition, users can launch emails with
links to sessions or booths from within the virtual conference itself.
Figure 21 - The Share panel provides a way for attendees to promote sessions and booths
on social networking sites (continued in next figure)
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 21
Figure 22 – Clicking on a share option, such as the Facebook icon, provides a way for the
attendee to share sessions or booths using their respective account (continued in next
figure)
Figure 23 - Once shared, the selected items appear in the feeds of the attendee's personal
network, promoting the sessions, sponsors, and overall event
DEEP LINKING
“Deep linking” is a concept where a hyperlink enables attendees to jump
right to a very specific place in the application for the content they need.
For example, if an attendee wants to share a specific booth, session, or
user profile with another person, they would be best served if the link they
send opens the specified item when the application loads. With Boost
Virtual Events, this is possible and easy to do. Going further, Boost Virtual
Events even enables deep linking to video content at a specified time
offset, which enables attendees to share links that open the video to a
According to Facebook, there are
over 250 million active accounts.
Tapping into that social network
can have a massive impact on
event visits and registrations.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 22
specified location after launching. For example, a booth sponsor may wish
to share a deep link with their prospective clients that begins playing at the
twelve minute mark with their product demonstration during a keynote
address.
RSS
Boost Virtual Events makes thorough use of RSS to enable attendees and
speakers to watch for new content. For example, users can track a
session’s discussions to be notified when there are new comments,
questions, or answers. Session and booth owners can also manage their
respective items via RSS to be notified if an attendee has marked any
content as inappropriate so they can moderate it immediately.
RSS feeds are more convenient
than email notifications for users
since they offer better control and
flexibility.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 23
3RD PARTY INTEGRATION
While there are many bells & whistles for explicit integration and
syndication, one of the most often overlooked aspects of a virtual event
platform is its ability to seamlessly integrate with other data. Speakers and
attendees often have their own Web sites and don’t want to replicate
content in multiple places. Some events require integration with a
corporate authentication process, such as Active Directory. Others may
have an official marketing Web site with user registration data that must
be imported for use within the virtual event. Boost Virtual Events is
designed to flexibly and seamlessly integrate with 3rd
party applications
and data sources so that the virtual event runs as smoothly as possible.
SINGLE SIGN-ON
Boost Virtual Events offers a single sign-on (SSO) mechanism that enables
owner-approved sites to securely log users in to a virtual conference. For
example, companies with their own registration systems can easily send
users to Boost Virtual Events for the virtual event without requiring them
to log in again once they get there.
SEARCH INDEX SUPPORT
If the event content is public, Boost Virtual Events offers search index
support, which provides a way for major search engines like Google and
Bing to index the content of the virtual event. As a result, deep links for the
virtual event sessions, booths, and more show up in search results and
enable more attendees to participate.
CUSTOM DATA SOURCES
Out of the box, Boost Virtual Events offers support for a wide range of data
access models, including HTTP, RSS, and Twitter. However, events often
have other data sources, such as those expose via Web services, REST, and
other APIs that must be available to virtual event attendees. Fortunately,
Boost Virtual Events was designed for this level of customization, and it can
be performed on an event-by-event basis to meet owner specifications.
Single sign-on support can
include Active Directory
Federation Services (ADFS) so
corporate users can use their
domain credentials, Live ID, or
even custom SSO based on the
event’s main site.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 24
EVENT MANAGEMENT
Behind the scenes, managing a virtual event can be just as challenging as a
traditional live onsite experience. Fortunately, Boost Virtual Events
provides an array of features designed to simplify the process by enabling
owners and administrators to scale more efficiently. Whether configuring
the event beforehand, managing the live event, or analyzing the results of
a virtual event, the management tools provided by Boost Virtual Events
will make the lives of owners and administrators much easier.
CONFIGURATION
Configuring a handful of sessions, booths, and speakers isn’t usually much
of a hassle, but what if you have hundreds (or even thousands!) of each?
Configuring each by hand and managing the changes across an array of
spreadsheets can be a daunting task.
SILVERLIGHT ADMINISTRATION USER EXPERIENCE
The Boost Virtual Events administration user experience is delivered as a
robust Silverlight application. It provides the tools for searching through
the potentially thousands of sessions, booths, and users, as well as support
for creating, editing, and deleting them. In addition, the usage of Silverlight
provides a highly responsive user experience since there isn’t the need to
navigate from page to page as must be done in traditional Web site
applications.
Figure 24 - As a Silverlight application, the Boost Virtual Events administration experience
provides the flexibility and responsiveness needed for sophisticated event management
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 25
SECURITY & PERMISSIONS
As events grow larger, there is often a need to delegate management tasks
to multiple people. Boost Virtual Events provides a rich security model that
enables event owners to grant ownership permission to other users at the
track, session, and booth level. With those permissions, new owners have
the ability to manage content for their specified ownership level, taking
the burden off of higher-level owners.
Figure 25 - By assigning ownership at multiple levels, event administrators can effectively
delegate portions of event management
DATA IMPORT
To simplify the process of adding the initial batch of sessions, speakers,
and booths, Boost Virtual Events offers initial data import services to pre-
populate virtual conference content. Within two business days, virtually
any number of sessions, speakers, and booths can be imported for display
to attendees. Note that this import should occur at least two days before
the virtual event is made available to attendees to allow time for review
and updates.
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 26
LIVE PRODUCTION
During the course of live sessions, event owners have a lot to pay attention
to. First, they must make sure the video feeds from each session are being
displayed in the local room, as well as streamed live in the virtual
conference and recorded for on-demand viewing later. Next, they need to
make sure the sessions are all going as planned and be able to respond to
issues that come up online or onsite. Finally, event owners have to make
sure that any inappropriate content generated in session discussions or
Q&A is dealt with properly.
CAPTURE, STREAMING, & PRODUCTION
To alleviate the load on session recording, Boost Virtual Events offers
complete capture, streaming, and production services for live webcasts
and on-demand video. Each room can be set up and configured to properly
capture the speakers and demonstrations. Once the presentation begins,
the outbound streaming can scale to support a virtually unlimited number
of online users. If the video content is confidential, secure streaming can
be used to ensure that only virtual conference attendees have access.
Finally, the recorded sessions can be produced into multiple formats, such
as WMVs for streaming and download, podcasts for iPods and Zunes, and
so on. During the production process, chapter markers can be embedded
with slide thumbnails to deliver a superb on-demand viewing experience.
COMMAND CENTER
The Boost Virtual Events administrative application offers a Command
Center view, which is designed to provide an event owner with access to
all the administrative information they need to effectively manage a live
event. Included in this view are features to track all sessions which are
currently scheduled to stream live, as well as an option to view the live
stream being broadcast. In addition, all discussions and Q&A entries are
displayed for review, in case someone raises an administrative issue.
Finally, any sessions that have been flagged for review due to
inappropriate content are available for moderation.
MODERATION
Any application that incorporates user-generated content requires the
ability for administrators to moderate that content as necessary. In the
Boost Virtual Events attendee experience, any user who finds content for a
session or booth inappropriate may flag that session or booth for review.
Event owners and administrators may subscribe to the “flagged sessions”
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 27
RSS feed to receive notification of the items currently flagged for review. In
the Silverlight administrative application, any event owner may delete the
objectionable discussion or Q&A entries, which disappear from the virtual
conference within moments. User profiles may also be edited to remove
objectionable content or an inappropriate avatar.
Figure 26 - Moderating user-generated content is critically important when managing
virtual events
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 28
ANALYTICS
In the course of virtual event review, as well as future conference planning,
it’s invaluable to have access to deep and precise analytics. Boost Virtual
Events offers analytics across multiple dimensions, including user
demographics, application usage, and content ratings & feedback.
USER DEMOGRAPHICS
Want to know how many users from Brazil viewed the opening keynote
live? Interested in what percentage of users from China connected with a
DSL or faster connection? Would it help to understand how many users
from California have 1024x768 or lower screen resolutions? Boost Virtual
Events can provide all of this data, plus more, in detailed breakout reports.
Figure 27 - User demographics help event owners understand where virtual attendees come
from and how they get to the event
Boost Virtual Events | Why Boost Virtual Events? 29
APPLICATION USAGE
In addition to basic user demographics, Boost Virtual Events also tracks
application usage to determine what users do once inside the virtual
conference. Want to know which sessions and booths were visited, which
videos watched, which resources were downloaded, etc? Boost Virtual
Events offers all of this data, which can be cross-referenced with user
demographic data, or even reported as an itemized user-by-user
breakdown.
Figure 28 - Application usage statistics enable event owners to track which users performed
which actions and when
RATINGS & FEEDBACK
Boost Virtual Events provides session rating ability to all users, which can
be used to determine which sessions may be considered for increased
promotion or potentially dropped from future events. In addition, the
feedback option enables attendees to submit virtual conference feedback
which can be aggregated and used for future planning.
Boost Virtual Events | Boost Virtual Events Editions 30
BOOST VIRTUAL EVENTS EDITIONS
Boost Virtual Events is a “software-as-a-service” platform. As such, it is not
sold or installed, but rather licensed based on projected usage for a
predetermined duration. The entire platform is hosted and maintained by
the Boost Virtual Events team, resulting in virtually no technical impact on
the event owner. To properly meet the needs of various types of virtual
conferences, Boost Virtual Events offers multiple editions.
Edition Virtual Attendee Limit
Session, Booth, & Network Limit
Designed For…
Webcast 250 1 live session at a time with no booths or networks
Live single-room events, such as instructor-led training
Standard 1,000 100 total sessions, booths, and/or networks
Small events with limited access
Enterprise 10,000 1,000 total sessions, booths, and/or networks
Large events with limited access or small events with public access
Universal Custom Custom Large events with public access
Boost Virtual Events | Boost Virtual Events Editions 31
BOOST VIRTUAL EVENTS FEATURE LIST BY EDITION
The following chart outlines which features are part of each baseline
edition. Note that the final feature set available in a given virtual event will
depend on the configuration required to meet the needs of the event
management. For example, most features can be added onto a lower
edition if needed. Also note that public content features (search index
support, external sharing) can be removed if the content is confidential or
restricted.
Feature
Web
cast
Stan
dar
d
Ente
rpri
se
Un
iver
sal
Live & On-Demand Video
User Profiles
Discussions
Q&A
Resource Downloads and Links
Silverlight Administration Tool
Booths
Networks
Live Messenger Integration
Home View
Advanced Search
Session, Booth, and Network Browsers
Session Schedule View
External Session & Booth Sharing
Search Index Support
Analytics
Boost Virtual Events | Boost Virtual Events Editions 32
OPTIONAL COMPONENTS
In addition to the virtual event experience outlined in the previous
sections, Boost Virtual Events also offers additional components to
enhance and complement the overall event. Note that these components
are not included with the base editions as they are often swapped out with
in-house or alternative offerings.
EVENT WEB SITE & REGISTRATION
Primarily for marketing purposes, the event site provides the overview
messaging and highlights for the virtual (and live onsite) conference. This
Web site attaches to the overall event branding and provides details on the
agenda, keynotes, speakers, sponsors, and other key marketing messages.
The registration system allows users to register and pay for their
attendance. Whether attending live or virtually, this component provides a
one-stop shop for attendees to opt-in for extracurricular activities,
merchandise, and even travel plans. Full reporting and analytics tools are
available for registrants. In addition, the registration system allows event
owners to manage the check-in process for onsite attendees, as well as
print their badges.
CONTENT CAPTURE, STREAMING, & PRODUCTION
For sessions or booths with live video, Boost Virtual Events offers capture,
streaming, and production services to manage the whole process of
getting the video into the virtual event.
CONTENT HOSTING
Hosting for the Boost Virtual Events attendee experience and user-
generated content are part of the default event agreement. Optionally,
Boost Virtual Events can also provide content hosting for event content
such as on-demand videos and downloadable resources.
Boost Virtual Events | SharpLogic At Microsoft 33
SHARPLOGIC AT MICROSOFT
SharpLogic, the developer of Boost Virtual Events, has a long history in
providing comprehensive solutions for Microsoft. In addition to the
selection of Boost Virtual Events for major conferences such as MGX,
TechReady, S4, and ISU, SharpLogic has delivered on projects that span the
Microsoft product line.
CUSTOM DEVELOPMENT
SharpLogic has developed an array of complete solutions for Microsoft
ranging from client applications (such as the commercial Microsoft
Component Installer), to Web applications (such as the Imagine Cup’s 2006
North America Software Design Invitational). SharpLogic has also
developed numerous Microsoft-funded proof-of-concept applications for
major companies, including Cisco, LEGO, and Valve Software, to showcase
the bleeding edge of the Microsoft technology stack.
SPEAKFLOW™
SpeakFlow is a non-linear presentation tool from SharpLogic designed for
guiding 1:1 and small group presentations. Unlike traditional slideshow
tools, SpeakFlow is intended to support organic conversations that may
flow in any given direction or topic. SpeakFlow can easily import
PowerPoint slides to provide an alternative presentation experience for
speakers who have a wide range of audiences or presentation goals. For
more information on SpeakFlow, please see http://www.speakflow.com.
DEVELOPER MARKETING
SharpLogic provides specialized developer marketing services designed to
help platforms reach out to their technical audiences in an effective and
convincing way. These services include platform design and review,
evangelism tools, deliverables to promote accelerated adoption, as well as
community components. SharpLogic has developed whitepapers, demos,
marketing guides, competitive reviews, battlecards, software wrappers,
and even full starter kits, such as Windows Live’s social networking sample
AdventureWorks Resorts.
“SharpLogic has consistently
delivered above and beyond
expectations on projects. They
have illustrated an exceptional
aptitude for picking up new
technologies and great vision for
bringing them to the masses.”
Angus Logan
Senior Product Manager
Windows Live Platform
Microsoft
SharpLogic is a Microsoft Gold
Certified partner with
competencies as a custom
development provider and as an
independent software vendor.
SharpLogic is a Microsoft
Preferred Vendor and has
delivered on over 100 projects for
virtually every major group at
Microsoft since 2004.
Boost Virtual Events | Frequently Asked Questions 34
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the system requirements of the Boost Virtual Events attendee
and administration user experiences?
Both the Boost Virtual Events attendee and administration user
experiences are Silverlight 3.0 applications. Generally speaking, Silverlight
3.0 applications run on all mainstream desktop operating system and
browser combinations, including all modern versions of Microsoft
Windows and Apple Mac OS across modern versions of Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Google Chrome. The exact
system requirements for Silverlight 3.0 are available from Microsoft at
http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/get-started/install.
We have a very large event that will attract tens of thousands of users
with thousands of sessions and booths. Can Boost Virtual Events scale to
meet our needs?
Yes, Boost Virtual Events is designed to scale up to meet the needs of the
most demanding events. Special arrangements can be made to scale for
events expecting attendee counts in the millions.
How much of the virtual event experience can be customized?
Virtually anything can be customized. The entire platform is designed to be
flexible enough to meet the needs of the most demanding events, so
virtually everything is on the table when it comes to either major
construction or fine-tuning.
Our content is confidential. Do you have a solution for keeping it secure?
Yes. Boost Virtual Events supports secure streaming to ensure that only
registered attendees have access to live and/or on-demand content.
How long is on-demand content available for?
There is no limit to the hosting of on-demand content for a virtual event.
The length of hosting can be determined during virtual event setup and
can be extended as needed.
Are discussions and the Q&A available after a live session is over?
Yes, discussions and the Q&A are available for as long as the session is
available. These items can also be moderated at any time by event
administrators.
We already have a solution for event, session, booth, and/or speaker
management. Can we still use Boost Virtual Events?
Absolutely. Depending on your existing system, Boost Virtual Events may
already support data synchronization. Otherwise, content can be imported
Boost Virtual Events | Frequently Asked Questions 35
before an event begins and managed through the Boost Virtual Events
administration user experience.
We already have a solution for streaming and/or recording videos. Can
we still use Boost Virtual Events?
Absolutely. Boost Virtual Events is designed to work with any Silverlight-
compatible video format (Windows Media, etc).
We already have a learning management solution for on-demand video
playback, attendee evaluations, or another component Boost Virtual
Events provides. Can we still use Boost Virtual Events?
Absolutely. Boost Virtual Events supports integration with external
systems, such as learning management and evaluation systems.
We already have a hosting solution for live and/or on-demand content.
Can we still use Boost Virtual Events?
Absolutely. Boost Virtual Events can integrate with virtually any hosting
solution.
We’d really like to consider Boost Virtual Events for our virtual event
needs, but you’re missing feature X and we really need it. Is it possible
for you to add that feature for us?
Almost surely. If there is a key feature we don’t offer, please let us know
and we can do our best to provide it.
What are the support options for Boost Virtual Events?
Email support is available for all virtual events and is answered within one
business day. Live phone support is available for critical issues and during
live events as defined in the event agreement.
Can we host an instance of Boost Virtual Events on our own?
Not at this time. However, if this is a scenario you’d like to see in the
future, please let us know at [email protected].
Is there a Boost Virtual Events reseller program?
Yes. Please contact [email protected] for more details.
Boost Virtual Events | Frequently Asked Questions 36
Boost Virtual Events | Summary 37
SUMMARY
Boost Virtual Events provides an end-to-end platform for delivering virtual
events online. In addition to offering a compelling attendee experience
that includes robust Web 2.0 integration, Boost Virtual Events also
employs feature-rich tools that simplify the process of managing even the
most demanding events. Whether running a purely virtual event, or
complementing a live onsite experience, Boost Virtual Events is the ideal
option for trade show, training, and networking conferences.
For sales inquiries or to set up a
live demo, please contact:
For additional information
regarding Boost Virtual Events,
please contact:
Lan Kaim
Vice President
Business Development
SharpLogic
425.830.5412
Boost Virtual Events | Summary 1
SHARPLOGIC CONFIDENTIAL – DRAFT COPY FOR REVIEW
Boost Virtual Events | Summary 2
SHARPLOGIC CONFIDENTIAL – DRAFT COPY FOR REVIEW
For more information on Boost Virtual Events, please visit:
http://www.boostvirtualevents.com
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