December 2014
Cover Story/Big Ideas
5 New Books, 5 Big Ideas
We explore The Internet of Things, bigger roles for women, how buildings talk to us, why farm-to-table food isn't enough, and how to focus your efforts on what's most essential.
Cover illustration by Klari Reis
Features
How to Plan a Hackathon
Once synonymous with high-tech, hackathons have gone mainstream, multiplying and morphing into new models — bringing a new wave of innovation and interactive learning to conferences and meetings.
Generation Y and the Future of Meetings
It’s time to stop fussing over the rise of Millennials and start looking at the ways they’ve already influenced meetings and conventions — from event design to F&B to technology. Are those changes here to stay, or just a cyclical product of routine generational evolution?
Building a Meeting Around the Panama Canal
Our yearlong series has come to this: an exclusive on-site report from the 2014 Global Engineering Conference — featuring the Panama Canal, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a thousand students, professors, and practitioners who want to build a better world.
PopTech's Andrew Zolli on Resilience
In a volatile world, organizational and personal resilience are more important than ever. PopTech founder Andrew Zolli explains how to develop and maintain it.
3 Days in Ireland
A tradition of warm hospitality, ancient history, rich culture, and awe-inspiring landscapes — Ireland has all of these assets in spades.
Departments
Supported Article Innovative Meetings
Inside Seattle's Tableau Conference
The 2014 Tableau Conference in Seattle finds the software company embracing creativity, customization — and its hometown.
How to Leverage Big Data
To outmaneuver the competition, we need to be nimble, decisive, and in constant beta mode.
The Numbers Behind What Makes Us Give
Two new reports analyze trends in charitable giving — which is returning to pre-recession levels in the United States — and offer guideposts for meeting-related CSR programs.
Understanding Force Majeure
Here is a refresher guide to dealing with unexpected risk in existing contracts.
Cyber-Security Basics
Is your meeting vulnerable to cyber attack? Start by looking at these three potential weak spots.
Tall Buildings
Yes, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats (CTBUH) is the official arbitrator of the world’s tallest buildings. But the organization is interested in more than size.
Plenary
What's Next for Wearable Tech?
The expression “Wear it in good health” has taken on a whole new meaning with fitness- and activity-monitoring wearable devices such as the Fitbit Charge and NikeFuel bracelets entering the consumer market.
NY Comic Con Zaps Harassment
Sci-fi and fantasy conferences have drawn ire due to inadequate anti-harassment policies. Here's how one show solved the problem.
Meg Fasy Bets Big on Meetings
The new vice president of sales at The Bellagio in Las Vegas has seen the meetings industry from almost every vantage point.
CAA’s Artful Conference
This annual meeting draws college and university professors in art history or studio art, museum and curatorial professors, and graduate art students.
Bill McDermott on Why Winners Dream
The author and speaker shares why he believes so strongly in the power of meetings to inspire and educate.
Also In This Issue
The End of the Beginning
Or is it the beginning of the end? Either way, Convening Leaders 2015 is next month! Here’s what to know before you go.
Living, Breathing History
Our travels to Ireland and Panama have given us a fresh perspective on meetings.