DIGITAL EVENTS MANAGEMENT - 2023/4

Module Overview

Digital Events Management aims to increase student knowledge and understanding of Digital Event Operations, through the project management of an event.

The module will focus on key project management tools and digital resources, and a range of possible interventions will be discussed.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

KENNELL James (Hosp & Tour)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 48

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

Project Management planning to include:

• Site visit


• Site evaluation


• Logistics planning


• Supplier selection


• Inventory management


• Cost control


• Risk Analysis

• Concept development


• Feasibility study


• Designing the Digital Servicescape


• Digitial Marketing and Promotional planning


• Budgeting

• Ticketing


• Safety Management and Security


• Cost control


• Variance analysis


• Service and product delivery


• Quality Management


• Digital customer Journey


• Service failure/recovery


• Customer feedback Post Event review

• Reflection on aspects of personal and professional development

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Students requiring an alternative assessment to the Event Management Plan will write a report on an event brief provided by the module leader. Students requiring an alternative assessment to the Live Event Project will have to attend two events selected by the module leader and write an evaluation report.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate both the theoretical, practical and digital skills they have developed in the module.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

Event Management Plan (Event Team) 

The student Event Teams will then develop their formative feasibility studies into a full Event Management Plan of 5,000 words covering a wide range of aspects from event schedules to event operations and safety and risk management. Feedback and marks will be given in the following weeks.

Live Event Project (Event Team)  

The Live Digital Event will be staged towards the end of the semester. A tutor will attend and assess the event and give support and feedback during the operations, highlighting any issues that might be improved upon or be included in the post event reporting.

The Post-Event Report including Individual Reflection (Individual) 

Each student will provide a concise post event report on key aspects of the events success or otherwise. Key areas will include the popularity of event concept within the competitive event environment, the suitability and quality of the venue and digital production and HR management, the success of the marketing and finance and budget management along with a self-assessment that focuses on their personal performance of working within a team in its mission to stage the live event. The areas of focus will include learning, reflective learning, learning styles, work-based learning, teamwork, role preferences, administration, management and leadership.

Formative assessment and Feedback

During the development of the feasibility study each group will receive verbal feedback about their ideas and plan. The Event Management Plan is a working document that will once submitted continue to evolve in line with advancements in the planning up until the delivery of the event; hence these is a requirement that a final risk assessment be submitted no less than 48 hours prior to the event and once all final planning has been completed and reviewed.

The event feasibility studies will be verbally presented to a digital panel of teaching staff and invited industry practitioners. This feedback can then be incorporated in planning and the Event Management Plan prior to the submission of this document. Verbal feedback will continue via weekly workshops up until the event is delivered.

Following each event, each group will have a 15-minute formative feedback and evaluation meeting to discuss the event per se and the marks awarded for their event.

Module aims

• This module aims to provide students with a professional approach and sound working knowledge of the management and the mechanics of Managing Digital Events.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: create an environment where students can apply theoretical processes and practices by planning, organising, operating and evaluating a real and dynamic digital event operation. This will require students to create and develop an Event Feasibility Plan, develop budgets, apply sales and marketing concepts, handle ticket sales and build a profit and loss statement and then draw up the Event Management Plan that will set out a clear plan for the digital event operations, the roles and responsibilities, logistics and management of event attractions etc and a clear and achievable timeline through the event and contingency and emergency plans. Students will need to use negotiating skills to secure venues from venue managers and sponsorship from local companies. Students will need to apply personnel management techniques to achieve a successful event. Students will reflect on these activities following the digital event and be able to further evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of their group.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• interactive lectures, support material and reinforcement


• key areas and signposts to enquiry-based learning


• practical project and reflective practice


• individual and group presentations and small feedback sessions

• Lectures, tutorials, workshops, field studies, independent study and operational practice


• Lectures are front loaded into the first weeks then they become workshops


• Field studies commence following the submission of the feasibility plan

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN3212

Other information

This is a final year capstone style module where students will be able to apply prior learning from a range of subjects to the conception, planning and execution of a live digital event using a project management approach. Students who have studied Food and Beverage Operations and Management in Level 4 will be able to apply and add depth to their existing knowledge in delivering a more complex event. This module adopts the University curriculum framework, which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Digital Capabilities, Employability, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities:

Digital Capabilities: This module focuses on developing students capabilities in planning and running digital events. Students will use the virtual learning environment (VLE), SurreyLearn and video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to facilitate learning, present at the feasibility panels and receive their feedback. These include accessing teaching and learning materials and engaging with their instructors and peers. Digital marketing will be encouraged and ultimately the live events will be in digital or hybrid form delivered through a digital medium of the students choosing.

Employability: The assessments in this module require students to prepare a live digital event, to run the event and to evaluate their event. These planning and management skills will prepare students to be successful event organisers in the digital age.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: Students will learn how to segment and attract trageted audiences to online events by extracting, comparing, and contrasting individual and group behaviours, as well as sectoral, national, and regional differences.

Sustainability: Students will learn the benefits and limitations of digital events to support sustainability in the events industry.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students will be required to use a range of sources to identify relevant events, conduct independent research, network with relevant companies/organisations/charities, and work collaboratively with peers to plan their events. Finding solutions through unstructured problems is the key learning aspect of this module that will develop students resourcefulness and resilience.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.