Bishop-McCann, a worldwide leader in the meetings, incentives, and events industry, is showcasing its commitment to event technology with the announcement of its proprietary Joy Index. The Joy Index is an innovative measurement tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to quantify attendee engagement and experience in real-time. This tool leverages cutting-edge technology and is designed to help planners understand quickly – in the middle of an event – what truly resonates with their audiences to create more impactful and joyful events.
The Joy Index: A New Standard for Measuring Event Success
Historically, post-event surveys are the main way to gauge an event’s success, relying on attendees recalling what they learned or how they felt. These one-dimensional surveys don’t allow planners insight into truly recognizing if they created a joyful, immersive experience. They fall short of providing a clear picture of in-the-moment attendee engagement, a measurement that is so critical for event planner success.
The Joy Index™ changes that by using a combination of AI-powered tools (including facial analytics and wearable technology) to deliver an instant, more accurate, science-based measurement of attendee emotions and reactions.
“With the Joy Index, we’re moving beyond vanity metrics like five-star ratings. Our approach lets us track real-time engagement, moment-by-moment, to see exactly how attendees are reacting,” said Rob Adams, CEO & Owner, Bishop-McCann. “It’s not passive feedback; it’s authentic data capturing how people truly feel. This allows us to dissect every session and make adjustments on the fly to ensure our events resonate deeply and effectively with the audience.”
Two Key Technologies Driving the Joy Index™
- Immersion Platform: This platform, created by renowned neuroscientist Dr. Paul Zak, measures changes in attendees’ heart rates using attendees’ own smartwatches or fitness trackers. The collected data helps to assess their emotional engagement (referred to as neurologic immersion). By analyzing this information, event organizers can see which parts of an event were the most impactful, moment-by-moment.In 2017, Bishop-McCann partnered with Dr. Paul Zak to introduce trust surveys, revolutionizing how the meetings and events industry measures success. Building on this groundbreaking work, Bishop-McCann is once again collaborating with Dr. Zak to take event analytics to the next level, providing even deeper insights into attendee engagement and emotional connection.
- Zenus AI: This facial analytics tool anonymously analyzes attendee expressions and energy levels during events. The system provides an overall energy score, as well as insights into how different demographics, such as gender and age groups, engage with content. All data is collected ethically, ensuring complete anonymity for attendees.
A Real-World Example: BMC4M Event in Cancun
During Bishop-McCann’s annual off-site event, BMC4M, in Cancun, Mexico, the Joy Index was used to track attendee engagement. Select participants wore smartwatches that provided real-time data on their engagement and safety, which was measured through the Immersion Platform. Zenus AI also captured facial analytics during key sessions, providing insights into the energy and reactions of the audience.
“By combining these data sets, we were able to identify key moments of peak engagement and areas for improvement instantly while the event was taking place,” said Todd Moritz, Bishop-McCann VP of Event Technology. “Did the video have the impact we expected? Did the keynote land with the audience? The Joy Index offered a new level of insight into the attendee experience, unlocking a wealth of data and potential for planners to truly understand how they can tailor events to keep the audience engaged and joyful.”
AI-Driven Personalization for Future Events
“The Joy Index™ represents a leap forward in measuring event experiences and designing future successful experiences based on that. With AI, we can now leverage event data to build predictive models, giving us a high level of confidence in what works and what doesn’t,” said Rob Adams, CEO & Owner of Bishop-McCann. “This predictive intelligence allows us to shape future event programming based on concrete insights. By analyzing the data collected, we can anticipate audience reactions and refine our designs in ways that will resonate deeply with attendees. AI’s ability to forecast success will revolutionize how we plan and execute events.”
SOURCE: BusinessWire