protocol requirements

Protocol Report: Australian Open 2016 Case Study When organizing for events, there are different expectations from both the people who will be in attendance and the hosts. Each event targets to meet a particular goal. The hosts, the people in attendance, and the activities to be carried out determine how the intended goal would be realized (Salem, Eleri, and Nigel 14-15). While the hosts might have certain expectations of persons in attendance, it is not always a guarantee that the expectations will be met to satisfaction. This is because events are dynamic settings that constitute people from varied backgrounds. Individuals in attendance also have their own expectations of what the event should deliver and how the hosts should treat them. In this regard, protocols are required on such occasions to manage the expectations of every party (Musgrave 261). Protocols are the guiding procedures that should be followed when organizing an official occasion to ensure that everything abides by the formal, cultural, and social norms. It is important for the event organizers to ensure that every person and activity that will be part of the event consistently follows the expectations of others in attendance. As events bring together people from various backgrounds, it is paramount that proper practices are observed to avoid mishaps that may affect the objective of the events and prevent the goals from being realized (Uq.edu.au). In the events industry, there are some reasons it is important to adhere to protocols. The first one is that it enables an event's coordinator to stick to regulatory requirements that are associated with the event. This is done to prevent cases of cancelation or dismissal. For example, for an event that involves cooking and eating food from the outside, it may be required that the organizer obtains a license for holding such an event from the local authorities. Failure to do so may see the event halted while it is underway or canceled before it begins. Additionally, failing to adhere to regulatory requirements for an event can result in legal actions. Secondly, following protocols guarantees that event activities will be smooth. This is especially true when organizing an event that is located in a public space and watched by a different group. For example, a person may decide to hold a sporting event at a public sports ground that is under the management of a local team. While the events coordinator is required to plan everything by the objectives of the function, they have to liaise with the team managing the sports ground so that their plans can be in sync. For example, the sporting event might include a swimming competition. The managing team may set a protocol in place that all swimming competitions are held in the afternoon because the pool always undergoes maintenance during the morning hours. To ensure that the sporting events run smoothly, the coordinator has to adjust his plan to adhere to the protocols provided by the team managing the grounds. It is also important to adhere to procedures to ensure the safety of the event and all people in attendance. This becomes more important in the case of organizing high profile events that include political and foreign dignitaries. While it is not entirely possible for one to guarantee that an event would be 100% safe, there are steps that can be taken to guarantee the highest security possible. Insecurity at an event means that it has failed irrespective of whether it met earlier objective. It is, therefore, important for coordinators to adhere to protocols regarding safety as it minimizes cases of harm during the function. For example, when organizing a high-profile meeting that includes foreign dignitaries, protocols may demand that extra security is outsourced from the government security officers. Failure to abide by such requirements showcases looming cases of insecurity. In a swimming competition event, protocols may dictate that no individual goes to the deep end of the pool unless the life saver is in sight. Abiding by such protocols ensures the safety of people in attendance. Another importance of adhering to protocols is that it captures the cultural sensitivity and social conventions that characterize the people who will be party to the event. For example, when holding a graduation ceremony, the guests are sent letters from either the faculty or office of the Vice Chancellor. For distinguished guests, such as the guest speaker and other notable alumni, it is appropriate that their invitation letters be written and signed by the Vice Chancellor. While this may not be the case, different institutions have their protocols of handling such issues, and it is the duty of the events coordinator to be informed of them. The rest of the guests may be invited by the different faculties. In the case of the parents, they can receive a letter from their son's or daughter's faculty. Additionally, when planning how each speaker will speak, protocol is also important to ensure senior members of the institution speak before their juniors. Abiding by such cultural and social norms is critical to ensuring the event goes smoothly. In the case of organizing the Australian Open 2016 event, there are some places that an individual would search for information on the protocols. The first place to source information would the Australian tennis governing body. The governing body acts the sole host of the event on behalf of the Australian government. This means that the governing body can communicate any requirements that the government would like adhered to during the event. Important information that can be sourced from the body include the protocols on the schedule of the whole event, the number and type of officials that will be present, and number and types of sponsors. Other issues may also require government’s special requirements for the event, and the approximate number of individuals that would be in attendance on different days of the event. Since the governing body has a long-standing experience in organizing the event, it will offer tips on how to manage the event successfully based on past results. The second place to source information on the event would be grounds management team. This team takes care of all the venues where the games will take place. Since the games may not be played in one location, it will be necessary to visit grounds management team of each location to obtain enough information. The teams will tell the capacity of each of their venues, and the number of games or other activities they expect would take place there. They would also give details on protocols to be adhered to, including how safety and security should be handled. The grounds team may also provide help on the specifics of each venue to determine which would be ideal for an event. For example, a venue with a bigger capacity and a practical way of enforcing security could play host to the opening event. Another location for sourcing information on the event would be the embassies of nations that have players taking part in the event. In most occasions, this has to do with the symbols that will be used during the event, as well as the culture and social practices of individuals who will be attending the function. In this case, embassies offer insights on what individuals from various nations would expect when visiting. Such information would also be crucial in selecting and training personnel who will constantly interact with the guest players and their entourages to help them know their way around the venues. Ticketing sites and organizations are also an important entity where information on the event can be obtained. The ticketing companies track the number of persons who have purchased tickets to attend the event. Hence, they can provide a reliable estimate of the number of people expected to show up. Additionally, with their experience in selling tickets for such events, they will provide valuable insights on protocols that should be met regarding people's attendance. For the Australian Open 2016, the following would be the list of ten protocols that should be followed. Information on how each protocol is to be adhered to is also provided. • Use of national symbols would be among the protocols to be adhered to. National symbols are of significance to people of different countries. Additionally, each country has a preference on how its national symbols should be displayed. To adhere to this protocol, a list of all participating nations and their various national symbols will be obtained. A visit to the embassies of the participating nations would follow to familiarize with the significance of the symbols and any preference on how they should be displayed. • The order in which guest speakers will speak at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the event is another protocol to be adhered to. A list of guests and speakers will be obtained from the sports governing body to ensure that proper procedure is followed as they speak during the major ceremonies of the tournament. • Security is another issue that would require strict adherence to protocol. The governing body will be responsible for providing security to the event. The protocols to be adhered to will be obtained from the body and all its recommendations will be implemented. • Sitting arrangement of attendees in the venue is another protocol to be adhered to. Since there will be distinguished guests during the opening and closing ceremonies, their identity and rank will be obtained to ensure their sitting arrangement abides by the accepted social norms. • There will be the opening and closing of the venues to enable maintenance on the courts. This means that there will be protocol on when an audience is allowed on the venue and when they are not allowed. • There will be protocol regarding the number of media personnel allowed to cover the event and their identification process. A list of all media houses approved to cover the event will be obtained and their identity verified on each day as they enter the venues. • Food and beverage outlets seeking to have their services at the venue will have to obtain certification from the local government. To adhere to the protocol, only businesses that show the required documents will be allowed in the venue. • Another protocol to be adhered to is the movement of attendees (the general public) into the venue. Only attendees with the authorized tickets will be allowed access to the venue. Additionally, they will also have to submit themselves to frisking before their entry. • Various event stakeholders scheduled are, therefore, an important group to consider when organizing the event. There are protocols on the level of participation of each stakeholder that should be adhered to. The required documents and contracts detailing the role of each stakeholder will be obtained to ensure adherence to the protocol. • Another protocol is the involvement of local people in the job opportunities at the time the event is organized. To abide by the protocol, it will be necessary to offer the local community tasks before and during the event such as providing entertainment during the opening and closing ceremonies of the tournament. Ten types of documentation that will be useful in planning for the event include; • Event summary: This document is important in gauging the success of an event. It will be used after the tournament to determine which strategies worked and the ones that failed. • Event timeline: The document provides a rough outline of major activities to be carried out during the whole tournament. It will be used to plan ahead for upcoming activities of each day. • Speakers' itinerary: It shows persons expected to give a speech during the event. It will be used to plan the order in which the speakers will speak. • Name tags: They are important in marking places for the public and other attendees. They will be used to designate areas for the media. • Budget: It shows the amount of finance allocated for each activity. It will be used to prevent overspending. • Daily event program: The document details all activities to take place in a particular day. It will be used to track daily events and ensure they are up to plan. • Media memos: They update people on the changes that may be instituted concerning the coverage of the event. They will be used to handle changes in the media coverage. • Visitors’ itinerary: All distinguished visitors for the day are listed in this document. It will be used to know the special visitors to expect on any given day. • Event Checklist: This document lists the major tasks for the day. It will be used to keep track of the main tasks and to ensure they are promptly handled for the overall success of the event. • Facilities work order: The documents lists tasks to be carried out by outside parties such as delivering supplies. It will be used to ensure all outsourced tasks are performed to enable a smooth flow while performing the rest of the tasks. A grand opening would be appropriate for the Australian Open 2016 event. This will involve hiring entertainment crews for guests and using public address systems to speak to the guests. The event requires a grand opening because, unlike other single day events, the tournament will go on for several days. Works Cited Musgrave, James. "Moving Towards Responsible Events Management." Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes 3.3 (2011): 258-274. Salem, Galal, Eleri Jones, and Nigel Morgan. "An Overview of Events Management." Festival and Events Management (2012): 14. Uq.edu.au. 'About Events and Protocol - Office of Marketing and Communications - The University of Queensland, Australia.' N.p., 2015. Web. 18 Nov. 2015. < http://www.uq.edu.au/protocol/about-events-protocol>