Blog | TechChange | The Institute for Technology and Social Change

By: Lilian Efobi, GDDF Ambassador, Nigeria

As a young leader passionate about quality education and good governance, which are centred on the SDGs 4 and 16 of the United Nations, organising the first ever Global Digital Development Forum (GDDF) 2023 Nigeria Watch Party was a great opportunity for me to create more awareness on the sustainable development goals and how emerging technologies can play a key role in fostering sustainable development.

On April 27, 2023, the Global Digital Development Forum was held in over 7 countries globally through in-persons watch parties, with the main event happening at Washington DC, USA. The event brought together some of the biggest names in the tech and development industry, including Google, Deloitte, DAI, RTI and more, as well as development experts and government officials. Through GDDF 2023, TechChange has played the lead on global hybrid events by showcasing the following benefits:

1. Increased reach: GDDF 2023 was able to reach over a four thousand person audience across several countries. The participants had access to the numerous educative sessions, lightning talks, and more that happened at the forum. Participants from my watch party were not left out from enjoying the benefits of a hybrid event.

2. Increased engagement: This year’s GDDF saw an increased engagement amongst attendees of my watch party in Nigeria.

3. Sustainability: TechChange hybrid event is not just an improvement on the setback by the Covid-19 pandemic, but also a sustainable way in reducing carbon footprint and safeguarding the environment and climate, by giving participants all over the world the platform to attend the forum virtually, without harming the earth through travel and other resources. Hybrid events can help reduce the carbon footprint of an event by reducing the need for travel and other resources.

One of the major discussions at the watch party was the panel session on: “Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Development: Attaining SDGs 2030.” During this session, the panel discussed on how emerging technologies can help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to poverty and inequality. Social innovations can target the following emerging technologies in addressing some of the challenges of the SDGs:

1. Renewable energy technologies, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, which is a key goal of SDG 13.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning can be used to improve healthcare outcomes, enhance agricultural productivity, and optimize transportation networks, all of which are critical to achieving SDG 3, SDG 2, and SDG 11, respectively.

3. Blockchain technology can be used to create transparent and secure supply chains, which can help reduce corruption and promote sustainable consumption and production practices, which are key goals of SDG 12.

4. Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be used to monitor and manage natural resources, such as water and energy, which can help ensure their sustainable use and management, a key goal of SDG 6.

5. Virtual and augmented reality technologies can be used to promote education and awareness about the SDGs, which can help mobilize global action towards achieving them.

These technologies can play a critical role in achieving the SDGs by enabling us to work smarter, more efficiently, and more sustainably. However, it is important to ensure that these technologies are deployed in a responsible and ethical manner to avoid unintended consequences and negative impacts. They also highlighted the need for Africa to build a databank, which will help in research.

Another major highlight of the Watch party was the Hackathon. This was made possible due to the flexibility given by TechChange in spurring creativity and unique watch parties globally. The watch party was an avenue to showcase amazing technology solutions addressing social problems and encourage these solutions through mini-seed funding. Most of the ideas were aimed at providing eco-friendly solutions, encouraging climate action, promoting agriculture, and creating environmental sustainability.

Some of these ideas are:

AYIKA

A climate WhatsApp chatbot called Ayika which gives people access to their environment and gives people advice on how they can provide eco-solution daily and send environmental reports they have. With this platform, people will be able to use AI and VR together to predict weather in the location where they are, participate in environmental e-commerce platform where they can buy eco-friendly products. It also helps them in encouraging behaviour in recycling, reducing carbon footprint, and keeping environment safe. Ayika is focusing on youths providing entertainment including music, comedy, and games that centre around the environment. They are looking at raising 5000 US dollars that could create an AI to help do this because there is limit to what they can do with WhatsApp.

DRY CARD

Dry Card innovation focuses on the agriculture sector especially post-harvest losses, food waste, food storage and safety. They want to see how to prevent food wastage whereby food can be stored for a longer period, and it can even be stored for exports. The Dry Card is an indicator that shows when food is dried and can immediately be stored in airtight containers which will make it last longer. They want to launch it across the 36 states in Nigeria. USAID, UC Davis labs are giving them technical support and are subsidizing the card for them. This is why the card can go for as low as 2 US dollars.

DMAX BIODIGESTER

With a biodigester, the remains of food, waste from poultry, and vegetables are digested under anaerobic conditions to convert them to gas to be used for cooking. It is non-flammable and cost-effective. The waste gotten from the biodigester can be used for crop improvement as it is an organic fertilizer.

LUMILAB

Lumilab helps customers thrive on change through a clear and confident vision for navigating the future and have met the challenges of innovation many times. Lumilab’s corporate vision is to become the major player and be recognized for technological innovation and solutions and build capacity for skills and collaboration.

CONALLE

Conalle is the biggest search engine on the African content. It is a Digital Marketplace that provides Nigerian and other African creatives a digital platform to license high-quality African centred contents, such as photographs, videos, mock-ups, illustrations, presents, 3D Images and audios, to other creatives, business owners, marketing, advertising agencies, and individuals across Africa and beyond, and these contents can be used for the various design, advertising, and marketing purpose in the real, virtual, augmented, and mixed reality world. Conalle is providing African creative a platform to connect globally. Also, Conalle aims to empower, support, and contribute to the growth and development of the creative industry in Africa, and beyond by prioritizing the needs and interests of the African creatives. It is also a visual discovery engine that offers African creatives the latitude to showcase their art and at the same time, it is also making provision for the publicity of afro centric content.

WASTY WEALTH

Wasty Wealth is making the planet clean, safe and circular through a just-in-time, asset-light, and professional waste collection system. Our solution also bridges the gap between waste producers and waste management players through our digital marketplace.

WINDSTREAM

Windstream is a solution that positively impacts the environment and local communities. By providing access to clean, affordable energy, they help to reduce energy costs, improve air quality, and promote a more sustainable future. They also hope to help create about 4000 local jobs and promote sustainable economic growth.

In all, GDDF 2023 Nigeria Watch Party was a huge success as reflected in some of the feedbacks from participants:

“GDDF 2023 is to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and SDGs. We want to make sure that emerging technologies will play a role in the goals set for 2030. There were 7 major contents – sustainability, originality, business model, technology used, creativity involved, design and implementation, and social impact”.

“Youth being part of the digital system is very important because we will be here for a very long time, and we will also pass it on to our children. We need the support of government. It can’t be done by NGO alone. We need the understanding of the government”.

“We need more female innovators to come out with their ideas. All the 7 today were males. We must make conscious effort to push our ladies. SDG 5 talks about gender equality. We want marginalized communities to participate, we want women, young ones, and older persons to participate.”

“Global Digital Development Forum 2023 is happening in 7 other countries across Africa. It is a hybrid event. Young Nigerians are leveraging emerging technologies to create solutions to address climate change. I have seen passion and dedication towards what people do. They have also known that it is a different thing to have the digital solution and another to have the digital skills. They have been told where they can learn more about these resources to bridge the digital skill gap”.

“I am so glad to be part of this programme. I was able to learn and network and meet others. I have gotten insights and clearer view about how to use AI to mitigate climate action. AI is now taking the position of humans. I am also thinking of bringing my project soon for sustainable change. I like the fact that you can now use chat box to mitigate climate change. It is participatory, it is interactive, and it is usable both in the rural and global”. As an Ambassador for GDDF 2023, it was not just a platform to discuss on climate change, development, and emerging technologies; it was a Call-to-Action period for me and all credit to TechChange and her amazing partners for the support, innovation, and platform in creating awareness on Global Digital Development and supporting innovations in that line.

By: Julio Vargas Monzon, Technical Advisor, Palladium

As part of the Global Digital Development Form in 2023, Palladium partnered with TechChange to localize conversations around digital development through side events held in Ethiopia and Guatemala. The session held in Ethiopia was conducted both in person and via live streaming, ensuring broader participation and engagement. Both events started with a live-streaming of the Digital Public Goods breakout session, followed by guided conversation to surface localized insights on leveraging digital public goods (DPGs) to maximize their impact in closing the digital gap.

Guatemala: Exploring the Utility of DPGs in the Local Context

Guatemala watch party participants at Palladium office — GDDF Guatemala watch party participants

The event in Guatemala brought together a diverse range of participants, creating an exciting atmosphere. Attendees included representatives from USAID-funded projects, private companies, project implementers, as well as from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, the National University of the country. The session explored the potential utility of DPGs in the local context. Attendees shared their experiences of both successful and failed implementation cases, Success stories showcased instances where DPGs had made a significant positive impact, emphasizing the transformative potential of these tools. Two notable cases were brought to the forefront to illustrate successful outcomes. The first case pertains to a public sector team that encountered a pressing need for an information system, resulting in the successful implementation of the DHIS2 data capture and administration tool. This achievement can be attributed to the presence of strong leadership and the establishment of effective governance structures well before the implementation took place. In a similar vein, a second case emerged from a private company facing significant financial restrictions. Despite the challenges, the organization made a strategic decision to integrate open-source tools into their regular operations, a move that proved to be successful. This achievement was primarily driven by a substantial investment in digital literacy and the presence of effective leadership throughout the implementation process.

Valuable Lessons from Implementations

The discussion also highlighted valuable insights gleaned from failed implementations, underscoring the critical importance of careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and adaptation to local realities. One example centered around the implementation of a set of DPGs aimed at fostering interoperability between institutions. The failure of this initiative was attributed to a lack of digital skills among technical personnel, resulting in challenges to the long-term sustainability of the tools. The key takeaway from the discussion was the recognition that the successful implementation of digital solutions, including digital public goods, requires careful consideration of specific preconditions and strategies tailored to the given context. The stories discussed underscored the significance of prerequisites such as digital literacy and skills for both users and implementers, the establishment of effective governance structures prior to implementation, the presence of clear leadership throughout the entire process, and a strong emphasis on sustainability.

Ethiopia: Accelerating Digital Transformation through DPGs

Ethiopia Watch Party hosted a panel that was streamed back to GDDF participants globally

The event in Ethiopia fostered dialogue and promoted knowledge exchange among attendees discussing how to use DPGs as a way to continue the digital transformation of the country. The event was a combination of live sessions, pre-recorded talks, panel discussions, and interactive Q&A sessions, all of which were designed to allow participants to delve deeper into areas of interest and engage in more detailed discussions. The use of live chat features and sessions dedicated to specific topics facilitated real-time interaction and engagement among participants.

Policy and Technology Intersection for DPGs in Ethiopia

The key takeaways from the sessions emphasized the critical role of DPGs in accelerating Ethiopia’s digital transformation, the need for capacity building and incentives to encourage the private sector to utilize DPGs and addressing the policy environment to promote adoption of DPGs, such as on open-source software adoption, open data, and open standards. The event highlighted the intersection of technology and policy and the need for both to work in harmony to ensure the responsible and effective use of DPGs. Specially, the need for the appropriate policies to be in place to engage with the private sector to lead the deployment, implementation, and creation of DPGs to have a broader impact in the country, one of the key elements of the discussion was based on how the policies and initiatives such as Sandboxes and innovative incentives for the private sector which have advanced greatly but how the need for foundational enablers still remains. During the discussion, the essential conditions situation was highlighted, especially the need to increase the digital skills of the overall population to engage and implement DPGs widely as a tool in the country’s journey towards fully realizing the potentials of DPGs to help achieve the goals of Digital Ethiopia 2025. The event was educational for the attendees, who also valued the diversity of views during the discussion. Several recommendations for future watch parties were also forwarded by participants, including more case studies of DPGs in action and longer discussion sessions.

Commitment to Local Perspectives and Global Progress

Both the Guatemala and Ethiopia sessions underscored the importance of policy to be updated to incentivize the private sector to deploy and implement DPGs among the countries and the population, hand in hand with creating the necessary digital skills for the population to adopt them.

Female participant at GDDF Guatemala watch party

In both the Watch Parties held in Ethiopia and Guatemala, attendees appreciated the opportunity to discuss relevant topics and learn from the experiences of others. The inclusion of practical case studies was a recurring request from attendees in both events. More real-world examples, both from within and outside the countries, could provide further practical insights and inspiration, helping stakeholders visualize how to effectively implement DPGs in their own contexts. Additionally, attendees in both events provided feedback on the duration of the Q&A sessions, suggesting that they were too brief for in-depth discussions on specific topics. Extending these sessions could facilitate more comprehensive conversations, allowing participants to delve deeper into each subject.

Looking forward, Palladium is committed to continuing to bring local perspectives to a global platform, especially around complex themes like digital transformation that ultimately must be rooted in local context, culture and needs. The sessions in Guatemala and Ethiopia demonstrated how as a community, we can take global perspectives to a local level where the rubber actually meets the road to progress both social and economic outcomes.

By: Gabrielle Hayashi Santos, GDDF Brazil Ambassador

As the first-ever hybrid version of the Global Digital Development Forum (GDDF) unfolded, I had the privilege of leading a watch party in Brazil on the 27th of April as a GDDF Ambassador. The atmosphere during this exhilarating Brazil Watch Party was truly electric, filled with excitement and anticipation as we gathered to watch the various sessions of the forum. Our collective enthusiasm and eagerness to share perspectives and ideas transformed the watch party into a dynamic hub of discussions, uniting a diverse group of passionate individuals dedicated to digital development.

From Breakfast Table Chatter to Mind-Blowing Insights 🍳

Creating an engaging and meaningful experience was our secret recipe for success. We carefully crafted the timeline of the watch party, starting with a warm and formal welcome that set the stage for an immersive journey. Picture this: we kicked things off by gathering around the breakfast table, enjoying good food and even better company. We broke the ice with a networking session that sparked connections on a personal level. It was like speed dating, but instead of finding love, we found kindred spirits in the digital development realm. This laid the groundwork for a collaborative environment that permeated throughout the watch party.

Brace Yourself for Mind-Blowing Sessions 💡

The sessions we engaged in during this event were thought-provoking and inspiring, leaving a lasting impact on our community. One notable session that resonated deeply with us was Can We Trust AI? Painting the Picture of Possible Futures, featuring Phaedra Boinodiris, Global Leader for Trustworthy AI at IBM Consulting. Her insightful exploration of the ethical considerations and potential impacts of AI sparked engaging conversations among our watch party attendees.

Another session that captivated our audience was Hiding in Plain Sight: Text Analytics Re v eals Alignment to Positive Youth Development, led by Katherine Centore, Senior Specialist, Youth and Ashley Hill, Education Specialist, both from Chemonics International. Their exploration of how text analytics can uncover valuable insights for youth development initiatives ignited passionate discussions on the role of technology in empowering young people.

Delving into the session on The Power of Place and Open Payments: How Solutions for Financial Inclusion are Being Built within the Communities They Serve, we discovered innovative approaches to financial inclusion, emphasizing the importance of localized solutions that consider the unique needs of communities. The ensuing discussions shed light on the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals in Brazil, showcasing the potential of digital development to drive positive change in the financial sector.

Furthermore, we were honored to have guest speakers Bruna Vitória Ferreira Fernandes and Manoela Reis share their experiences and expertise on female representation in digital development. They highlighted the challenges faced by women in this field and provided valuable insights into creating a more inclusive and empowering environment. The subsequent Q&A session allowed us to dive deeper into the topic and generate ideas for meaningful change.

Small Groups, Big Connections! 🌍

Throughout the watch party, small group discussions played a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. Attendees were divided into smaller, intimate groups, offering them a platform to share their unique perspectives, ask questions, and collectively explore the session topics. These discussions were not only dynamic and insightful but also demonstrated the power of bringing diverse voices together.

In addition to the rich discussions and connections made, the success of our watch party is evident in the statistics. A total of 43 individuals actively participated, engaging in three online sessions and two in-person sessions. These numbers reflect the enthusiasm and commitment of our community to be a part of the GDDF experience.

Unleashing Synergy through Power Partnerships 🤝

However, our success extended beyond mere participation numbers. We were able to forge meaningful partnerships that further strengthened our local digital development ecosystem. Notably, we partnered with the Global Shapers Hub Ribeirão Preto, bringing an added layer of expertise and engagement to our watch party. The Global Shapers community, a worldwide network of young change-makers, provided a fresh perspective and valuable insights into the digital development landscape.

Additionally, SUPERA Parque, a local innovation and technology park, graciously offered us a space to host the in-person sessions of our watch party. Their support created an environment that fostered collaboration and ideation, further amplifying the impact of our discussions. We are immensely grateful for their contribution to the success of the event.

Another significant partner that deserves special recognition is Skylar. They played a crucial role in making the watch party more inclusive and accessible to all participants. With their live translation services, language barriers were overcome, ensuring that everyone could fully engage in the watch party. Skylar’s dedication to inclusivity truly made a difference and created a more welcoming environment for all attendees.

Our “aha” moments: Going Local, Networking, and Social Media 🤔

Bringing the local context into our conversations was a key realization during the watch party. While digital development is undoubtedly a global topic, it is crucial to acknowledge the nuances and challenges specific to local communities. By incorporating local voices and perspectives, we gained a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and the opportunities for growth. This localized approach ensured that our discussions were not only relevant but also impactful, addressing the unique needs and aspirations of the Brazilian digital development landscape.

Moreover, we discovered that networking played a significant role in enhancing the watch party experience. Despite the convenience of digital communication, there is something truly special about meeting in person. The watch party provided a unique opportunity for attendees to connect with individuals they may not have encountered otherwise. These connections fostered a sense of collaboration and sparked new ideas, ultimately strengthening our collective efforts in the digital development space.

The impact of the watch party extended beyond the event itself. Through social media networking, we were able to amplify the reach of the watch party and connect with individuals interested in participating in future events. The fact that my GDDF video garnered over 1000 views and prompted inquiries on how to get involved in the next Watch Parties is a testament to the power of social media in expanding our community and creating opportunities for engagement.

The Finale: A Watch Party That Ignited Change 🌟

In summary, the GDDF 2023 Brazil Watch Party was an inclusive and empowering experience that successfully brought together a diverse range of voices to engage in meaningful discussions on digital development topics, serving as a catalyst for fostering connections, sharing knowledge, and driving positive change in the Brazilian digital development landscape. Our journey continues as we look forward to future watch parties and the continued growth of our passionate community dedicated to making a difference in the world of digital development.

What are the most exciting examples of AI for Education Training and Learning, particularly for adult learning and global development?

Here are the 6 things I’m most excited about (some which we’re already doing on the AI front at TechChange)

1. Powering captioning and translation services: Translating training and learning materials has been a huge challenge for TechChange over the past decade. I see huge potential in the global development sector for AI technology to reduce cost and time needed to translate and caption content for our cohort based learning experiences. Live captioning for our events has also been something we’ve worked hard on through partnerships and the AI for live captioning continues to improve. And lastly our multilingual learning and events platform is already available in dozens of languages but AI tech has opened up the possibility for hundreds more less spoken languages to more efficiently be used in our stack.

2. Creating more opportunities for accessibility. The AI accessibility revolution is upon us. We are big on inclusion at TechChange from making our courses 508 compliant to providing sign language service options for our partners for virtual and hybrid conferences. AI tech will allow us to provide more inclusive spaces for those who need it.

3. Generating virtual environments and scenarios for simulation-based learning: Simulations are a powerful way to build skills and demonstrate learning. I see huge potential for AI to power the building of complex scenarios and environments quickly and efficiently, especially when paired with VR/AR. At TechChange we have designed many 3D virtual environments for events and conferences and are excited to be piloting some immersive training projects with several partners this year. Get in touch if you are interested in working with us on this.

4. Recommendation and matching engines: At TechChange we believe that building relationships is as important as building skills. We are social creatures and we learn better with other people. That’s why we’re excited to experiment in the coming months with engines and tools that help facilitate networking connections and personalized learning experiences for our learning cohorts.

5. Summary generation: ChatGPT and other tools are great for generating content but I am really excited about summary generation. We have been capturing summaries for meetings, summaries for trainings, summaries for conferences, etc. – Both text based and video based – that can be easily processed and shared at speed. In today’s FOMO world I think this is a powerful application that will only improve.

6. AI-supported workshops and trainings: We also see potential for using ChatGPT and other tools within flow of activities exercises to support learning outcomes for both in person and virtual experiences. AI can help to do time bound do-read outs of group conversations, support with research and synthesis prompts, pair groups and participants up more effectively based on specific criteria and more.

7. ???

Educators and global development professionals- Curious what you think? How are you using AI to support your learning outcomes?

Some other news…

We are excited to bring back our AI for global development online cohort course. This was one of our more popular offerings from 2017-2020 and given the interest and demand in 2023, we are thrilled to be revamping it and adding additional content related to ethics and responsible data.

We don’t have a specific date yet but you can register for the waitlist here.

Get in touch if you want to explore how TechChange can support you in delivering best-in-class AI-powered learning and convening experiences.

By Omondi Peter, GDDF Ambassador – Kenya

Being a sports enthusiast, Covid – 19 meant no team sports, and this was frustrating to me. I spent much of my time indoors building and testing online Life Skills Challenges for my students which I found interesting and consoling in some way.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, TechChange was looking for volunteers to help facilitate Happy Hour Sessions during the Our Future Our Voices Youth Summit under International Youth Foundation.

I signed up for the role and I was accepted. This role gave me an opportunity to learn and connect with a wide range of professionals from across the globe. My favorite moment though was the points segment whereby contributing and engaging on discussion threads earned one points. I emerged the top point winner for the Summit, and I felt so nice about it.

Since then, I kept following TechChange events and in 2022 I saw an open call for participation for Global Digital Development Forum to which I signed up.

My main aim here was to be the most active platform user and contributor on discussions that I felt were relevant. My goal was to earn the most points and win. I attended nearly all the live sessions, breakout sessions, listened to all the lightening talks, attended most the tech demos, and had my nose in nearly every virtual room of the GDDF 2022. Turned out to be the top point winner with 1852 points, followed very closely by Wayan Vota who came in second with 1631 points. Again, I felt motivated as I had found my niche and field of play.

Being a Top Point winner, I had a number of offers to choose from, I selected a 30 minutes 1 – 1 coaching session with CEO TechChange Nick Martin, our meeting was facilitated by Kristen Weymouth and I met Nick Martin who hinted to me about the Hybrid Pilot projects regarding the GDDF and asked if I would be interested to be part of that, I said to Nick, “By all means, bring it on.” True to his word I was recruited as an Ambassador for the Frontiers of Digital Development Forum in 2022, where my role was to organize and facilitate a hybrid watch Party in Nairobi.

Come 2023, TechChange again was looking to roll out a hybrid pilot for the Global Digital Development Forum and I was asked if I would be interested to be an Ambassador for the GDDF 2023 to which I accepted. This time I had two goals, to lead one of the best Watch Parties and to be the top point winner on the GDDF TechChange Platform.

GDDF 2023 Watch Party at Palladium’s Nairobi offices

I can proudly say I did both and felt really good about it. By being part of the first ever hybrid version of GDDF, leading a watch party that brought 29 participants and seven major organizational representatives in one room to engage on real issues affecting their local communities, the following are some of the lessons I learnt going through the process.

TechChange has a working model that is already transforming the convening landscape starting with Tech players and industries and more partners and stakeholders need to join in.
We do not have to travel to New York City etc for conferences to engage on issues affecting us locally, we can just be empowered to organize our local sessions and synchronize that to the main event happening anywhere around the world.
Building partnership is key for such projects to thrive, thank you to Palladium; Make it possible for believing on the idea and sponsoring and hosting the Kenya Watch Party.
Young people are a powerhouse of change, all they need is a clear direction and tools to realize their full potential.
The pandemic has transformed the way people view things especially the education and convening models and the hybrid mode approach is the way to go.

The Kenya watch Party event was unique, as it involved both local and international guests, with the most enticing element being the Team Project at the end where participants were divided into 4 groups, each group was tasked to come up with a project they will undertake post the GDDF 2023 to help mitigate Climate Change issues in Kenya.

With TechChange providing an open space for the ambassadors to create their own models to meet their own needs made the whole concept more interesting and fun as it allowed flexibility and creativity resulting to diverse outcomes.

With the firm foundation established for the future GDDF, the team is now building their own momentum focusing on the 2023 Kenya Watch Party Theme “Tech4ClimateChange” both online and offline looking forward to the GDDF 2024.

By: Christopher Ford, Senior Director of Hybrid Events

Before embarking on my current role as Senior Director of Hybrid Events at TechChange, I had already clocked in more than 20 years in the events industry. Over the years, I’ve seen the events industry from almost every angle.

I’ve been the event manager in search of critical event services. I’ve been on the venue side and seen how exceptional event planners execute a seemingly flawless meeting. I’ve executed meetings that range in format, size, location, budget, and subject matter and dealt with the complex in and outs of events with guests from the White House and A-List celebs to events with hundreds of demanding attendees, all with a unique set of challenges, requirements, and expectations.

And while there are some basic fundamentals to every event, the execution will be different every time because of the objective of the event, the venue, the attendees, etc. No event is ever exactly the same, even ones that happen year after year. That is more true than ever now with the rise of hybrid events.

However, there are some steps you can take to avoid common pitfalls in the new hybrid events world. I refer to these pitfalls as the “seven deadly sins” and it’s all too easy to make during event planning.

Sin #1 – Virtual attendees become “ghost” attendees.

Virtual attendees face unique challenges when it comes to engagement and participation. Because they’re not in the room, they may not have access to the same level of interaction as in-person attendees. Don’t let your virtual participants drop off the map!

Bring virtual attendees into the conversation and ensure that their voices are heard through live Q&A sessions, polls and surveys, interactive breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and other engagement activities.

By uniquely seeking ways to include virtual attendees in the conversation, organizers can create a more collaborative and dynamic event experience for everyone involved. This not only helps to build stronger connections between attendees, but it also ensures that all attendees feel valued and heard.

Sin #2 – Your virtual and in-person experiences = two roads that never meet.

This new event tool we call hybrid has two components: the first is you have two sets of distinct audiences – the virtual and the in person – both with distinct reasons for choosing their participation format. The second component is the two audiences need to have some shared experiences to make the one event a truly hybrid experience. A common mistake is not recognizing that the in person experience and the virtual experience will never be exactly the same. You can’t take your in-person agenda and simply live stream it to the on-line audience. Vice-versa, the in-person attendee can’t participate in a critical chat discussion on-line during a keynote and can miss out on important voices. You have to create content that engages both audiences in their unique setting – and then bring them together.

At the end of the day, people attend meetings and conferences to make connections. If there’s no networking across in-person or online participants or being able to attend sessions together, people leave without a significant sense of having attended the same event and one group or the other feels slighted.

Sin #3 – An agenda that clings to the beaten path.

In this post-pandemic world, on-line participants have become exceptionally savvy in a short amount of time. So, simply live streaming a Zoom call won’t keep your audience engaged.

Keep your attendees from Zoom fatigue by incorporating a mix of different session types and experiences. This can include a combination of keynote speakers, panel discussions, breakout sessions, interactive workshops, networking opportunities and on-demand (or asynchronous) sessions.

Get creative with your content, your format, your media, and your interactivity! Your audience will thank you for it, and you’re far less likely to experience the “Day 2 Drop-Off” that is all too common in hybrid event participation.

Sin #4 – Accessibility as an afterthought.

Accessibility considerations can vary widely depending on the needs of individual attendees. For example, in-person attendees may require wheelchair accessibility, while virtual attendees may require closed captioning or other assistive technologies. You have to consider both!

By taking a proactive approach to accessibility, event organizers can ensure that all attendees have the resources they need to fully participate in the event.

Some key accessibility considerations for hybrid events include:

Providing accessible transportation and parking options for in-person attendees
Offering closed captioning, sign language interpretation, or other assistive technologies for virtual attendees
Ensuring that all event materials, including presentations and handouts, are accessible to attendees with visual impairments or other disabilities – or materials are available for download for on-line attendees
Designing event spaces to be wheelchair accessible and accommodating to attendees with mobility issues
Providing clear instructions and guidelines for accessing the virtual experience and participating in sessions

Sin #5 – Taking a “let’s just…” approach to technology.

In my opinion, the phrase, “let’s just…” should be stricken from every planner’s vocabulary. It implies that the person isn’t thinking strategically or creatively. Taking a “let’s just” approach to technology will kill the hybrid event experience for all participants.

Remember, technology is the thing that connects your two audiences and makes the hybrid experience unique for both in-person and on-line attendees. Consider elevating your production quality for high-profile speakers or for your opening and closing plenaries; this is where both audiences are typically more engaged and excited. Keynotes and open and closing plenaries have a big impact on attendees overall experiences. Plan and budget for graphic elements like animation, bumpers, music, and other graphics that bring cohesion and excitement for the entire audience experience.

Conversely, overcomplicating the technical is just as bad as under conceptualizing the tech. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest technology and want to incorporate all the bells and whistles into our events. However, the more complicated the setup, the higher the chance of technical issues occurring during the event.

Attendees don’t want to spend their time troubleshooting technical difficulties. They want to focus on the content and the overall experience of the event. Overcomplicating the technical aspects of hybrid events can detract from the overall experience and even cause attendees to tune out.

Sin #6 – Throwing attendees into the deep end without a floatie

As an event organizer, your job isn’t just to plan and execute – it’s also to ensure that attendees have a smooth and seamless experience. This means providing clear instructions for how to access the event platform, how to navigate the conference agenda, and how to engage with other attendees.

When attendees are left to figure things out on their own, they become frustrated or disengaged. Providing resources and instructions upfront, you set them up for success and ensure that they get the most out of their experience.

Consider creating a welcome packet or guide that includes all of the information attendees need to know. This could include instructions for logging in, tips for networking, and a detailed agenda with links to each session. Make sure to provide resources for troubleshooting common issues, such as slow internet speeds or trouble accessing the platform – and make these available ahead of time so attendees are not scrambling seconds before your keynote speaker takes the mainstage.

By taking the time to provide these resources and instructions, you can show attendees that you value their time and are invested in their success. When attendees have a positive experience, they’re more likely to return for future events and recommend your event to others.

Sin #7 – Overlooking inclusivity and keeping important voices out of the conversion because they’re not in the “room”

Hybrid events provide a unique opportunity to connect with people both in-person and virtually, but we must ensure that everyone has equal access and feels welcome.

When planning a hybrid event, make sure that all aspects of the event, from registration to networking opportunities, are accessible and accommodating for all audiences, whether they’re in-person or on-line.

Inclusion is not just a buzzword – it’s an important aspect of creating a successful and impactful event. By prioritizing inclusion and accessibility, we create a more welcoming and diverse event where attendees feel valued and empowered.

A final word…

I am incredibly proud that we apply these best practices to each and every event we support at TechChange, particularly as we expand our hybrid portfolio. In doing so, we are making each event more accessible, engaging, and inclusive than the last. Not to mention more sustainable. But, I’ll save that for another blog post!

SID-US (formerly SID-Washington) is the largest and most active chapter of the Society for International Development (SID), an international network founded in 1957 to serve as a global forum dedicated to sustainable economic, social and political development. SID-US brings diverse constituencies together to debate critical ideas, innovations, policies and practices, advancing equitable development.

TechChange has had the honor of supporting the SID-US Conference annually since 2020, including the upcoming 2023 SID-US Annual Conference taking place on May 24 online and in Washington, DC. SID-US President Katherine Raphaelson shares her reflections on their 2022 hybrid experiment and what’s in store for 2023.

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Q: Leading up to the SID-US 2022 conference, what were you most excited for?

A: We were excited (and nervous) to see how a truly hybrid conference would work. We had a vision for what the day would encompass and how it would feel for in-person and virtual attendees and were eager to see our vision take shape.

Q: What were you most worried about while organizing a hybrid conference?

A We were very worried about the many, many moving parts and something falling through the cracks or simply not working. We realized that having a truly hybrid conference is really like running 2.5 or even 3 conferences at once – the in-person one, the virtual one, and connecting the two. We were worried some link in the chain would not hold and it would be messy.

Q: What were some of the benefits of hosting a hybrid conference compared to an in-person or virtual event?

A: We were able to include participants from all corners of the globe – attendees and speakers. This made for much richer conversations and interactions and made it all more inclusive. At the same time, our in-person attendees were able to have the connections they had missed so much during the pandemic, engaging in ways that virtual just doesn’t really support.

Q: How did you ensure that both in-person and virtual attendees had an equal opportunity to participate and engage with the conference?

A: We tried to give equal attention to both aspects of the conference and to make sure our virtual attendees did not feel as though they were simply watching all of us in person interacting. We tried to ask questions of the virtual attendees and to bring video to them from the exhibit hall floor via the Pop Up Studio. We had staff assigned specifically to manage virtual pieces vs. in-person.

Q: What was your favorite session or feature of last year’s event?

A: We all loved the Pop Up Studio and felt that surpassed expectations. It truly connected the virtual and in-person participants and made it a hybrid event. We also liked the lunch session which was hybrid and involved several in-person and several virtual speakers, including one who was both deaf and blind and needed an interpreter. It was very challenging putting that together and we thought it worked extremely well and felt truly inclusive.

Q: Did you receive any feedback from attendees about the hybrid format? If so, what were some of the key takeaways?

A: Yes we did. Many felt that it worked quite well. We did learn that attendees do not like pre-recorded sessions, not surprisingly, and prefer all sessions to be live, whether in-person or virtual.

Q: What are you most excited about for this year’s conference coming up on May 24?

A: I am excited to be doing most of the same things as last year to hold a fully hybrid conference but with more confidence since we have done it before. Last year was a little nerve wracking. This year we are genuinely excited. We feel we can improve on many aspects and attract a really vibrant crowd – both virtually and in person. In fact, we already have a lot more people coming than I would have anticipated at this point. I also think people feel a little safer gathering in person than we did last year so I am excited about that.

Q: What new features or improvements will be made to the conference based on feedback from last year’s event?

A: We will not have any pre-recorded virtual breakout sessions – they will all be live. We hope to have a way for in-person attendees to gather in certain spaces to see the virtual programming throughout the day. This is challenging due to the configuration of our space at the Ronald Reagan Building but we are working on it.

Q: How are you approaching the theme and agenda for this year’s conference?

A: This year’s theme was determined via crowdsourcing – we asked SID-US members and the broader international development community to vote and the clear winner was Power Shift: Defining the Next Decade of Development. This is a great theme for where we are right now and what our priorities and those of our members are. Power shift addresses so many key priorities from localization to DEIA to private sector engagement, youth engagement and so much more. And it really is what will define the next decade of development. The agenda is still in the works! We hope to have more to say on this soon but we anticipate keynote speakers, high level panels, and many breakout sessions – both in-person and virtual. Of course, we’ll also have networking time.

Q: Can you share any keynote speakers or panelists that you are particularly excited about for this year’s event?

A: Not yet! But soon!

Q: Where can people find out more?

A: Here! http://www.sidusconference.org/

Q: So, tell us more about yourself. Why do you like working on events?

I like variety. I like the variety of clients that working on events allows me to interact with. I like the variety of experiences that we get to create for people. I’ve often said “an event is an event, is an event; but all events are different.” In other words there’s some basic logistics to events, but the execution is different all the time. No day at work is ever the same.

But mostly I like working in events because events bring people together. There’s something magical about getting a good group of people together for a common purpose. Whether they’re bonded by business, a common purpose or good music, a successful event can inspire people to act in a way other activities rarely do.

Q: How did you first hear about TechChange?

The first time I heard about TechChange was when Lindsey Burke reached out to me on LinkedIn. Thank you Lindsey! Although, through my past work at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the Newseum, I realized TechChange and I had many overlapping connections – including close ties with USAID. I am thrilled to be able to continue playing a small part in supporting big goals like improving digital democracy and stemming climate change.

Q: What are some of your favorite parts of working at TechChange so far?

Two things immediately come to mind; the people and the culture. I’ve been using a Nick-ism a lot to describe it – TechChange is a company of “good humans”. I don’t use the term company to mean a business. But in the secondary definition; meaning the fact or condition of being with others, especially in a way that provides friendship and comradery. And this company of good humans has created a culture where we get to do cool stuff that helps other good humans.

Q: What excites you about this role?

I’m excited to apply the TechChange platform to the hybrid event model for our partners. Across the event industry, we can safely say that events are not going back to the pre-pandemic in-person only model. Over the last couple of years, the entire world dove head first into virtual events and while virtual is fantastic, there’s nothing like real human interaction.

So hybrid is the next step in the evolution of events. It’s now about having the right people in the “room”- no matter if the “room” is real or not- and those people having the right conversations. But more importantly, the right people in the right spaces having the right conversations can affect change in the right areas. So, I’m really looking forward to seeing how TechChange can help move the needle on the ground in the areas where our partners work.

Q: Anything you look forward to working on or learning at TechChange?

Naturally, I’m looking forward to my first Global Digital Development Forum coming up soon in April.

But, I’m also excited to build out the service packages that will go along with a TechChange hybrid event, like our local Watch Party model, venue selection, and full-service event management. We’ll be sharing a lot more on these in the coming weeks!

Q: Lastly, what’s something that not a lot of people know about you?

I’m a proud introvert. I get asked a lot, how is an introvert successful in an industry where your job is to literally bring people together. The two are not mutually exclusive. Most people misunderstand introverts. I highly recommend reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain if you want to nerd out on the introverts vs extroverts topic.

Not all introverts are antisocial or shy – I love being around people and if you put me on a stage and hand me a microphone I’m likely to break out in song. My introvert-ness shows up after the “party” ends. I need time alone to recharge my batteries.

By: Sacha Robehmed, FDDF Ambassador (Jordan), and Partner, Digital at Expectation State

With the new year often comes transformation. A calendar flips to a new page, resolutions are proclaimed, new habits get made. But transformation of the digital sort is more ongoing – perpetual, even.

Several weeks ago, TechChange and partners hosted the first-ever Frontiers of Digital Development Forum (FDDF), a two day hybrid conference to consider more aspirational technologies and their practical utility (or lack thereof) for large-scale humanitarian and development objectives. TechChange worked with Ambassadors to host watch parties in locations across the world–in Kenya, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan and Tanzania–to make the FDDF 2022 a truly hybrid experience and to ensure that conversations about digital development were happening in the places where digital development is taking place.

In the Jordanian capital, TechChange and Expectation State screened one of the flagship sessions, “What is Digital Transformation Anyway?” on the morning of November 2nd at Impact Hub Amman. A group of professionals whose work spans the humanitarian and development sectors, tech startup ecosystem, and digital rights, joined the breakfast event for a lively discussion. At Expectation State, as development practitioners living in the countries where we work, we believe that context is vitally important – which was underscored when a locally contextualised understanding of digital transformation came to the fore during the FDDF Amman discussion.

A decade ago, ‘digital transformation’ was the purview of government digital services in countries like the UK and Estonia. These models of digital transformation were held up as examples and shared with Majority World countries in a “top down”, often one-size-fits-all, way. But a decade on, and in our FDDF conversation we saw something quite different, showing how far ‘digital transformation’ has come. We covered everything from virtual reality and the metaverse, open source intelligence, humanitarian cash transfers, and education during COVID lockdowns. Compared to the ‘digital transformation’ of a decade ago, it was striking how rich, informed, and diverse the conversation in Amman was around digital transformation today – perhaps reflecting the diversity of views and understandings of digital transformation that we see from different countries across the digital development ecosystem. What emerged was an understanding of digital transformation unique to Jordan, and very much rooted in the context here.

*FDDF watch party at Impact Hub in Amman on November 2, 2022*

We’d like to share four takeaways from the Amman discussion on digital transformation:

1. Education as a local example of COVID-19 digital transformation – that wasn’t inclusive

Undoubtedly, COVID-19 accelerated digital transformation globally. In the FDDF session, Rachel Sibande from the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL) shared how countries with existing digital infrastructure were able to make faster payments during the COVID-19 lockdowns. In Jordan, the example of education shifting online was a key topic in our digital transformation discussion. With technology hardware not widespread, this example of digital transformation left people behind. While school classes were shown on TV to try to overcome the hardware gaps, in families with four of five children this wasn’t enough – how were they all meant to watch their classes at the same time on one device? While there were some initiatives giving laptops in an attempt to bridge the hardware gap, what about connectivity and data costs? In this very local example of digital transformation of education during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite best intentions the most vulnerable were not included.

2. Digital transformation has been called other names

*Whiteboard activity at FDDF Amman watch party*

Our discussion took on a historical perspective, reflecting on digital transformation as the most recent in a long series of buzzwords over the last two decades, which all have a similar meanings. From “e-government” and “going paperless,” to “smart organisations/smart cities” and “the fourth industrial revolution” – just how different is digital transformation anyway? We also reflected on the concerns around digital transformation historically, such as government workers fearing that computers would take their jobs when they were first introduced to ministries, but the efficiencies and advantages that digital transformation has created – we definitely don’t want to go back to the paper-based processes of the past. Looking at digital transformation from a historical perspective highlighted how far we’ve come, but also that many of the challenges and risks of new technologies are similar to those of past and present technologies.

3. Big tech giants – the view from Jordan

Meta and big tech giants featured heavily in our discussion. We talked about the power tech companies have, not only in our individual lives in terms of their data capture, but at a geopolitical level, such as the conflict around 5G technologies. The dominance of big tech in the future landscape was of particular concern, epitomised by the renaming of facebook to Meta as we move towards Web3 technologies and the metaverse. We talked about what the future might hold – if it was one where big tech grows increasingly powerful, or if the monopolies of big tech are broken up through regulation, and interoperability and decentralised alternatives emerging from outside the US will offer a different future. To what extent might digital transformation enable the building of digital products based on available talent and existing needs in Jordan, versus offering more regulatory space for big tech in the country?

4. Rights-based digital transformation means non-digital alternatives

As Jordan is host to the “second-highest share of refugees per capita” according to UNHCR, our understanding of digital transformation in Jordan was heavily informed by this. We talked about individuals being more or less vulnerable depending on their awareness of privacy and personal data protection. If individuals were unaware of their rights and just signed up to get a service, this wasn’t seen as meaningful digital transformation. Providing individuals with non-digital options in order to offer inclusive services, and to give the option to “opt-out” of digital services, was key to this rights-based approach to digital transformation offered by humanitarian actors during the discussion. At the same time, they acknowledged that digital has made changes for the better, for instance, increasing efficiency in cash distribution, compared to paper-based processes of the past. We also talked about power dynamics, identifying and mitigating risks of digital transformation, and discussed practical measures that should be taken such as identifying technology partners with similar values.

From a rights-based focus on digital transformation emerging from the high refugee (and humanitarian agency) presence, to the inclusiveness of digital transformation during COVID-19, the history of ‘digital transformation (by other names), and the dominance of US big tech in the Majority World; the Amman FDDF watch party had a rich and varied discussion about digital transformation. Which leaves us wondering – what might digital development actors elsewhere identify with and learn from our conversation? And what might we learn from similar discussions in Nairobi, Lagos, and in your city?

We’re looking forward to continuing these conversations at next year’s FDDF! In the meantime, please share your thoughts in the comments.

By: Jessica Swann, Director of Partnerships for Education

As TechChange’s new Director of Partnerships for Education, I have been in learning mode this week at the Global Digital Health Forum, catching up on what my peers and new coworkers have been working on in this vital and fast-moving space.

In preparing for the conference, I dove into TechChange’s wealth of materials within the Digital Health space, and I want to share an animated video that caught my eye as a high-quality, easy to understand instructional aide: “Standards and Interoperability in Digital Health: Explained.” It really helped me to understand these complicated concepts.

I’m an education generalist, with a rather eclectic range of experiences. Yet across all my previous roles, whether I’ve been writing about in-depth topics on database administration, or leading a program to strengthen capacity for virtual teaching amongst university lecturers from the Peruvian Public Sector, I’ve seen the importance time and time again of distilling complex concepts into digestible, engaging educational assets. This video is a great example of that – the clear narration, illustrative graphics, and storytelling bring these digital health concepts to life.

Storytelling to illustrate real-life problems

The video takes us to the fictional country of Onesa, where the government is implementing a national vaccination campaign. We meet Lucy, the National Immunization Officer, and Isaac, a health officer from one of the more rural districts. They share a goal of vaccinating children against disease, but are quickly faced with challenges that arise from multiple systems tracking key pieces of information such as the number of children who need to be vaccinated and the number of vaccines that are available.

This is exactly the kind of dilemma faced by healthcare leaders in countries around the world as they struggle to manage resources effectively.

Lucy and Isaac consider integrating the systems manually, but this quickly becomes too complex and costly to manage. Lucy has a whole country to manage for the immunization campaign, and Isaac has the other health issues in his district to consider. They can’t afford to spend all their time doing manual, error-prone integration. The systems need to talk to each other in a way that’s efficient and cost-effective.

Enter the concept of interoperability.

What is ‘interoperability’ anyway?

Interoperability is the ability for multiple applications to communicate with one another by accessing, exchanging, and making use of data in a coordinated manner.

In the context of digital health, this means that health information systems like OpenIMS and DHIS2 can communicate directly and exchange data. As the video does a great job of explaining, standards help to achieve this.

What are the different kinds of standards?

The video shows us that there are two different sets of standards to consider for interoperability:

Semantic standards – that help applications establish a common vocabulary; and

Syntactic standards – that allow applications to share a common grammar to communicate meaning.

It’s amazing how much this sounds like language acquisition! In order to communicate and share information, systems have to have to understand the words and ways of putting them together…just like people.

*We tackle interoperability in our Architects of Digital Health board game*

Countries can invest in a health information exchange, which is enterprise architecture that bundles all digital health applications together to provide guidance to software developers on how to manage interoperability between them. It stores lists of terms and concepts, and maps how they relate to each other. Kind of like the Rosetta Stone of digital health tools.

These terms can sound abstract, but in practice, standards and interoperability of digital health systems help save lives. Careful, systematic implementation of these concepts allows policymakers and decision makers to see population-level trends and make time-sensitive decisions that impact the lives in every locality, in every age group, and at each point in the health journey.

Accessible knowledge for all

So there you have it, interoperability in a nutshell. And you don’t need to be a software developer or digital health expert to understand the importance of this concept.

I love that the video makes it easy to understand the stakes and goals of digital health applications and makes simple the complex concept of interoperability.

In my role, I get to work with our partners to develop assets just like this, which can help explain complicated concepts and share knowledge across diverse learner communities. Indeed, at this very moment, we’re working with IFAD on creating a digital agriculture course, to help policy makers and extension workers understand how concepts like interoperability have a role to play in the design and application of agriculture and environmental policy.

You see, standards and interoperability are just as important within digital agriculture as they are within digital health. Systems need to communicate with each other in order to help stakeholders manage information and make timely, evidence-based decisions to maximize yields and get food products to market.

I’m looking forward to flexing TechChange’s amazing creative skills and instructional design muscles now and into the future, creating new videos and other web-based educational tools to help our partners to communicate all manner of complex ideas in ingeniously simple ways, and seeing the impact of this work in their programs.

This video was created by TechChange as a part of the Digital Health: Planning National Systems Course to support the training on standards and interoperability, funded by Digital Square, a PATH-led initiative funded and designed by the United States Agency for International Development, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and a consortium of other investors.