The Future of Event Design Starts with Human Connection

As audience expectations continue to evolve, event professionals are challenged to create experiences that foster meaningful connection, build trust and deliver measurable value. To better understand these shifts, Encore and Boldpush partnered to develop the Experience Design Report, a research study exploring the current state of event design across programming, connection, technology and trust.

Encore, a global leader in event production, supports more than 2,220 venues across 23 countries and is dedicated to connecting and inspiring audiences through impactful experiences. Boldpush, a media, research and consulting firm serving the events industry, contributed its expertise and industry intelligence to the report.

Drawing insights from event professionals, the research provides a data-grounded understanding of how planners are adapting to changing audience expectations. Respondents represented a diverse mix of corporate planners, event marketers, consultants, independent planners and agencies, with most managing events of fewer than 2,000 participants. Four key themes emerged from the findings: programming must evolve to support connection, participatory formats outperform passive experiences, the keynote isn’t dying, it’s evolving, and trust remains rooted in authentic connections.

One of the clearest takeaways from the Experience Design Report is that event participants continue to prioritize meaningful human connection above all else. While event professionals often focus on content, logistics and sponsorship goals, the research suggests that the moments audiences value most are opportunities to engage with their peers. Nearly half of respondents identified peer-to-peer networking as the most important measure of event success, signaling a shift in how value is created at events. For destination planners and event partners, this presents an opportunity to move beyond viewing networking as a supplementary activity and instead design experiences where connection is intentionally built into the participant experience. Personalization, curated networking opportunities, and participant matchmaking can help transform events from information-sharing platforms into communities that foster long-term engagement. 

The findings also challenge event professionals to rethink how programming is delivered. While there has been speculation that traditional keynote sessions are losing relevance, the research tells a different story. Event audiences still value keynote content, but they increasingly expect formats that feel dynamic, participatory and authentic. Rather than focusing solely on delivering information, successful programming creates opportunities for dialogue, interaction and shared learning. This shift is also reflected in the growing popularity of microevents and smaller curated experiences, which allow participants to engage more deeply with content and one another. The takeaway is clear: audiences are not looking for more content, but rather they are looking for more meaningful ways to engage with it. 

Technology remains an important part of the events' experience, but the reports suggest its greatest value comes from enhancing human connection rather than replacing it. Mobile applications continue to provide measurable benefits for networking and engagement, yet the rise of artificial intelligence is creating new expectations for live events. As information becomes increasingly accessible through digital channels, event participants are seeking experiences that cannot be replicated online. Authentic conversations, spontaneous interactions and relationship building opportunities have become more valuable in an AI-driven world. For event professionals, this means technology should be viewed as a tool that supports connection, helping audiences navigate experiences, discover relevant content and engage with one another more effectively. 

Ultimately, the Experience Design Report reinforces that human connection remains at the center of successful experiences. To dive deeper into the findings highlighted in this article, explore the full Experience Design Report for the statistics, trends and strategies shaping the future of live events. 

Download the Experience Design Report