Procreation and Interprefy partnership

Procreation and Interprefy partnership

by | Business, Corporate, Featured, Services, Virtual Events

Procreation are delighted to announce their new partnership with Interprefy

For twenty years Procreation has been providing clients with translation, captioning and sign language services. This has been for live, pre-recorded and edits of events across the full spectrum of hybrid, in-the-room and fully virtual. 

Over this time we have worked with a number of superb third-parties, seamlessly integrating their solutions into our range of products.

“With the steep rise in the demand for hybrid solutions and event apps, plus the adoption of inclusive event technology, it made perfect sense for us to formalise a long-term partnership – and Interprefy was the obvious choice.” Matt Francis, CEO

By integrating Interprefy into our multiple event offerings, we can offer a more modular, time and cost-effective solution to all of our clients – old and new.

If you need an event app, or a hybrid or fully virtual event solution that incorporates any translation solutions, get in touch today – we can definitely help!

Get in touch

More insights from the Procreation blog

How does Blockchain work?

How does Blockchain work?

by | Blockchain, Business, Corporate, Cryptocurrency, Featured, Web3

Blockchain use cases are vast and varied, but to understand how blockchain works, and how useful it really is, we need to first look at the technology that surrounds it, and how this fits into the new emerging digital landsdcape. The term Blockchain is used daily in the media, but many individuals, and businesses, are uncertain what this technology does, how it can be used, and the impact it will have on our lives. Web3, NFT’s, cryptocurrencies and the metaverse are all part of the story, so here we dive into a few basics around this technology, how it will not only drive the next evolution of the internet, but change many aspects of our everyday lives.

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a digital technology that allows for the creation of a secure and decentralized ledger of transactions. What does that mean? In a blockchain network, transactions are authenticated through a process called consensus. This involves multiple participants in the network, known as nodes, working together to verify and validate each transaction.

To authenticate a transaction on a blockchain network, the following steps are typically followed:

  1. A user initiates a transaction, which is broadcast to the network.
  2. The transaction is received by multiple nodes on the network.
  3. Each node independently verifies the transaction, ensuring that it is valid and complies with the network’s rules and regulations.
  4. If a transaction is deemed valid by a majority of the nodes, it is added to a block of transactions, along with a unique code called a “hash.”
  5. The block is then added to the existing blockchain, forming a permanent and immutable record of the transaction.

This process of consensus ensures that transactions on the blockchain are secure and cannot be altered or tampered with once they have been added to the blockchain. It also ensures that the network is decentralized and not controlled by any single entity.

Blockchain is often used in the context of cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Bitcoin, and NFTs (which we go into in a moment), but it has many other potential uses. Some use cases for blockchain technology include:

• Financial transactions: Blockchain can be used to securely record financial transactions, such as the transfer of money or other assets. This can help to reduce fraud and improve the speed and efficiency of financial transactions.

• Supply chain management: Blockchain can be used to track the movement of goods through a supply chain, providing a transparent and immutable record of each step in the process. This can help to improve the efficiency and accountability of the supply chain.

• Identity management: Blockchain can be used to create secure digital identities, which can be used to verify the identity of individuals or organizations online. This can help to reduce identity fraud and improve the security of online transactions.

• Voting: Blockchain can be used to create secure and transparent voting systems, allowing for the secure and transparent recording of votes. This can help to improve the integrity and trustworthiness of elections.

• Medical records: Blockchain can be used to securely store and manage medical records, providing patients with greater control over their personal health information and allowing for more efficient sharing of this information among healthcare providers.

virtual networking

What is an NFT and how are they used?

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are a type of digital asset that is created on a blockchain network. They are unique and cannot be replicated or replaced, which makes them valuable in many different contexts.

One of the key ways that NFTs are used with blockchain technology today is in the creation and trading of digital collectibles. These are unique digital assets, such as art (check out Bored Ape Yacht Club) , music (such as Royal), virtual items (for example Gucci Vault Land and Gucci Town), and virtual real estate (one example being Ethereum Towers), that are authenticated and verified on the blockchain. This allows for the creation of a secure and transparent marketplace for these assets, where they can be bought and sold by fans and collectors.

Another common use for NFTs is in the creation of decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. NFTs can be used as collateral for loans or other financial transactions, providing a unique and verifiable asset that can be used to secure these transactions.

A growing area for NFTs is as digital tickets for events. Instead of physical tickets, event organizers create unique NFTs for each attendee. These NFTs are then used to verify the identity of the attendee and grant them access to the event or series of events. As well as making event ticketing more efficient, this also helps reduce fraud and improve overall security.

NFTs in events can also be used as digital souvenirs or collectibles. Event organizers can create unique NFTs to commemorate the event, and these NFTs can be sold or given to attendees as a way of remembering the event. This helps to increase engagement and create additional revenue streams for event organizers.

The use of NFTs with blockchain technology allows for the creation of unique and verifiable digital assets that can be traded and used in a wide variety of contexts.

virtual networking

How does this work in relation to Cryptocurrencies?

One well-known blockchain brand is Bitcoin, which is a cryptocurrency that uses blockchain technology to securely record and verify financial transactions. Bitcoin was the first successful implementation of blockchain technology, and it remains one of the most well-known and widely used cryptocurrencies today. Other well-known blockchain brands include Ethereum and Solana, which are popular platforms for building decentralized applications, and Ripple, which is a blockchain-based payment network. There are also many other blockchain companies and projects, each with their own unique features and applications.

While Cryptocurrencies are not in themselves NFT’s, they can be used in conjunction with NFTs in a few different ways, including:

1. Decentralized financial applications

NFTs and Crypto can be used together in the creation of decentralized financial applications. NFTs can be used as collateral for loans or other financial transactions, and these transactions can be facilitated using Ethereum or other cryptocurrencies. This can help to create a more secure and efficient financial system, and can enable new types of financial services.

2. Digital assets collectibles

Another way that NFTs and Cryptocurrencies can be used together is in the creation of digital collectibles. As we have mentioned above, NFTs can be used to authenticate and verify the ownership of unique digital assets, such as art, music, virtual items, tickets for events and in some cases virtual real estate. These assets can then be bought and sold using Ethereum or other cryptocurrencies, creating a secure and transparent marketplace for these assets.

The use of NFTs and Crypto together has the potential to offer many benefits, such as increased security, improved efficiency, and the creation of new types of digital assets and financial services.

virtual networking

What is Web3 and how is it used?

Web3, also known as the “decentralized web,” is a term that refers to the use of blockchain technology to create decentralized applications and services. It has widely been acknowledged as the next iteration of the internet, leading us into a new way to experience the digital world, beyond the two dimensional websites and apps of today. The metaverse is a series virtual worlds, accessed via a browser or through VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) experiences. These are predominantly being built in Web3, and although still at a very early phase, it is widely thought these platforms will become the primary way in which we interface with Web3 applications.

Web3 applications can be used to improve various aspects of business, and some potential use cases for Web3 include:

• Supply chain management: Web3 applications can be used to create decentralized supply chain management systems, allowing businesses to track the movement of goods through the supply chain in a transparent and immutable manner. This can help to improve the efficiency and accountability of the supply chain.

• Financial transactions: Web3 applications can be used to create decentralized financial services, such as peer-to-peer lending platforms and decentralized exchanges. These applications can offer greater security and transparency compared to traditional financial services, and can help businesses to reduce costs and improve the speed of transactions.

• Data storage and management: Web3 applications can be used to create decentralized data storage and management systems, allowing businesses to store and manage data in a secure and decentralized manner. This can help to improve the security and accessibility of business data, and can enable businesses to comply with data protection regulations.

The use of Web3 in business has the potential to offer many benefits, such as increased security, improved efficiency, and enhanced transparency.

virtual networking

Should my company be using blockchain?

There are several potential reasons why a company might want to use blockchain technology. Some of the key benefits of using blockchain include:

• Increased security: Blockchain technology offers a high level of security, as it uses advanced cryptography to protect the integrity of the data stored on the network. This can help to prevent data breaches and other security incidents, making it an attractive option for companies that handle sensitive information.

• Improved efficiency: Blockchain technology can help to improve the efficiency of many business processes, such as supply chain management and financial transactions. This can help to reduce costs and improve the overall performance of company operations.

• Greater transparency: Blockchain technology allows for the creation of transparent and immutable records of transactions, which can help to build trust and improve accountability.

• Enhanced customer experience: The use of blockchain technology can improve the customer experience, for example by making financial transactions faster and more secure. This can help to build customer loyalty and drive business growth.

Overall, the use of blockchain technology can offer many potential benefits for companies. However, it is important to carefully evaluate the potential costs and benefits before implementing any new technology, to ensure that it aligns with your company’s goals and objectives.

In conclusion

As you can see, the potential applications for blockchain are vast and varied, with many technologies involved to create new and exciting use cases. The technology is constantly evolving, and it is likely that we will see more and more creative and innovative uses emerging which will make blockchain even more powerful as a tool for businesses in the future.

Procreation builds immersive 3D worlds for workplace solutions, virtual and hybrid events.

Contact us to find out how we can help you embrace the Web3 and Metaverse future.

Get in touch

More insights from the Procreation blog

Is online learning effective?

Is online learning effective?

by | Corporate, Virtual Events

How can you inspire teams via online learning?

Online training and education are widely used by many organisations, associations, and businesses.  But how can you inspire teams via online learning?  Is online learning effective?  Online learning isn’t always instead of face-to-face learning, but it can be.  Online learning programmes and e-learning are an excellent addition to face-to-face training.  E-learning opens the door to teams anywhere in the world; a training programme that has been rolled out once, can be refined, improved and repeated over and over again to different audiences of learners.

But, how can you inspire people to participate and get the most from it?  Here are some key elements to consider when designing and launching an online or e-learning programme.

Content and delivery

Most training programmes can categorised into two core areas of focus: the content that is being delivered, and the method used to deliver that content.  If the content is exciting and useful for the learners and the delivery is slick and easy to use, then you’re on to a winner!

Create exciting, engaging content, and deliver this well; the magic recipe for an engaged audience who will learn the skills and absorb the information being shared with them.  When online learners are motivated and inspired, they can increase their knowledge, learn new skills and improve their performance.

Engage your audience

Engagement may be a heavily used buzzword of the ‘now’ but engaging your learners to become a part of a training programme (rather than just listening to it) is vital.

What’s the best way to do this?  Keep them interested, and excited.

Include interactive elements like scavenger hunts in your training to make the training an open and two-way forum that encourages discussion and interactivity, plus adds an element of competition.

Polls and team-based challenges are simple ways to include this type of interesting and interactive content and promote deeper learning.

Recording and making the content available on demand after the training enables learners to revisit discussions and replay elements later in their own time.  This helps to reinforce the learning of that specific content and information.

Virtual Events environment

Include exciting media

Nobody enjoys reading long, solid blocks of text, or textbooks and learning is no different.  Rather than focusing on providing word heavy content, where possible, include eye catching imagery, interesting and compelling video and other forms of interest for your audiences’ eyes and ears.

This type of multimedia can be incredibly useful to demonstrate processes or concepts ‘in action’.

Test your learners!

If your learners are simply asked to listen and take notes, the likelihood is that they’ll get bored, switch off, and the learning won’t be as deep as it could be.  Including activities that test your audience on the information they’ve been learning is a fantastic opportunity to change the pace of the training, make it fun, and keep them on their toes.  Make your training an active learning session with quizzes and quick fire question rounds are two simple ways for course leaders to ensure the audience has really paid attention!

These types of tests can also be used to see how well the audience is performing, and to see how effective the content has been, providing crucial analytics.

Test your online learners

Make it personal

Allowing the user to take control of their own training experience is a great way to improve its effectiveness.  Clear signposting of content can also help learners access specific content easily and based on their specific needs and their learning style.

Including personalised milestones, test scores, poll feedback, and interactive elements like scavenger hunts will all help the learner create a training that highlights areas they may need, or want, to revisit later, as well as give them ideas for the future.

Positive encouragement and feedback can also be provided.  This will not only allow learners visibility on areas they are doing well in but will provide encouragement and help them understand the material in more depth.

Creating a training programme that includes elements can ensure your audience are excited, and ready to learn the material on offer.

Personal online learning

Book a time with one of our team to discuss your next project

Book now

More insights from the Procreation blog

The ‘ins and outs’ of Hybrid Events

The ‘ins and outs’ of Hybrid Events

by | Corporate, Virtual Events

What is a Hybrid Event?  What are the mechanics of a Hybrid Event?  How do Hybrid Events work in practice?

All good questions and although Hybrid Events have been around for a while, and are most definitely here to stay, there’s a lot to know!  Here’s the lowdown from Procreation HQ on what a Hybrid Event entails, the ‘ins and outs’ of Hybrid Events and how we deliver them successfully for our clients.  Also, here are some answers to frequently asked questions surrounding the topic which is close to our heart!

The definition of a Hybrid Event

At Procreation we like to simplify this definition; A Hybrid Event is an event that can include everyone, no matter where in the world they may be.  This could be at home, in the office, in an exhibition hall or in a live face to face main plenary session, and they’re all connected to the same event, same audience, and same content simultaneously.  Hybrid Events are an incredibly powerful way of including every single person, without restriction, and just with an internet connection.  This huge power to drive inclusivity is why they are so popular, and also why they’re the event format now and for the future.

How do Hybrid Events engage attendees?

Hybrid Events expand possibilities to increase audience participation.  Hybrid Events not only increase audience sizes by including multiple locations, but allow for multiple functions to improve discussions and interaction.  “But HOW?” we hear you ask… Well… here’s a few examples.

A session can be delivered live, in a room, to attendees in that room.  Speakers can be physically in the room with this audience, contribute remotely via video link from another location, or usually a combination of the two.

The same goes for the audience.  They can be in the room, at home virtually, in an office, and from multiple locations around the globe.  The beauty and simplicity of the Hybrid Event model?  They all engage and discuss the same content, at the same time.

This engagement can be via live polling, word clouds and Q&A sessions which can be moderated and facilitated as any live event would be, but the audience is not limited to just those who can be there in person.

Hybrid Events engage

Endless possibilities of Virtual Events

Hybrid Events are born from an ethos of positive collaboration.  Breakout rooms can be set up in the same fashion as what’s been described earlier in addition to a core track that might take place in a Plenary Session.  Breakout discussions, best practise sharing and education and learning knows no limits with a Hybrid Event.  The Event simply needs to be managed professionally, well planned for and for Production and Crew to be in place to ensure each element goes without a hitch.  The audience can be anywhere in the world and engage with specific live content all at the same time (and this can be translated simultaneously too.)

Exhibitions are a hugely untapped and exciting opportunity for organisations who use the Hybrid Event model.  Most business professionals would agree that personal interaction at an exhibition stand can be one of the most valuable interactions that happens at an event.  According to Statista (2021), 81% of survey respondents value face to face interaction with potential vendors as very, or extremely, important.

With a Hybrid Event, the stand and exhibitors can be physically in the room, with this supported by a virtual stand managed live by additional team members who can be located anywhere in the world.

Picture this, an exhibition in Paris, with two staff on the stand to talk to delegates.

A stand with Digital capabilities that allows these staff to demo products/services to the people in the room.

Now imagine a Chinese or German attendee, who can’t make it to the exhibition in person and who don’t speak French.  No problem.  A Hybrid Event solution can allow attendees and staff to log into the Hybrid Event digitally, from New York or Shanghai and interact as they would in person.  Your potential reach increases greatly, and the possibilities really are endless.

How to use Hybrid Events

In summary

Meeting Spotlight’s recent survey concluded that “73% of Event Planners Expect Hybrid Events to Be More Common in the Future.”

We’re 100% inclined to agree.  While Virtual Events are considered by many as a temporary solution during the Covid era, the benefits that the Hybrid Model now offer are numerous. Organisations are using Hybrid Events to improve collaboration and inclusivity, engage wider audiences, increase their capabilities to share content and drive better conversations and all in a sustainable way.  If you’re not onboard with Hybrid Events now, you will be involved in them in some way in the future.

For more information on “Hybrid Events” please contact the team at Procreation and we’d love to chat further!

Book a time with one of our team to discuss your next project

Book now

More insights from the Procreation blog

How to use Virtual Events in Education

How to use Virtual Events in Education

by | Education, Virtual Events

How can you get the most out of Virtual Education?

Hosting educational events and learning opportunities virtually has become a well-established and go to format for many years (even more so since the Covid-19 pandemic), but how can you get the most out of Virtual Education?  We all know that this format works well but how do you set up a learning event that ensures an organisation can engage students and enhance learning outputs?  Now that’s a question!

With over a decade of experience helping our clients to do just this, here are some tips on how to approach Virtual Learning and Educational Events and maximise the interactivity and impact of your agenda and format.

Create interactive, engaging content and opportunities for feedback

There are so many ways to use Virtual Platforms to help not only engagement and enjoyment of the education on offer, but to test knowledge, promote feedback and ensure that students are retaining as much information as possible.  I mean, that is the objective of all education after all?!  Here are a few examples:

Polls

Excellent for both “Who wants to be a Millionaire” style Ask the Audience spot tests and also in a more informal and fun way to change the pace of a session or create a break in a chunky piece of material.  Having these tools built into our platform makes this easy peasy to set up (and don’t forget the data is also available immediately and post event for organisers.)

Virtual Events - online polling, interactivity

Pre-records, role play and live video

Video content, either pre-recorded or recorded during the session itself, can be used in that same session to test student’s knowledge, recap previous topics or used in role plays which are proven to be a hugely valuable way to learn (read more in this article by Harvard). In addition using pre-records is an excellent way to ensure a consistent message across training programmes (although we would always champion live interaction wherever possible!)

Virtual Event live streaming live video

Competitions & leaderboards

Adding a bit of competition into learning environments is often very beneficial as demonstrated by the harsh but powerful quote by Pallavi Kishore “Failure is the best teacher.”  There are many ways to do this, using gamification amongst other methods…  Here are a few of our favourites: Scavenger hunts, time challenges, mini tests and polls, feedback and live Q&A’s.  This list is absolutely not exhaustive, and there are many other ways to integrate competition into educational programmes but these are certainly in our top 10.  Read some more ideas  here . in an interesting article by Edarabia, the Middle East’s top educational guide.

Virtual Event leaderboard

Feedback & peer interaction

It goes without saying that feedback, discussion and group working is a huge part of how humans learn.  Virtual Platforms can carve out specific ways for groups of students, not limited by geography or language, to interact and learn together using breakout rooms, chat boxes, live video streaming and much more.

“To get students to apply their knowledge to a given problem, to reflect on issues and the views of others, to illustrate the relevance of theoretical ideas by placing them in a real-world context, and to illustrate the complexity of decision-making.”

Harvard University

Virtual Education is a powerful tool for organisations to roll out specific content to both global and national groups of students or employees, in a consistent, methodical, yet creative way.  For large organisations, specific content can be rolled out in the same way, across many locations either simultaneously or as part of a larger, regular programme.  Language and location are not barriers;  different locations and languages actually enhance the potential for students to learn more and develop deeper understanding of the content.  Knowledge sharing between peer groups is unrivalled in a Virtual Environment.

In summary, keep it simple but don’t be shy to be creative.  Online learning can take place on a massive or a small scale virtually with ease, and is focussed, fun and incredibly engaging.

Book a time with one of our team to discuss your next project

Book now

More insights from the Procreation blog