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Project title

Electronic Event Registration Management [EERM]

Project description summary

The project has been prototyped to:

1. develop a standard electronic commerce electronic event registration process
2. provide 3 different registration profiles for end-users to reduce event registration time
3. encourage participation of events through an E-credits process for event participation and contributions
4. establish the framework for an XML Schema and DTD application

5 automate the management metrics for event management

Consortium Members

Total cost of project

Completed

a Management planning & supervision $ 20,000

b research and specification $ 20,000

c equipment and development prototype $ 50,000

Required

d. specification registration profiles and accreditation $ 15,000

e development as an XML application $ 75,000

TOTAL $ 180,000

Total cost of Grant Request

Specification and development XML end-user application $ 75,000

Project Description

Introduction/background

The OPEN INTERCHANGE CONSORTIUM (OIC) was formed in 1994 by a group of small businesses involved in a range of Electronic Information Technology (EIT) disciplines including network management, telecommunications, electronic commerce, remote learning, database management, the Internet and computer based training .

The OIC was formed as a self-help association to raise awareness of the potential benefits of Electronic Information Technology in large, medium and small businesses. Awareness building was to in part consist of a series of quarterly lunch lectures and monthly education/awareness seminars.

In October 1999 OIC members became aware of a new protocol called XML [Extensible Mark-up Language] to enable E-commerce over the Internet. The OIC Management Committee planned to run a series of seminars to raise awareness with Australian software developers of the significance of XML to enable Australian business to use the Internet to supply products and services on a world-wide basis.

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EERM Objectives

The objectives of the Electronic Event Registration Management process [EERM] include:

EERM Objectives (continued)

There are a number of objectives with EERM to enable Small and Medium size Organisations [SMOs] to use the Internet to promote special events and esoteric issues while minimising their own marketing and information distribution costs.

Event notices can be distributed by e-mail to enable recipients to log onto events and register very quickly by using the standard event registration profile.

EERM is envisaged as being particularly useful for:

1. small local theatre events,
2. small associations
3. sporting events
4. local community events

EERM Design Issues

EERM has been designed as a structured information project to comply with the objectives of OASIS.

The design principals have been influenced by the experience gained during the OIC successful submission that won the trophy in the "IT for SME" category of the prestigious Global Bangemann Challenge in June 1999.

A key issue form the feedback received from people attending events for the fist time was that a local map linked to the event registration page would enable attendees to:

1. know where the event was being held
2. decide wether to use public transport or drive
3. enable drivers to locate suitable parking

It is envisaged that the GIS Module will contain a number of overlay options including bus route and timetables, parking facilities and other transport options eg trains, ferries

The E-commerce issues for event registration payments as well as the licensing and distribution of the software have been tried and tested over the last 6 months evaluating the prototype development for the OIC XML Special Interest Group registrations.

Technical Market Research

The technical market research includes:

• up-to-date knowledge of current E-commerce standards
• issues involved with GIS information ownership
• credit card security payments over the Internet.

EERM Modules

There are 5 modules for EERM:

Market Research into EERM

Preliminary market research has been done for 3 aspects of Electronic Event information management:

• venues
• speakers
• attendee participants

Market Research indicates that Event organisation bodies are very interested in the OIC Electronic Event Registration Management process.

The Local Government and Shires Association [LGSA] has expressed considerable interest from a number of regional organisations of councils for a standard format for Australia day celebrations.

Discussions are taking place with a number of Councils about the Electronic Event Registration Management process.

In addition a number of Associations are reviewing progress with the development of the EERM process and its attendant e-mail notice strategies

Our market research with venues confirmed that major hotel chains agreed that EERM would provide another source of business for the hotels and that they would be prepared to license EERM on an annual licence with commission payments.

Our market research with speakers indicated that a number of speakers would be prepared to provide their profile and papers electronically in return for bookings for events and royalties for papers.

Our market research with attendees/participants has conclusively shown that people that wish to attend these functions are prepared to register electronically with indications that higher percentages of registrations occur if electronic means are available to do so.

Project Details

Project Plan

Project Details

Budget for Pilot Project $ 180,000

The pilot project is to take the next step from the prototype project specified and developed so far.

Increase competitiveness in Australian industry

EERM will increase the competitiveness of Australian industry in a number of ways including:

• Enable Australian business to keep track of key events and register electronically over the Internet
• Establish and increase the Intellectual property value of their organisations by providing an accreditation of record of key events that employees have attended to indicate to the market how familiar their employees are with new concepts and issues
• Enable Australian business organisations to establish events and seminars and use the Internet to advise clients and potential clients of these events
• create international opportunities for shared venues, speakers and content via on-line services.

Reasons why this is a new and innovative application

There are several reasons why this project is both new and innovative:

1. the application is an integrated Electronic Information applications that automates a number of administration functions of event management rather than just an event registration process
2. it automates the information transfer from a Web form into a database without using expensive proprietary software
3. it is designed to be used in conjunction with an e-mail strategy to make it very simple for attendees to register for an event
4. it is a project that can establish an international standard for Event registration as an XML Schema and DTD framework

Consortium Members and Participation Contributions

It was agreed that a reasonable hourly rate for Management Time contributions is $100 per hour including travel time considerations. The contributions to the EERM project by different members of the OIC are:

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Why Is Government Support Necessary?

The history of Electronic Commerce over the last 10 years shows that even with government support, industry, and in particular small and medium size organisations, has been very slow to adopt electronic commerce.

The advent of XML in 1999 as the new standard to enable E-commerce over the Internet will require applications which can illustrate to business the effectiveness of XML as a bona fide protocol that will finally automate the administration processes.

The OIC has carried out considerable research and its members have allocated much time and resources over the last 3 years to identifying business applications that will stimulate the use of E-commerce over the Internet.

OIC members have prototyped applications like EERM which are effectively using the E-commerce over

the Internet as a business tool. These prototypes now required Government support in using XML to reach the next steps of the development process.

Based on open standards

The OIC as a member of ebXML is committed to developing XML Schemas and DTDs that can be utilised by other organisations.

It has taken the formation of OASIS [Organisation for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards] and ebXML to legitimise many of the underlying beliefs of the OIC members.

These beliefs include the underlying foundation that effective E-commerce and Electronic Information Interchange can only take place with open standards.

Marketing/Disseminating the Project Outcomes

The OIC has established an e-mail network of over 3, 500 contacts around Australia.

These contacts are regularly informed of OIC events and how to register for OIC events and participate in Special Interest groups. The OIC has provided EERM for other organisation to consider for Event Management particularly Small and Medium size Associations.

In addition following the success of the OIC in the Global Bangemann Challenge in 1999 the OIC has built up an extensive e-mail list of international contacts who will be invited to evaluate EERM once it has been developed properly as an XML project

The project DTD will be submitted to ebXML and OASIS for their evaluation as a standard for Electronic Event Registration Management