The Institute for Government is the UK’s leading independent think tank working to make government more effective. Their office in St James, London comprises of meeting rooms, event spaces and a podcast studio.
During the 2020 pandemic, the Institute needed a way to continue delivering its regular “Data Bites” events despite movement restrictions. The requirement was to create a fully virtual event solution that allowed remote speakers to present content-rich talks and engage in live Q&A sessions with an online audience.
At the time, virtual events were still relatively new, and the organisation had no prior experience running them. Bowerman Audiovisual was tasked with designing and implementing the entire workflow, including testing, troubleshooting, and delivery.
Several challenges emerged:
Technical limitations: Many speakers relied on low-quality webcams and built-in laptop microphones, often resulting in poor audio and distracting background noise.
Unreliable internet connections: Speaker connectivity varied significantly depending on location.
Low user confidence: Most participants were unfamiliar with online event platforms, making onboarding and support critical.
Strict event format: Each event featured four speakers presenting sequentially for 8 minutes, followed by 8 minutes of Q&A. Previously, an on-site countdown timer reinforced timekeeping—this needed to be replicated virtually.
Building on the organisation’s prior use of Vimeo’s Livestream platform, we utilised its PC-based application to manage the entire virtual event.
Key elements of the solution included:
Remote guest integration:
Speakers joined via dedicated links, appearing as individual video and audio feeds within the software.
Screen sharing for presentations:
Slides were brought directly into the virtual switcher, allowing seamless transitions between speaker and content.
Dynamic layouts:
We created engaging compositions, including side-by-side views of host and guest.
On-screen graphics:
“Lower thirds” were used to display speaker names, and an integrated 8-minute countdown timer was added to narrate the timed presentations.
Live streaming delivery:
The event was broadcast via Vimeo’s Livestream servers for accessible audience viewing.
Audience interaction:
Slido.com was integrated, enabling attendees to submit questions in real time. With this, the host moderated and posed selected questions to speakers during the Q&A sessions.
Ensuring Reliability:
Given the risk of unstable internet connections, we implemented a robust backup strategy. Speakers were asked to submit video recordings of their talks in advance. In the event of connectivity issues, we could instantly switch to the pre-recorded version and ensure the presentation was delivered. This approach proved critical during one event, whereby a guest had connectivity problems due to unreliable internet. We quickly used the pre-recorded presentation and successfully avoided missing key content for the audience.
Improving quality:
Apple earphones with built-in microphones were supplied to speakers where needed. Compared with using laptop internal microphone and speakers, this significantly reduced background noise and echo, improving overall audio clarity.
The “Data Bites” series successfully ran for 18 monthly virtual events, all managed by Bowerman Audiovisual from pre-event testing through to live delivery.
Events were delivered professionally with minimal disruption.
The success of the series gave the Institute for Government the confidence to embrace online events as a key part of its communications strategy. It also marked the beginning of a strong, ongoing partnership with Bowerman Audiovisual, who went on to provide audiovisual support for all of the Institute’s online events, ensuring a consistently professional and engaging experience for their audiences.
Overall, the project demonstrated the effectiveness of thoughtful planning, technical adaptability, and contingency measures in delivering high-quality virtual events during a period of global uncertainty.