Boost Virtual Events -...

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


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:

[email protected]

For additional information

regarding Boost Virtual Events,

please contact:

Lan Kaim

Vice President

Business Development

SharpLogic

[email protected]

425.830.5412

mailto:[email protected]



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%.

http://events.boostweb20.com/Events/Demo


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


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.


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.


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


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)


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


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


Figure 12 - The Sidebar provides easy access to the attendee's favorites


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.


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.


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)


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.


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.


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


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)


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.


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.


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.


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


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.


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”


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


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


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 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


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.

http://www.speakflow.com/

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

http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/get-started/install


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 | 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:

[email protected]

For additional information

regarding Boost Virtual Events,

please contact:

Lan Kaim

Vice President

Business Development

SharpLogic

[email protected]

425.830.5412




SHARPLOGIC CONFIDENTIAL – DRAFT COPY FOR REVIEW


SHARPLOGIC CONFIDENTIAL – DRAFT COPY FOR REVIEW

For more information on Boost Virtual Events, please visit:

http://www.boostvirtualevents.com

http://www.boostvirtualevents.com/

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