Live Events Project Management and Budge

Live Eve n t s
Pr oj e ct M a n a ge m e n t
a n d Bu dge t in g
The Business of Event Planning
An I nfoCom m I nt ernat ional® Whit e Paper
© 2 0 0 7 , I nfoCom m I n t e r na t iona l®
DRAFT
The cont ent s of t his whit e paper m ay be m odified by it s owner
DRAFT
Live Events Project Management and Budgeting
Ta ble of Con t e n t s
Ove r vie w ................................................................................... 4
Pr oj e ct M a n a ge m e n t
Event Planning ............................................................................. 5
The Process of Proj ect Managem ent ................................................ 5
I nit iat ing an Event ........................................................................ 6
Creat ing Plans – t he Proj ect Planning Phase ..................................... 8
Planning an Event ’s Scope ............................................................. 10
Conduct ing a Sit e Survey .............................................................. 12
Sit e Survey Docum ent s ................................................................. 14
Managing Client s’ Goals and Expect at ions ........................................ 15
Scheduling .................................................................................. 17
Planning Sum m ary ....................................................................... 21
Bu dge t in g
Cost Plans and Budget s ................................................................. 27
I ncom e ....................................................................................... 29
Expenses .................................................................................... 29
Underst anding Variable Expenses ................................................... 30
Expense Tracking ......................................................................... 32
Key Financial Fact ors during an Event ............................................. 34
Keeping Accurat e Tim e Logs .......................................................... 35
Allocat ing Resources during an Event .............................................. 36
Facilit y Cont ract s and I nsurance ..................................................... 38
Client Cont ract s and Quot es........................................................... 40
Com m on Cont ract s in t he AV I ndust ry ............................................. 43
Sum m ary .................................................................................... 44
References .................................................................................. 45
©2007, InfoComm International® www.infocomm.org DRAFT 3

Ove r vie w
This paper covers one area in a series of subj ect areas t hat have
been defined by expert s and ident ified as im port ant t o t he
cont inued success of t he t hriving live event s indust ry. Ot her subj ect
areas include viewing environm ent s, operat ions, syst em cont rols,
audio, video, and visual m anagem ent .
I n foCom m pu t s t h is w h it e pa pe r for t h t o a u diovisu a l

pr ofe ssion a ls for r e vie w , discu ssion , a n d com m e n t . Th e
r e spon se s r e ce ive d w ill h e lp r e fin e I n foCom m ’s cu r r e n t
e du ca t ion a l offe r in gs in t h e se a r e a s.
Proper proj ect planning and m anagem ent are key t o t he success of
any business endeavor. I n a service- driven indust ry, where t he
final product is m ost oft en a clearly defined event , t he perform ance
of t he service provider is part icularly vulnerable t o poor planning
and execut ion.
The ideas present ed here are m eant t o provide a fram ework for
successful proj ect m anagem ent ; an event t hat is bot h profit able
and m eet s or exceeds client expect at ion.

Eve n t Pla n n in g
Underst anding your part in t he event planning process is very

im port ant t o it s success. People who plan event s operat e in a
highly polit ical world. These people can be client s or co- workers.
To be successful, an event should give t he im pression t hat it w as
execut ed flawlessly. Making it a success falls on t he shoulders of
everyone involved, alt hough t he responsibilit y will be acut ely felt by
t he event planner. This added pressure can m ake t he days leading
up t o t he event st ressful for you, your co- w orkers, and your client .
“ The successful event requires seam less int egrat ion of m any
t echnical elem ent s; audio, visual, light ing, st age and set design, t o
produce a flawless and rewarding audience experience” ( Chandler,
2006) .
Rem em ber, you have one advant age in t his sit uat ion– you do t his
m ore oft en t han any of your client s. The knowledge you gain from
t his course and your experience wit h event s w ill help you
successfully m anage your resources during t he event s, allowing you
t o enj oy a sense of assurance in t he early st ages of a show t hat a
planner m ay not have. Your experience w ill help you during t he
planning phases of t he event , allowing you t o calm ly and
at t ent ively address all of your client ’s concerns. Problem s or issues
inevit ably arise during an event , but your knowledge will help you
prepare for m ost any event ualit y. I n t he end, your client will feel
t hat t he event was a com plet e success and execut ed flawlessly,
unaware of t he pot ent ial disast ers t hat were avoided, t hanks t o
your careful planning.
Th e Pr oce ss of Pr oj e ct M a n a ge m e n t
The follow ing proj ect life cycle w as adapt ed from t he Proj ect
Managem ent Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK) . The proj ect ’s life cycle
is applied t o an event t o dem onst rat e how t he concept s from
proj ect m anagem ent courses can be applied t o t he rent al and
st aging indust ry. By int roducing t hese concept s, you can see how
using proj ect m anagem ent pract ices and applying t hem t o
m anaging event s can help your event succeed. The inform at ion
present ed here only int roduces a few pract ices and is not m eant t o
be a replacem ent for a proj ect m anagem ent course. I t sim ply
suggest s how such pract ices can st ream line t he planning processes
and organize t he t asks t hat need t o be accom plished.
The proj ect life cycle was ident ified t o help a proj ect m anager
organize t he t asks of t he event int o phases. These phases will help
t he proj ect m anager com plet e each t ask in a t im ely m anor and
prepare for t he next phase t o keep t he work running sm oot hly.

I n it ia t in g – Proj ect m anagers and t he sales st aff t ypically begin

init ial phases of an event . The earliest an AV t echnician’s j ob m ight
begin is w hen t he sales st aff or proj ect m anager request s
assist ance est im at ing t he equipm ent required for a j ob.
Pla n n in g – Planning t he event is one of t he m ost crucial part s of

t he m anagem ent process. I n t his st ep, you will plan for everyt hing
you know will happen. I n addit ion, you will t ry t o ident ify issues
t hat m ay arise unexpect edly and plan ways t o resolve t hem . Wit h
t im e and care, t hese plans will allow your st aff t o know t he
sequence of event s and also quickly react t o chance sit uat ions.
Ex e cu t in g – During t his phase, t he plans you creat ed are

execut ed. This phase doesn’t exclusively occur during t he event ; it
begins as soon as t he plan has been put int o act ion.
M on it or in g – Monit oring occurs during t he ent ire event process.

Everyone needs t o be responsible for observing t he progress and
following t he event plans, but t he lead AV t echnician should be
responsible for m onit oring and m aking decisions t hat affect t he
course of t he event .
Con t r ollin g – Cont rolling t akes place during t he ent ire event .
Using t he observat ions m ade during t he m onit oring process, a lead
t echnician or proj ect m anager will m ake decisions and adj ust m ent s
t o event plans.
Closin g – The closing of t he event begins when t he client signs t he

finalized plans for t he event . I t ’s t he process of passing t he
finalized “ product ” t o t he client . I n t he AV indust ry, t he “ product ”
includes t he plans for t he event , t he perform ance of t he event , and
any correspondence done aft er t he event .
Each phase can be repeat ed t hroughout t he event ’s life cycle. You

m ay find yourself m onit oring and cont rolling during t he planning
phase and t he closing phase. The phase st ruct ure hasn’t been
creat ed t o force you t o perform t asks sequent ially; it sim ply helps
you t o organize t he t asks t o perform t hem m ore efficient ly.
I n it ia t in g a n Eve n t
There are a num ber of t asks t hat go int o init iat ing an event . Most
of t hese t asks are com plet ed by a sales represent at ive, event
m anager, producer, or lead AV t echnician.
The init ial cont act s w it h a client m ay com e in m any form s. The
t ype and lengt h of t he com m unicat ion depends on t he size of t he
event , level of experience t he client has w it h event planning, and

t he way t he AV com pany is organized. The less experience t he

client has, t he longer t he pre- event m eet ings w ill be. Your
part icipat ion in t hese m eet ings m ight be as lit t le as t aking not es
and answ ering quest ions t o as m uch as going on sit e visit s and
holding m eet ings wit h client s t o explain t he det ails.
Typica l Tim e lin e of Clie n t Con t a ct s:

1. Em ail
( No ot her negot iat ions m ay be necessary wit h
experienced client s)
2. Phone call
3. Conference call
4. Meet ing Pre- conference m eet ing ( Pre- con Meet ing)
5. Sit e visit
6. Follow up m eet ings
7. Pre- Show m eet ing
8. Changes during t he show approval
9. Closing com m unicat ions
One of t he first docum ent s t hat is generat ed by t he client is a

request for proposal ( RFP) docum ent . This docum ent cont ains t he
scope of services, out lines processes, t he agreem ent , and cont act
inform at ion. When RFP’s are well w rit t en and designed, t hey will
help focus and com m unicat e t he client ’s goals, and record all t he
inform at ion necessary for com plet ing and billing t he event . The
sales depart m ent usually generat es t he response t o t he RFP. I f a
client does not send out a request for proposal, your init ial cont act
m ay com e as a phone call.
An RFP or in it ia l con ve r sa t ions t ypica lly r e cor d t h is

in for m a t ion :
What is t he client ’s cont act inform at ion?
What are t he client ’s goals for t he event ?
What t ype of client is it ?
What is t he event ’s profile?
What are t he client ’s goals?
What does t he client have t o lose or gain wit h t he success of
t he event ?
What level of experience does t he client have w it h AV
equipm ent ?
May I cont act t he client direct ly wit h quest ions or do I need
t o go t hrough a point person?
How will t he client part icipat e in t he m eet ings?
Who m akes t he final decisions?
Who is t he point person responsible for approving changes
during t he event ?
What are t he present er’s requirem ent s?
What are t he present er’s equipm ent needs?
What size is t he event ?

I s t he event a conference or m eet ing, or does it include an

exhibit ion?
What is t he general event schedule?
What is t he at t endee profile?
How m any st aff m em bers will w ork at t he event ?
I nit iat ing an event can be a long process which w ill vary, depending
on t he am ount of assist ance t he client needs and your level of
involvem ent . You m ay sit in a six- hour m eet ing and only answ er
t wo quest ions. The inform at ion you gat her at t he m eet ing will help
you t hrough t he ent ire event process. The qualit y of t he
inform at ion collect ed in t hese init ial cont act s can provide a st rong
base for t he rest of t he event planning process.
An e x a m ple :
“ The sales depart m ent brings m e a Request for Proposal docum ent ,
or an RFP. The first t hing I t ry t o det erm ine is what kind of client it
is. I t ry t o challenge t he sales st aff t o have as m uch inform at ion as
possible before t hey com e see m e. I s t his person charged w it h
planning t he event ? Has t he person planning t he event ever
planned an event before? Are t hey t he cont act person for changes
during t he event and if not who is? What is t heir st ake in t he
out com e of t his event ? What is our relat ionship going t o be wit h
t his person? The m ore inform at ion I know about t he client , t he
bet t er I can be prepared t o m eet t heir needs.”
Cr e a t in g Pla n s – Th e Pr oj e ct Pla n n in g Ph a se
Successfully creat ing plans depends on t he qualit y and quant it y of

client inform at ion collect ed during t he init iat ing phase. This
inform at ion will help you begin t he planning phase of t he process.
The purpose of t he planning phase is t o creat e plans t o achieve t he
goals you set for t he event .
Pla n s Cr e a t e d D u r in g t he Pr oj e ct Pla n n in g Ph a se :
Scope Pla n – Once you know t he m axim um num ber of event

at t endees, resources and space, you can creat e a plan t o m anage
t he size of t he event . Managing scope can be a balancing act
bet ween m anaging t he client ’s expect at ions and keeping t he event
wit hin a budget .
Cost Pla n – Once you know how m uch t he client and your
com pany will spend on t he event , you should creat e a cost plan.
The result s of cost plans are budget s. Cost plans m ust consider
bot h t he cost s of t he resources and t he cost s t hat m ay occur as a
result of decisions m ade during t he course of t he event .

St a ffin g Pla n – Once you know t he schedule, you can begin

form ing a st affing plan. List all t he t asks t hat need t o be
accom plished at t he event , t hen list t he skills required t o com plet e
t hese t asks. Look at t he schedule; t here will be t im es were you will
need m ore t han one person t o com plet e all t he t asks scheduled for
t hat t im e. Creat e a list of people wit h what necessary skills you will
need at specific t im es. This w ill give you an idea of how m any
people you need and what t heir schedules should be.
Qu a lit y Pla n – Qualit y plans should always focus on present ing t he

client wit h t he highest qualit y service w it hin t he scope of t he event .
This can be done by list ing goals for qualit y of service. An exam ple
of a goal m ay be t o have a t ech available t o every present er during
every session. The qualit y plan can t ie int o t he st affing plan. For
exam ple, if you were t o hire people w it h specialized skills t o
operat e t he equipm ent rat her t hen giving som eone a crash course
right before t he event , your plan m ay increase t he qualit y of t he
event .
Com m u n ica t ion s Pla n – Plan t he chain of com m unicat ion. I f

t here is a change, w ho needs t o know about it ? I f a change occurs,
everyone involved should know who t o inform and how it will affect
t he event . The com m unicat ions plan specifies how t his is
accom plished.
Risk M a n a ge m e n t Pla n – Creat e plans t o deal wit h fact ors t hat

m ay t hreat en t he success of t he event , or t he proj ect . An exam ple
of a live event ’s risk is planning for t he event ualit y t hat half of t he
equipm ent get s shipped t o Coco Beach rat her t han t he event . Next
decide what risks are m ore likely t o happen and have t he m ost
im pact on t he event and priorit ize t hem . Plan how t o respond t o
each risk as it would occur and reduce any risks t hat you possibly
can. This plan begins a cont inual process of checking and
m onit oring t hings t hat can occur t hroughout t he event .
Pr ocu r e m e n t Pla n – Once you know how m any resources you

need t o com plet e t he event , creat e a procurem ent plan. Det erm ine
t he am ount of t hings you m ust purchase or rent , t hen det erm ine
when and how you w ill obt ain t hem . This plan m ay encom pass
signing cont ract s, com paring cost s, select ing providers, and closing
cont ract s.
Sch e du le Pla n – Every event is different . Som e event s have

people who will t ell you where t o be and w hen. Ot hers w ill t ell you
what t hey want and leave it up t o you t o schedule everyt hing. The
scheduling plan is creat ed for t w o purposes– t o run an efficient
event and m eet t he client ’s expect at ions. To m eet t hese
expect at ions, t his plan encom passes t he ot her plans as a guide t o
ensure a successful event .

H e r e is a n e x a m ple illu st r a t in g t h e se con ce pt s:

“ Our com pany was hired t o provide equipm ent for an event in
Cost a Rica. The RFP for t he event did not include a proj ect ion
screen. When I not iced t he obvious discrepancy, I not ified t he
sales t eam . The client confirm ed t hat t he scenic vendor was
responsible for t he proj ect ion screen. During t he t im e t hat elapsed
bet ween t he init ial cont act and t he act ual event , t he cont act person
changed, t he budget was decreased, and t he scenic vendor was
dism issed. We were not ified t hat t he budget was cut and t hat t he
show was going t o be done in a sim plified form at . At t hat point , we
should have gone back and st art ed all over wit h a new RFP.
I nst ead, w e cont inued t hrough t he planning process and no one
not iced t hat t here w asn’t a proj ect ion screen. We arrived in Cost a
Rica wit hout a 10 by 30ft ( 3 by 9m ) proj ect ion screen. This was
not a t rivial problem ; large proj ect ion screens are difficult t o find in
Cost a Rica. Aft er an unsuccessful local search, we decided t hat our
only solut ion was t o have a screen flown t o Cost a Rica from our
hom e office.”
Creat ing each plan w ill help you ident ify t asks you need t o perform
t o achieve each goal. Follow your plans and revise t hem as needed
t o keep your act ions and decisions on t he correct course.
Pla n n in g a n Eve n t ’s Scope
The size of an event is det erm ined by at t endance num bers and t he
num ber of resources t he event uses. These w ill be ident ified in t he
pre- event com m unicat ions and updat ed t hrough t he ent ire event
process. Typically, large event s will require m any resources and
have high at t endance. No m at t er what size t he event , t he scope
m ust be carefully m onit ored. As t he day of t he event grow s closer,
t he event it self m ay change. The need for equipm ent m ay increase
as t he event get s under way and your com pany’s resources m ay
becom e deplet ed. This is why t he scope of t he event m ust be
cont inually and carefully m onit ored.
• Scope planning
M a n a gin g Scope involve s:
• Scope definit ion

• Work Breakdown St ruct ure or ( WBS)
• Scope Verificat ion
• Scope Cont rol ( Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e, p.103)
Scope Pla n n in g – creat ing a proj ect scope m anagem ent plan t hat
docum ent s how t he proj ect scope will be defined, verified,
cont rolled and how t he WBS w ill be creat ed and defined” ( Proj ect
Managem ent I nst it ut e, p. 103) .

Scope D e fin it ion

I n general t erm s, st at e what t he result of t he event w ill be. For
exam ple “ We will provide t he expert ise, equipm ent , and personnel
for t wo hundred people t o see and hear a concert .” Then as t he
• List what resources, procedures, t im e, and m oney you need

second part of t he definit ion:
• Ask for input from people w it h experience in set t ing up

t o reach t he result .
• Creat e several plans for reaching t he goal efficient ly and

event s.
• Decide what m et hod is t he m ost efficient and effect ive for

effect ively.
• List t he fact ors t hat are lim it ing t he size of t he event , such as
put t ing on t he event .
m oney or space ( Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e, pp. 109-
• List t he assum pt ions you are m aking when creat ing t he

110) .
definit ion. For exam ple, when you creat e a t im eline, you
assum e t he shipping t rucks w ill not break down. Think about
what can go wrong and list what you assum e will not go
wrong. ( Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e, p. 19)
Cr e a t e a w or k br e a k dow n st r u ct u r e – A WBS divides t he event

( deliverable) int o sm all j obs. Exam ples of breaking down t he result
int o a work breakdown st ruct ure are: set t ing up a st age, rigging,
and set t ing light s.
Scope Ve r ifica t ion – This st ep is difficult t o apply t o t he rent al

and st aging indust ry. I t is defined as “ form alizing accept ance of t he
com plet ed proj ect deliverables” ( Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e,
p.103) . The closest applicat ion of t his is when t he finalized plan for
t he event is subm it t ed t o t he client for final agreem ent . The
m et hods t o com plet e t his st ep vary from com pany t o com pany.
Scope Con t r ol – is cont rolling t he changes t o t he proj ect ’s scope”

( Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e, p. 103) . Cont rolling t he scope of
an event occurs when anyt hing is added or t aken aw ay from t he
finalized event plan. Each t im e you t hink about adding equipm ent
t o t he set up t hat was not originally planned, you are cont rolling t he
scope of t he event .
• Keep t he event w it hin t he scope ident ified in t he RFP or

To su cce ssfu lly m a n a ge t h e pla n s:
• Verify t hat all your resources or act ivit y at t ribut es are onsit e.
scope plan
• Review all schedules prior t o t he event including equipm ent

schedule, operat or schedule, product ion schedule, script , and
t echnical rehearsal schedule.

• Review t he invent ory equipm ent pick list and updat e when
•
necessary.
I f any m aj or changes happen prior t o t he event , st art over.
Proficient ly m onit oring and planning t he scope of t he event is

essent ial t o m aking t he event safe and profit able. Properly
m anaging t he scope is a delicat e process. You m ust allow an event
t o grow as m uch as possible wit hout expanding beyond t he
capacit y of it s resources. Know ing where t o draw t he line com es
from experience and careful planning.
Con du ct in g a Sit e Su r ve y
I n t he RFP or during pre- event com m unicat ions t he client ’s goals

and expect at ions are t ranslat ed int o a general equipm ent list by a
sales person or an AV t echnician. The inform at ion t he RFP doesn’t
include but is necessary for t he event needs t o be recorded during
t he sit e survey.
Depending on how an AV com pany is organized, eit her a lead AV

t echnician or t he sales st aff w ill conduct a sit e survey. I t is
im port ant t hat a skilled AV professional conduct t he sit e survey t o
prevent m ist akes and repeat ed visit s t o t he sit e t o gat her m ore
inform at ion. This professional m ust creat e a very specific
equipm ent list from t he det ails gat hered during t he sit e survey.
The equipm ent m ust be select ed t o m eet t he goals of t he client and
work w ell wit hin t he venue.
Be st pr a ct ice t o con du ct a sit e su r ve y:

The person responsible for approving changes should be ident ified
during t he init iat ing phase. This person’s cont act inform at ion m ust
be available t o t he AV t echnician on sit e so t hat t hey can m ake
necessary changes as quickly as possible. A st andard approval
procedure for m aking changes t o t he set up m ust be in place before
t he event begins and com m unicat ed t o everyone on st aff.
Make cont act w it h onsit e personnel

• Gat her cont act nam es and t elephone num bers, and
• I nquire about t he facilit y rules.

em ail addresses.
• Ask about out side vendor cont ract requirem ent s.

• Find out w hat t he liabilit y insurance requirem ent s are.
I nspect and review loading dock procedures.
Verify access t o t he event space
• Measure door height s and widt hs t o assure
• Measure t he dock height .

accessibilit y for your equipm ent .
• Measure any ram p grades.

• Assess t he need for ram ps, dock plat es, or forklift s.

•
•
Ask about dock hours and rest rict ions.
Ask about cit y or hour, or t im e rest rict ions for t rucks
• Ask about t he securit y of t he dock.

on st reet s and docks.
Det erm ine t he accessibilit y of t he elevat or by m easuring it s

int erior and door.
Det erm ine accessibilit y t o t he event space by m easuring all
doorways and hallways.
Ask for a m ap of t he int erior of t he building t o record t he
pat h t o t he event space. Det erm ine t he m ost efficient
int erior rout e t o t ake when m oving equipm ent int o t he
room ( s) .
Cont act t he securit y personnel, and ask t hem when t hey
work, which doors are locked, and when you can access t he
room s.
Det erm ine cit y or t im e rest rict ions for t rucks on t he st reet
and docks.

• Ceiling height
I nspect t he event space t o det erm ine:
• The height of t he chandelier and soffit s

• The sight lines
• Drawing availabilit y
Not e t he locat ion of all fire exit s.
Meet wit h riggers and learn about t he specificat ions and
locat ions of t he rigging point s.
I nvest igat e funct ionalit y of t he house light cont rols.
Learn how t o operat e t he light s and elect rical syst em .
Det erm ine a safe power dist ribut ion pat h.
Locat e and t est t elecom m unicat ion connect ions. I f
necessary, m eet wit h t he t elecom m unicat ions specialist s and
arrange for service t hat you need.
Fill out any sit e survey form s your com pany m ay provide. I f
your com pany doesn’t require any form s, keep det ailed not es
on all t he observat ions you m ake inst ead.
I f union m em bers are used, det erm ine w hat t asks t hey m ay
not be perm it t ed t o do.
Conduct ing a sit e survey is very im port ant t o t he success of t he

event . I t helps you det erm ine what equipm ent t o bring and how t o
sm oot hly inst all it int o t he space. There are so m any im port ant
det ails t hat need t o be at t ended t o during t his st ep it can be easy
t o forget one. Creat e a checklist , like t his one, of all t he t asks you
m ust accom plish during t he survey. That way you w ill avoid t he
expensive prospect of ret urning t o t he sit e m ult iple t im es for m ore
inform at ion you sim ply forgot t o gat her.

Sit e Su r ve y D ocu m e n t s
On sit e Pe r son n e l Con t a ct I n for m a t ion

Con t a ct N a m e Con t a ct N a m e
Contact Job Title Contact Job Title
Telephone Telephone
Email Address Email Address

Contact Name Contact Name
Telephone Telephone
Contact Name Contact Name
Telephone Telephone

Typica l Fa cilit y Ru le s
No alcoholic beverages on site Addit ion a l Ru le s:
Smoking is not permitted
anywhere on the property.
No cameras and recording devices
on the property
No re-selling of tickets
No selling of merchandise not
approved by the facility
No foul or abusive language or
inappropriate or unacceptable
gestures
Only use gaffers tape in the facility
You are responsible for any
damage you do to the facility.
No bringing guests in during
an event
No weapons
No animals except guide dogs

M a n a gin g Clie n t s’ Goa ls a n d Ex pe ct a t ion s
A sales person m ay begin ident ifying t he client ’s goals during t he

init iat ing phase of t he event and record it in som e ot her form of
docum ent at ion. As t im e passes and decisions are m ade t hese
goals can becom e lost in t he process. You or t he sales
represent at ive need t o confirm and com m unicat e how t he goals of
t he event are being m et or alt ered as decisions are m ade. This
sequence is repeat ed t hroughout t he event process unt il t he event
has been com plet ed and t he client det erm ines t hat t he goal has
been m et .
• How have t he decisions being m ade affect ed t he purpose of

Qu e st ion s t h a t m a y be r e visit e d du r in g t h e e ve n t pr oce ss:
• How have t he decisions being m ade affect ed t he budget for

t he event ?
• What are t he current budget expect at ions?

t he event ?
• Has your st ake in t he event changed?

• How have t hese decisions affect ed what t he audience sees
• How have t he client ’s needs changed during t he planning

and hears?
process?
Record everyt hing t hat is expect ed of you, and docum ent all t he
agreem ent s t hat are reached. Docum ent ing int eract ions will help
you m easure t he success of t he event and follow up wit h t he client .
I f at any t im e during t he process you feel t hat it is im possible t o
m eet t he client ’s expect at ions, t ell your supervisor, and t he client if
possible.
• Build a relat ionship wit h your client t hrough service and

M a n a gin g Clie n t Ex pe ct a t ion s
• Ask t he client personalized quest ions t o underst and t heir

personalized cont act .
• Aim t o exceed your client ’s expect at ions, w it hout exceeding

expect at ions.
• Give t he client your cont act inform at ion and be available for
t he scope of t he event .
• Com m unicat e bot h good and bad new s t o your client s.

t hem .
• Respond in a t im ely fashion.

• Com m unicat e before, during and aft er an event .
• Set lim it s and com m unicat e t hem t o t he client when you
have reached t he lim it s.
Aft er t he pre- event m eet ing, respond t o all inquires as soon as

possible wit h t hought ful and considerat e com m unicat ions. Follow
up wit h t he client aft er t he event t o m ake sure you m et t heir

needs. Rem em ber t hat m any client com plaint s st em from lack of
cont inued com m unicat ion bet w een your com pany and t he client .
M issin g t h e Goa l
Your client m ay want a wide range of t he lat est and m ost
sophist icat ed equipm ent . This t ype of client seem s like t he perfect
client , allowing you t o work wit h all t he new equipm ent .
Som et im es t hese client s lose sit e of t he goal of t heir event , so you
m ust find out what t he cent ral goal of t heir event is before
discussing t he t echnology. For exam ple, if t he event ’s goal is t o
com m unicat e t he im port ance of educat ing t he hom eless, t he
keynot e speaker m ight be an elderly wom an who was hom eless,
but t hrough educat ion was able get back on her feet . Out fit t ing t he
event wit h all t he lat est t echnology, large bright displays, and
flashing light s m ay dist ract from t he goal of t he event . Let t ing your
client s know what opt ions are appropriat e for t heir event w ill help
t hem achieve t heir goal.
Fe e lin g Com for t a ble

Many present ers are well pract iced at what t hey do. They creat e
present at ions using t he m edia available at t he t im e and cont inue t o
use t he sam e present at ions for years. Creat ing new present at ions
and using new t echnology int im idat es t hem ; t hey don’t want t o
learn about new t echniques and want t o st ick wit h w hat has been
successful in t he past . You can give t hem confidence by show ing
t hem how new t echnology would leave a great er im pact on t heir
audience, and can be m ore reliable and easier t o use t han t he old
t echnology. Don’t force t hem int o a sit uat ion t hat m akes t hem
uneasy. I f t hey insist on t he older t echnology, supply t hem wit h
equipm ent t hat is in good condit ion. Your knowledge of past and
current t echnology will m ake you valuable from one end of t he
m arket t o t he ot her.
St ick in g t o a Bu dge t
Client ’s expect at ions can oft en exceed t he lim it s of w hat is
physically possible and what is wit hin t he budget . When t heir
expect at ions begin t o break t he law s of physics and t he budget ,
you need t o gent ly and t act fully bring t hem back down t o realit y.
During pre- event t alks t he client m ay list all t he equipm ent t hey
want t o use. As t hey describe what equipm ent t hey want , you can
use your com pany’s price sheet t o keep a running t ot al. Once t hey
are done list ing t he equipm ent , you can t ot al t he charges and
check w it h t hem ; m ake sure your figure m at ches w hat t hey expect
t o pay. This m et hod of com m unicat ing t he financial st at us of t he
event before you send t hem an invoice will help you t o m anage
expect at ions.

AV specialist s t end t o focus on t he t echnology and devices.

Rem em ber t hat t hese are j ust t ools t o serve client s. Your goal is t o
help client s present t heir inform at ion as effect ively as possible. This
m eans not only t hat t he equipm ent m ust be appropriat e and work
properly, but also t hat t he event it self be w ell planned.
Sch e du lin g
The schedules you creat e w ill be part of larger schedules creat ed by

t he producer, event organizer, sales st aff, or client . Changes in
t heir schedules will be reflect ed in your schedule. Keep t he lines of
com m unicat ion open during t he creat ion of t hese schedules. Your
schedule w ill need t o be const ant ly m onit ored, review ed, m odified,
and updat ed during t he event . Use t he plans you creat ed t o guide
you as you creat e t he schedules. During t he scheduling process,
allocat e resources t o m eet t he requirem ent s of t he plans and t hus
t he goals of your client .
Cr e a t in g Pla n s Usin g M ile st on e s

List t he m ilest ones you m ust reach at t he end of t he event . Use
your client ’s goals and t he plans you creat ed t o achieve t hose
goals.
• Scope Plan
Rem em ber t he plans you creat ed earlier:
• Schedule Plan
• Cost Plan
• Qualit y Plan
• St affing Plan
• Com m unicat ions Plan
• Risk Managem ent Plan
• Procurem ent Plan
• Equipm ent arrives for concert in m ain ballroom

Ex a m ple s of M ile st on e s:
• Equipm ent set up in m ain ballroom

• Modificat ions t o t he st age com plet ed
Sch e du lin g Usin g t h e Act ivit y D e fin it ion M e t hod

“ Defining t he schedule act ivit ies involves ident ifying and
docum ent ing t he work t hat is planned t o be perform ed” ( PROJECT
MANAGEMENT I NSTI TUTE, p.127) . Begin by breaking t he work
t hat needs t o be done.
• Transport equipm ent t o t he venue

For exam ple:
• Set up equipm ent

• Operat e equipm ent

•
•
Tear down equipm ent
Transport equipm ent back t o t he warehouse
These are known as work packages, and t hey w ill differ depending
on t he scope of t he schedule being creat ed. For exam ple, if you
wish t o schedule t he ent ire event planning process including t he
sales st aff’s act ivit ies, you should begin ident ifying work groups at
t hat level.
Once you have ident ified t he w ork packages t hat you need t o
schedule, break t hese packages int o sm aller com ponent s t hat can
be scheduled. Allow enough t im e for each act ivit y t o be
accom plished by t he num ber of people you have available at t he
t im e.
• Pull equipm ent from warehouse

Possible Sch e du le d Act ive s:
• Load t he t ruck
• Travel t o t he venue
• Unload t he equipm ent
• Place equipm ent in t he proper room s
• Set up equipm ent in t he proper room s
• Test all set ups
• Person A needs t o be in room A t o operat e equipm ent A
• Person B needs t o be in room B t o operat e equipm ent B
• Room s A, B, C need t o be t urned at t his t im e
• Room s A and B can be t orn dow n at t his t im e
• All room s can be t orn down at t his t im e
• All equipm ent needs t o be t orn down and packed up by t his
• All equipm ent needs t o be loaded on t he t rucks by t his t im e

t im e
• Travel t o t he warehouse
• Unload equipm ent
Once you have list ed t he act ivit ies you can begin ident ifying t he
act ivit y at t ribut es, which are det ails about each scheduled act ivit y.
• Num ber and t ype of equipm ent ( equipm ent pick list )
Act ivit y At t r ibu t e s:
• Am ount of equipm ent

• Num ber and t ype of cords
• Local labor
• Sub- rent als
• Freelancers
• Num ber of t rucks
• Size of t rucks
• Size and t ype of dock
• What t im e rest rict ions t here are
• Num ber of people required wit h a cert ain skill set

•
•
Geographical area
•
Predecessor act ives
•
Successor act ivit ies
•
Relat ionships
•
Ordering
•
Sort ing
Procedures
Pla n n in g M e t hods
Now you are ready t o sequence t he act ivit ies. People follow a
variet y of m et hods t o creat e t he sequence of act ivit ies. Som e
creat e a diagram showing what needs t o happen before t he next
t ask can begin. Ot hers use calendars and t im e slot s t o m anage t he
resources. There are m any soft ware program s specifically designed
t o do t his. Do what you can t o help visualize where all t he people
and equipm ent need t o be at cert ain t im es.
Pla n n in g Usin g t h e Act ivit y Se qu e n cin g M e t hod

Below is an exam ple of t he “ Arrow Diagram ” or Crit ical Pat h
m et hod ( PROJECT MANAGEMENT I NSTI TUTE, p.132) . Each circle or
rect angle represent s t he beginning or com plet ion of a t ask and t he
lines and arrows represent t heir relat ionship wit h each ot her. This
way you can visualize what act ivit ies can be st art ed im m ediat ely
and what act ivit ies require a predecessor act ivit y before t hey can
begin. Tim e is read from left t o right , and t asks t hat can be
accom plished at t he sam e t im e align vert ically.
This m et hod is act ually very com plex and can support very large
and com plex proj ect s. For now, you only need t o underst and how
t his m et hod can help plan an event , not t he com plexit ies of
planning a large proj ect using t his m et hod.

To explain t he basic principles of t his m et hod, look at a sim ple t ask

such as a basic loudspeaker and proj ect or set up. List each t ask
t hat m ust be com plet ed t o finish t he set up. Decide which t asks can
be com plet ed at t he sam e t im e, and which t asks m ust be
com plet ed consecut ively. To help you organize t he t asks, you can
put t his int o a t ask list .
For exam ple:
Task D e scr ipt ion of Ta sk Ta sk D e pe n de n t on

#
1 Assem ble all equipm ent st ands
2 Assem ble t he proj ect ion screen

Place t he loudspeakers
3 1
and proj ect or on t he st ands
4 Connect all cables and power cords 3
5 Properly align t he proj ect or and speake 1, 2, 3, 4
6 Test t he signal 1- 5
7 Properly gaff all cables 1- 4
The chart shows t he t asks, but not t he st art dat es and durat ion of
t he t asks. Those det ails are designed for m ore com plex proj ect
plans.
1. Arrange t he t ask list in a successive order, t hen use t he

left colum n of t he chart t o num ber each t ask.
2. The colum n on t he right sit e of t he chart indicat es w hat

t ask m ust be com plet ed before anot her can begin or –
dependent t asks.
An exam ple of a dependent t ask is t ask num ber 3, list ed in t he

chart above. You know t hat t his is a dependent t ask because a
num ber is list ed in t he right hand colum n. I n t his exam ple, t ask
num ber 3 is dependent on t ask num ber 1.
Why is t ask num ber 3 dependent ? Task num ber 3 asks you t o
place t he loudspeakers and proj ect or on t he st ands, which cannot
be accom plished unt il t he st ands are set up which happens t o be
t ask num ber 1.
3. To record your list of t asks in an arrow diagram look at

t he first t ask: “ Assem ble all equipm ent st ands.” On a

blank sheet of paper, draw a circle wit h num ber 1 inside,

and t hen draw an arrow point ing t o a circle wit h a
num ber 2 in it . The circles represent t he beginning and
end of t he t ask, and t he arrow represent s t he act ivit ies
t hat m ust happen t o com plet e t he t ask.
4. I n inst ances where one act ivit y is dependent on t he

com plet ion of anot her t o begin, draw an arrow.
5. Build each com plet ed t ask wit h anot her arrow unt il t he
set up has been com plet ed. The chart s are t ypically
drawn t o scale wit h t he lengt h of each line and arrow
represent ing t he am ount of t im e it t akes t o com plet e a
proj ect .
Pla n n in g Su m m a r y
This was an int roduct ion t o som e basic m et hods of m anaging
proj ect s. All of t hese m et hods are far m ore det ailed t han
dem onst rat ed in t his course. The purpose of t his lesson is t o
int roduce you t o t he basic concept s of proj ect m anagem ent and t he
t ools t hat you can use t o help organize your proj ect s.

Act ivit y Re sou r ce Est im a t in g

Est im at ing t he resources you need is a balancing act . You don’t
want so m any resources t hat you expend t oo m uch m oney, yet you
don’t w ant so few t hat you can’t accom plish t he t asks. Resource
est im at ion is based on t he schedule you creat ed, records of past
t ask perform ances, and a list of assum pt ions.
1. Est im at ing your t im e is im port ant because 1) “ Tim e

est im at es est ablish t he set t ing of deadlines for delivery of
proj ect s, and hence peoples' assessm ent s of your reliabilit y”
( Mind Tools, 2006) ., and, 2) “ They oft en det erm ine t he
pricing of cont ract s and hence, t heir profit abilit y” . ( Mind
Tools, 2006) .
2. “ Tim e est im at es est ablish t he set t ing of deadlines for

delivery of proj ect s, and hence peoples' assessm ent s of your
reliabilit y” ( Mind Tools, 2006) .
3. “ They oft en det erm ine t he pricing of cont ract s and hence,
t heir profit abilit y” ( Mind Tools, 2006) .
St e ps t o Accu r a t e ly Est im a t e You r Tim e :
1. Underst and what you need t o achieve

2. List all t asks you m ust achieve
• Ot her high urgency t asks t o be carried out which will

3. Account for all event ualit ies including:
• Accident s and em ergencies

have priorit y over t his one
• I nt ernal m eet ings

• Holidays and sickness in essent ial st aff
• Cont act wit h ot her cust om ers – t o arrange t he next
• Breakdowns in equipm ent

j ob
• Missed deliveries by suppliers

• I nt errupt ions
• Qualit y cont rol rej ect ions
• Et c. ( Mind Tools, 2006)
I f you are planning a com plex proj ect , t ry breaking it down int o
m anageable part s using t he drill down m et hod.
St e ps t o Usin g t h e D r ill D ow n M e t h od:
1. Writ e t he issue or t ask down on t he left - hand side of a large

sheet of paper.
2. Record t he point s t hat m ake up t he next level of det ail on
t he issue a lit t le t o t he right of t his. These m ay be fact ors

cont ribut ing t o t he issue, inform at ion relat ing t o it , or

quest ions raised by it .
3. This process of breaking t he issue down int o it s com ponent
part is called drilling down.
For each of t hese point s, repeat t he process. Keep on drilling down

int o point s unt il you fully underst and t he fact ors cont ribut ing t o t he
issue. I f you cannot break t hem down using t he knowledge, you
have t hen carryout w hat ever research is necessary t o underst and
t he issue ( Mind Tools, 2006) .
To creat e realist ic est im at es, t here will always be som e

assum pt ions. Assum pt ions ident ify fact ors t hat are beyond your
cont rol but m ay negat ively affect t he event . For exam ple, m ost
proj ect m anagers will assum e t hat a nat ural disast er will not
happen during or prior t o t he event . This is a fair assum pt ion: it
rarely happens and preparing for it would be very cost ly. Basically,
you are ident ifying and docum ent ing when each t ask will be
accom plished, provided a num ber of sit uat ions do and don’t occur.

Pr oj e ct Bu dge t in g


Cost Pla n s a n d Bu dge t s
Depending on t he policies of your com pany, you m ay be involved

wit h developing t he cost plan and m aint aining t he event ’s budget .
Oft en t he client has been given a quot e before t he show, which
t ypically includes expenses such as pre- planning, t ravel, sub-
rent als, and ot her variable cost s. I t ’s t he responsibilit y of t he AV
t echnician t o m onit or t he budget during t he event .
There are a variet y of budget s, all creat ed t o t rack and cat egorize
every dollar. As an AV t echnician, you w ill have t he great est
• Event budget s or event cost plans

im pact on t wo t ypes of budget s:
• Com pany budget s
I t is easy t o get t hese t wo t ypes of budget s confused. Due t o t heir

close relat ionship, t hey share several st andard account ing
charact erist ics.
Exam ples of a rent al com pany’s finances ( Figure A) and t he budget

breakdown of an event ( Figure B) are on t he next page. These are
great exam ples of t he blocks of financial dat a t hat are organized
and analyzed by t he account ing depart m ent t o forecast t he
financial st anding of t he com pany.
Not ice t hat bot h t ables t rack sim ilar dat a such as incom e, revenue,
and expenses; except an event ’s budget is focused on financial
det ails of a single event rat her t han t he im pact of m any event s.
When it com es t o individual shows, t he cost st ruct ure changes in

com parison t o t he com pany’s overall pict ure. An event t hat uses
m inim al out side resources will appear t o be m ore profit able. Look
in t he exam ple below at t he event ’s finances and com pare it t o t he
com pany finances. This is an exam ple of an event w here t he
event ’s expenses ( Figure B) exact ly m at ch t he percent ages for t he
whole rent al com pany ( Figure A) .

An exam ple of a com pany’s finances:

Re n t a l Com pa ny
I n com e St a t e m e n t
Revenue 100%
( less Expenses) 90%
= Gross Profit 10%
Re ve nu e Br e a k dow n
Equipm ent Rent al 60%
Labor 30%
Supplies/ Mat erials 10%
= Tot al Revenue 100%
Ex pe n se s Br e a k dow n
Business Overhead 40%
Labor - int ernal 15%
Labor - ext ernal 15%
Cost of Supplies 5%
Cost of Sale I t em s 5%
Sub- Rent als 10%
= Tot al Expenses 90%
( Figure A)
An exam ple of an event ’s finances:

An Eve n t ’s Bu dge t
Bu dge t Br e a k dow n
Revenue $10,000
( less Expenses) 9,000
= Gross Profit $1,000
Equipm ent 7,500
( less 20% discount ) ( 1,500)
Est im at ed Labor 3,000
Mat erials Sold 1,000
= Tot al Revenue 10,000
Ex pe n se s Br e a k dow n Ave r a ge
Share of Business Overhead 4,000
Cost of St aff used on event 1,500
Cost of out side labor 1,500
Cost of supplies sold 500
Cost of supplies used 500
Cost of sub- rent als 1,000
= Tot al Expenses 9,000
( Figure B)
Not ice t he sim ilarit ies bet ween t he dat a t hat is t racked for t he
com pany and event .

I n com e
Many businesses divide t heir account ing int o t wo groups: cost

cent ers and profit cent ers. Profit cent ers are sources of revenue.
Cost cent ers are t he depart m ent s t hat are not responsible for
generat ing revenue, such as t he account ing depart m ent .
Any event s an AV t ech works on are t ypically cat egorized as profit

cent ers. The event is int ended t o m ake a profit . I f t he event is
successful, it w ill increase t he am ount of dollars in t hat profit
cent er- if it is not successful, it will decrease t he am ount of dollars
in t hat profit cent er, showing a loss of incom e for t hat event . When
an event shows profit , it brings t he com pany incom e. Whet her t he
even m akes a profit or not , it is st ill considered a profit cent er. A
com pany’s revenue is som et im es called incom e, and can be
acquired from different sources.
A r e n t a l or st a gin g com pa n y’s in com e sou r ce s m a y in clu de :

1. Equipm ent Rent al
2. Labor
3. Mat erials
To make a profit, the company needs to charge the client more for the service
or materials than it is costing them to acquire, and maintain it. The pricing
structure must be set so that it brings in income: Total Costs + Profit = Price.
However, the price must be competitive when compared to what other
companies are charging for the same service or product. This often results in
more of a profit on some items and less on others, making some items more
profitable than others. In the rental industry, on average, the majority of
income will not come from the mark-up on labor or materials; but from the
rental of equipment.
Ex pe n se s
Expenses com e in m any different form s. They are cat egorized by

how oft en t hey occur and if t hey are expect ed t o reoccur.
Cat egorizing t hese expenses can be difficult , but so can calculat ing
t hem . There are st raight forward calculat ions such as cost s of
salaries and purchasing equipm ent . Ot her expenses, which are
m ore difficult t o assess are: deprecat ion of equipm ent , m ileage on
vehicles, and t he cost of replacing lost or st olen equipm ent . The
com pany’s abilit y t o t rack and prepare t heir finances for t hese
expenses is essent ial t o t he com pany’s degree of success.

Tw o Type s of Ex pe n se s
Ope r a t in g ove r h e a d is a large expense for a com pany in t he live

event s indust ry. Operat ing overhead, also known as fixed expense,
is not direct ly alt ered by t he am ount of business at any given t im e.
The allocat ion of operat ing overhead will affect t he ent ire com pany.
An exam ple of t his is t he am ount a com pany will pay in salaries.
Calculat ing t ot al operat ing overhead will help t he com pany set
prices t hat will allow t hem t o m ake a profit .
• Equipm ent depreciat ion

Exam ples of operat ing overhead:
• I nsurance, ut ilit ies

• Rent
• Salaries ( for cost cent er labor) – , account ing, m arket ing, and
m anagem ent
Va r ia ble e x pe n se s can fluct uat e in proport ion t o t he sales

revenue ( incom e) . Theoret ically, t hey are cont rollable based on t he
level of sales. The classic exam ple of a variable expense is a sales
com m ission, which varies based on t he am ount of sales revenue.
All t he ot her variable expenses will change based on unit s sold.
Accurat ely calculat ing t hese expenses will help t he account ing
depart m ent analyze t he perform ance com pared t o prior years and
adj ust t he prices accordingly.
• Su b- r e n t a l – equipm ent you m ust pay t o use

Exam ples of variable expenses are:
• M a t e r ia ls – it em s sold t o t he client
• Su pplie s – it em s t hat are used in t he course of doing
• D ir e ct La bor – ( profit cent er st aff) – posit ions direct ly

business, but are not paid for by t he client
associat ed wit h revenue.
To calculat e profit , t he account ing depart m ent m ay follow a sim ple

form ula: unit m argin ( t he price you pay for a unit and your cost s
for purchasing and m aint aining it ) unit sales volum e = t ot al m argin
– fixed expenses = operat ing profit . Changes in sales volum e and
prices per unit will affect t he ent ire profit st ruct ure.
Un de r st a n din g Va r ia ble Ex pe n se s
Som et im es it is difficult t o appreciat e t he im pact variable expenses

have on a com pany’s profit m argin. Variable expenses are t he
m ost easily adj ust ed, and t herefore, t he m ost easily cont rolled.
Once you underst and t he large im pact t hese expenses can have on
your com pany’s profit s, you can appreciat e t he role you can play in
m anaging your com pany’s variable expenses.

Cost s of Su b- Re n t a ls
One of t he largest variable expenses for rent al com panies is sub-
rent al. This is t he equipm ent rent ed from ot her com panies t o
supplem ent or replace exist ing invent ory. Minim izing unnecessary
sub- rent als is one of t he m ost im port ant t hings a rent al com pany
can do t o cont rol expenses. For exam ple, if a com pany can reduce
sub- rent als by $20,000 per year by purchasing a $50,000 it em t hat
will last for t hree years, t hen it can realize a 20% ret urn on it s
invest m ent over t hree years ( $20,000 x 3= $60,000. $60,000 -
$50,000= $10,000 or, 20% of t he $50,000 purchase) .
What are som e ways t hat you can reduce t he am ount of sub-
rent als your com pany uses?
Cost s of Lost or St ole n Equ ipm e n t

A lost piece of gear has t hree cost s associat ed w it h it :
1. Pu r ch a se cost – The purchase price of equipm ent

depreciat es overt im e, which t ranslat es int o a m ont hly cost .
For exam ple, a $1,000 it em depreciat ed over t hree years
cost s t he com pany $27.78 a m ont h regardless of t he num ber
of uses.
2. Su b- r e n t a l cost – The cost of rent ing a replacem ent for lost

or st olen equipm ent . I f t he $1,000 it em rent s t o a client for
$100 a week and t he replacem ent sub- rent al cost s $90 a
week, t hat leaves only $10 t o pay for t he $27.78
depreciat ion inst ead of t he $100 norm ally received from a
non sub- rent al.
3. Re pla ce m e n t cost – I f t he com pany buys a new $1,000

it em , t he t ot al depreciat ion increases t o $55.56. This
increase account s for t he deprecat ion of t he st olen
equipm ent .
4. H idde n cost – Em ploye e t im e spent t racking lost invent ory,

report ing st olen gear t o aut horit ies, purchasing new gear,
arranging for sub- rent als, and t ransport ing sub- rent als.
•
What are som e ways you can reduce t he cost of lost or st ole gear?
•
Secure all t he equipm ent at all t im es.
•
Keep doors shut and locked.
Record what gear is rem oved from t he warehouse and when
• Keep records of where t he equipm ent is at all t im es.

it is ret urned t o t he warehouse.
• Avoid keeping equipm ent in t he t rucks if you can.

• I f equipm ent m ust be st ored in t he t rucks, park t he t rucks in
secure areas or in highly visible areas.

Ex pe n se Tr a ck in g
Here is an exam ple of a live event budget form t hat t racks t he

cost s of an event :
LIVE EVENTS FORM

Event Title:
Event Date:
Length:
Event Personnel: Number Days Rate Indirect Costs Direct Costs Total
Onsite Project
Manager
Lead AV Technician
Assistant AV
Technician
Pre-Production
Post-Production
Camera Director
Camera Operator
Audio Engineer
Sound Board
Operator
Gaffer
Heavy Lifting
Rigger
Personnel
Subtotal
Equipment: Number Days Rate Indirect Costs Direct Costs Total

Scaffolding
Package
Projection Package
Camera Package
Equipment: (cont’d) Number Days Rate Indirect Costs Direct Costs Total
Sound Package
Lighting Package
Dolly Rental
Sub-Rentals
Strike of Equipment
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies: Number Days Rate Indirect Costs Direct Costs Total
Gaffer’s Tape
Projection Bulbs

Batteries
VHS
SVHS
DVI
DVD
CD-RW
Supplies Subtotal
Travel: Number Days Rate Indirect Costs Direct Costs Total
Lodging
Air Fare
Parking
Meals
Per Diem
Travel Subtotal
Office Number Days Rate Indirect Costs Direct Costs Total
Telephone
Computer
Photocopying
Postage
Supplies
Office Sub-total
Miscellaneous Number Days Rate Indirect Costs Direct Costs Total

Event Insurance
Location Permits
and Fees
Catering
Parking Fee
Docking Fee
Vehicle Mileage
Vehicle Rental
Miscellaneous
Subtotal

Ke y Fin a n cia l Fa ct or s D u r in g a n Eve n t
Making good decisions during crisis sit uat ions can be a daunt ing
t ask. You m ust use your knowledge of t he show’s budget , t he
client ’s t em peram ent , and your com pany’s resources t o com e up
wit h viable solut ions. One resource t hat you can use t o m ake
inform ed decisions is t he em ployee t im e log. This w ill help you
know t he st at us of each em ployee.
Before you m ake a decision look at t he key fact ors t o consider
• Fixed labor
during a crisis:
• Unreim bursed ( you cannot charge your client ) overt im e

• Unreim bursed ( you cannot charge your client ) supplies
• Unnecessary sub- rent als
Fix e d la bor – Fixed labor cost s are t he labor cost s guarant eed t o
t he client not t o increase and are t ypically est im at ed prior t o t he
event as a package price. I f a lead AV t echnician m anages t im e
and resources well, t it is possible t o finish t he event using less
labor hours t han est im at ed. Com plet ing event s early can help
m ake a profit for t he com pany. Unfort unat ely, when a crisis
sit uat ion occurs, addit ional labor and m at erial is oft en required. I f
t he crisis is not caused by t he client , t he client will not have t o pay
any ext ra cost s, and your com pany will have t o absorb t he cost ,
causing a loss of revenue.
Un r e im bu r se d ove r t im e – Depending on t he cont ract and

sit uat ion, unreim bursed overt im e can t ake several form s.
Unreim bursed overt im e occurs when you cannot charge t he client
for overt im e. This is oft en caused by m ist akes in t im e m anagem ent
or in allocat ion of resources. A exam ple of t his would when t he
equipm ent being delivered arrives lat e due t o t raffic problem s,
which can causes t he labor crew t o get paid for j ust wait ing t o
work.
The next exam ple of unreim bursed overt im e is h idde n ove r t im e .

This t ype of overt im e occurs when t he crew is working t wo
consecut ive event s. I f circum st ances dict at e t hat t he first event
has t he crew work a longer t han planned, it causes t hem t o roll
int o overt im e during t he second event .
Un r e im bu r se d su pplie s – These are supplies t hat are consum ed

during t he course of one or m any event s. Exam ples of
unreim bursed supplies include proj ect or lam ps, gaffer’s t ape, and
bat t eries.

Su b- Re n t a l – This is equipm ent t hat t he com pany does not own

and m ust pay t o use. I f m anaged properly, sub- rent als can help
t he com pany when it s own invent ory is t em porarily short , or t he
equipm ent needed for a j ob is out of t he norm al scope of services
t he com pany usually provides. Unnecessary sub- rent als, however,
can be a result of m ist akes, such as poor logist ical planning, lack of
proper m aint enance leading t o equipm ent failure, and im properly
diagnosed equipm ent problem s.
Ext ra labor, sub- rent als, and supplies can quiet ly dest roy an
event ’s profit and, over t im e, a com pany’s business. Manage your
resources wisely and use prudent cont rol over expendit ures w hen
ever possible. Be resourceful and explore all of your opt ions before
incurring expenses. Take t he t im e t o realign your revenue and
expenses on a regular basis by looking at your financial paperwork.
Ke e pin g Accu r a t e Tim e Logs
Keeping accurat e logs is vit al t o t he success of t he event , especially

when faced wit h a crisis. Crisis sit uat ions m ay cause you t o
abandon all t hought and react on inst inct . STOP! Hast y decisions
can increase t he probabilit y of lost profit m argins. You need t o
keep a cool head and use resources such as t im e logs t o m ake
int elligent decisions.
To st ay wit hin budget , you need t o inspect your t im e logs. Figure

out ways t o m axim ize efficiency. When you can, ut ilize an
• is not being paid overt im e

em ployee who:
• has t aken t heir break

• is com plet ing t heir assigned t ask ahead of schedule
• is capable of solving t he problem
Below is an exam ple of a t im esheet t hat t racks t he t ask t hat t he

em ployee is working on and t he t im e spent on t hat t ask. The hours
t his person worked on t he event can be recorded on a m ast er sheet
so t hat you know t he current st at us of each em ployee. This w ill
allow you t o m ake inform ed decisions and save m oney.
I t is a be st pr a ct ice t o st andardize your com pany’s t im esheet s.

Each sheet should include t he em ployee’s nam e, t he event I D ( if
working on m ult iple event s) , t he t he em ployee began and ended
working, , t he t ot al hours worked per day, and hours worked per
event .

I t is difficult t o m ot ivat e em ployees t o keep an accurat e account of

t he hours. One w ay t o help rem ove com m on obst acles is by
creat ing a st andard t im e log. This log should be clear, concise, and
easy t o com plet e, use, and reference.
Time Sheet
Name:
Date:
Event:
Total Hours
Total Hours
Per Task
Assigned Task Start Time Stop Time Per Task
Regular
Overtime
Time
Total:
Alloca t in g Re sou r ce s D u r in g a n Eve n t
There are m any decisions t o m ake during an event . When you are
new t o m anaging event s, it is oft en difficult t o know what decisions
t o m ake. Unfort unat ely, t here is no list of right and wrong
answers, when it com es t o t hese decisions. You m ust learn about
t he com m on m ist akes m ade during t he event and do your best t o
avoid m aking sim ilar m ist akes.
Each com pany has a different process for approving changes t o t he

budget or schedule. These processes can oft en require an AV
t echnician t o cont act several people before m aking a change. I t is
a be st pr a ct ice for a com pany t o provide it s t echnicians wit h
cont act inform at ion for everyone who m ust approve a change, and
t he procedure involved wit h m aking t hat change.

Analyze a possible sit uat ion where you m ay need t o allocat e

resources during an event and analyze som e possible solut ions.
You are a lead AV t echnician for an event . During t he course of

t his event , a video proj ect or fails. Your com pany doesn’t have any
spare proj ect ors, so a sub- rent al has t o be secured. Once you
secure a sub- rent al, you m ust decide how t o proceed wit h
t ransport at ion and inst allat ion. As a proj ect m anager or lead AV
t echnician, you have t he abilit y t o m inim ize cert ain cost s wit h good
decision- m aking.
Lead t echnician “ A” decides t o use out side labor t o locat e,

t ransport , and inst all t he sub- rent al proj ect or. Due t o t he
m et iculous t im e logs, t he lead t echnician knows t hat t he out side
labor is st ill on st raight t im e while t he inside labor w ould be on
overt im e.
REN TAL EVEN T

Revenue $10,000
= Gross Profit $1,000
Equipm ent 7,500
Ex pe n se s Br e a k dow n - Ave r a ge
When organizing t he show t he lead t echnician “ B” decides t o use

inside st aff t o find a sub- rent al proj ect or, t ransport it , and inst all it .
Since t he t im e logs are out of dat e, t he lead t echnician “ B” has no
idea who would be working overt im e hours. This decision causes
t he am ount of st aff overt im e t o increase, whereas out side labor
would have been on st raight t im e. I n t his exam ple, t here is a low

profit on supplies and m at erials and no profit t o offset t he cost s of

supplies.
RENTAL EVENT
Revenue $10,000
= Gross Profit $450
Equipm ent 7,500
Ex pe n se s Br e a k dow n - Ave r a ge
Making inform ed decisions about labor can m ean t he difference

bet ween a profit able event and a cost ly event . Having up- t o- dat e
logs will help you m ake inform ed decisions fast er. The sooner a
problem is resolved t he less chance your client will not ice t he
problem , t he great er chance you have of fixing it in t im e, and t he
m ore t im e your crew will have t o com plet e t heir t asks on schedule
wit hout incurring overt im e.
Fa cilit y Con t r a ct s a n d I n su r a n ce
Every event will need insurance and cont ract s t o operat e legally.
The t ypes of cont ract s and insurance required will vary depending
on regional codes and law s. The event sit e or your com pany will
know what t ype of cont ract s and insurance are required for you t o
legally operat e. As an AV t echnician, you m ust know where t he
legal docum ent at ions are so t hat you can produce it if asked. I f t he
legal docum ent at ion is not available at t he show sit e, you m ust
know who t o cont act t o confirm t he docum ent at ion.
AV t echnicians usually don’t sign cont ract s wit h client s. Norm ally,
an AV t echnician needs t o know t hat t he cont ract s exist and who is
responsible for enforcing t heir t erm s. Sm aller AV organizat ions

require an AV t echnician t o read and int erpret cont ract s wit h

venues, insurance agencies, or sub- rent al agencies. I f your
com pany requires you t o w ork wit h cont ract s, t hey should provide
guidelines for you t o follow.
Here are som e exam ples of cont ract feat ures t hat should cause
concern w hen you see t hem :
• The t erm s of t he cont ract infringe on right s or creat e
• The t erm s of t he cont ract can be int erpret ed in m ult iple ways.
dangerous sit uat ions.
• The t erm s of t he cont ract violat e anyone’s right s which are
• The penalt ies out lined in t he cont ract seem unreasonable.

guarant eed t hem under t he law.
I n t hese cases, bring t he issue t o t he at t ent ion of your supervisor.

I n m any cases, t he cont ract will need t o be rewrit t en, or t he
changes will be writ t en int o t he original cont ract and init ialed by
bot h part ies.
Lia bilit y
The m ost prevalent legal issue in t he live event s indust ry is safet y.
I nsurance com panies exist t o m ake sure t heir client is t he last one
found liable in t he event of an accident . I nsurance com panies hire
people t o m ake sure large corporat ions and hot els are never found
liable. As an AV com pany, vendor, or sub- cont ract or, you need t o
be prot ect ed by liabilit y insurance. As an AV t echnician, you m ust
follow proper procedures and be aware of your act ions at all t im es
t o prevent an accident .
To pr e ve n t a ccide n t s, m on it or t h e a r e a be for e , du r in g, a n d
a ft e r t h e e ve n t a n d look for :
I m properly secured cables
I m properly t aped cables
Dangerous overhead rigging and hanging equipm ent
Dam age t o t he facilit y
Unsafe operat ion of equipm ent
Dam aged hardware
Dam aged cables
Here is an exam ple of what can happen:

A com pany was doing a show in an at rium lobby. Light s were
m ount ed on pipe and base hung out over t he edge of t he balcony,
held in place only by sandbags. Aft er t he show had ended, a st age
hand rem oved all t he sandbags from t he bases, t he light s and pipe
fell down four st ories and killed a wom an. I t was a horrible t ragedy
t hat was caused by an em ployee who had not been properly
t rained. This com pany was ext rem ely negligent , suffered lawsuit s,
and alm ost went out of business as result . You have t o be very

aware of w hat you are doing and underst and what could happen.
The reason AV professionals t ape cables around doorways is
because t hey know w hat could happen. There are a lot of “ what
could happens” and t here is no end t o t he num ber of t hings t o
consider.
I n t he event of an accident , alw ays t ake care of t he people first .

Make sure t hey get proper m edical at t ent ion, t hen ask for t he
person’s inform at ion, docum ent at ion, and t hen not ify your
supervisor so t hat t he proper form s can be filled out .
When working in t he client ’s venue ( hot el, convent ion cent er, or
building) , t here m ay be ot her aut horit ies t hat need t o be not ified.
I n a hot el or convent ion cent er, it ’s oft en t he securit y office, or t hey
m ay even have a safet y officer who needs t o be not ified. Make
sure you go t hrough t he proper channels and be accom m odat ing.
Your com pany m ay be liable, so don’t do anyt hing t hat ’s going t o
m ake it worse by being uncooperat ive. Take care of people first .
Accident s don’t happen very oft en but when t hey do it can be very
devast at ing t o a com pany and t he people involved. Do everyt hing
you can t o prevent accident s from happening.
Clie n t Con t r a ct s a nd Qu ot e s
Every event will have a cont ract or quot e associat ed wit h it . These
docum ent s are t he result of pre- event m eet ings and negot iat ions.
Cont ract s provide a way t o define t he working relat ionship bet ween
part ies.
A t ypical cont ract will out line what resources t he client is being
charged for and w hat t he set - up will be when t he event or service
agreed upon is com plet e. Cont ract s are t ypically legally binding
docum ent s requiring t hat bot h part ies m eet t he t erm s of t he
cont ract . Many cont ract s allow for t he price and t erm s of t he
cont ract t o change under cert ain circum st ances.
Unlike cont ract s, quot es t ypically are not binding; t hey are an
educat ed guess at what t he client m ay expect t o pay for an event .
No m at t er what t ype of agreem ent has been reached bet ween your
com pany and t he client , you should underst and t he t erm s of t he
agreem ent , so if a change needs t o be m ade you will know what
you can do about it .
•
Con t r a ct s in t h e live e ve n t s indu st r y:
•
Are creat ed in t he pre- event m eet ings
Are legally binding docum ent s t hat require bot h part ies t o
•
m eet t he t erm s of t he cont ract
Describe t he charges t o t he client

•
•
Describe w hat resources or services t he client will receive
Allow for changes t o t he t erm s under cert ain circum st ances
An event budget is creat ed from an RFP form or a cont ract set t ing
lim it s on how m uch a com pany will spend on an event . Typically,
t he com pany providing t he services will allow for a profit t o be
m ade from t he event by charging t he client m ore for t he event t han
it cost s t o provide it . I f t he event ’s expenses exceed t he cont ract ed
price, t he expenses st art decreasing t he profit ; if t hey cont inue t o
increase, t he event w ill cost t he com pany m oney inst ead of
bringing in revenue.
Tips for w or k in g w it h quot e s or con t r a ct s:
Bring a copy of t he quot e or cont ract , signed by t he client , t o

any pre- event m eet ings and m aint ain a copy during t he event .
Make sure you know if it is a quot e or cont ract . Don’t discuss
t he t erm s of t his cont ract wit h anyone unless you have been
aut horized t o do so. Use t he copy for reference and t o answer
any quest ions t he client m ay have.
A quot e needs t o be det ailed enough t hat you know what it em s

will be included or excluded from t he bill.
I f you are responsible for quot es, learn how t o calculat e t he

t axes for t he region where you are w orking. Som e
organizat ions m ay be t ax exem pt . Find out what t heir st at us is
before t ot aling t he bill.
Not all cont ract s have every t erm recorded. Find out about
hidden expenses, such as union labor, elect ricit y charges, st age
risers, lift s, drayage, m eal charges, securit y, or ot her hot el
charges not specifically quot ed.
Follow your com pany’s chain of com m and t o approve any

changes. Your com pany should provide you wit h all of t he
cont act inform at ion required t o approve a change.
I f t he client m ust sign any docum ent at ion, have t hose

docum ent s wit h you at all t im es. For exam ple, a docum ent
allowing a change t o t he order, such as equipm ent addit ions or
delet ions and change t o t he labor hours m ay be needed.
Ask about your com pany’s cont ract s, including cancellat ion
t erm s, such as client cancellat ions, act s of God, and weat her-
relat ed cancellat ions.
Find out how equipm ent addit ions or delet ions should be
handled. For exam ple, client s m ay have paid t heir bill prior t o

t he event and will need t o pay for any changes before t he event
begins. Ot her client s m ay be get t ing t he bill aft er t he event and
will need t o sign a docum ent agreeing t o any changes t o t he bill.
I f you have t o quot e prices, have a price chart , including

equipm ent price and labor cost s, wit h you at all t im es. This way
you w ill be able t o fully disclose t he price of any event changes
t o t he client before t hey are m ade.
Exam ine t he cont ract and find out how m any labor hours you
have t o com plet e t he event .
Record all t he t asks involved in com plet ing t his event .
Est im at e how m uch t im e each t ask will t ake, check t his t ot al

wit h t he t ot al labor est im at e. I f you feel t hat an error has been
m ade, let your supervisor know .
Assign t asks t o all crew m em bers, and t ell t hem t he am ount of

t im e t hey have t o com plet e t heir t ask. This sounds easier t han
it is because you m ust m ake sure t hat each crew m em ber can
com plet e t he t ask assigned. This m eans you m ust know what
t he dependent t asks involve and what t he skill level of t he crew
m em ber needs t o be. For exam ple, if t he t ask is t o hang t he
proj ect or but t he rigging hasn’t been const ruct ed and t he crew
m em ber doesn’t know how t o hang a proj ect or, t he t ask cannot
be com plet ed.
Manage t he crew by m anaging t heir t asks. They should be

working efficient ly on t he assigned t ask and com plet ed each
t ask before t hey st art t he next . Make sure t hey have com plet ed
t heir last t ask and have all t he supplies t hey need for t he next
t ask before assigning t hem t he next t ask.
Keep accurat e records of t he t im e t he crew is working and t he

t im e it t akes for t hem t o perform each t ask. This not only helps
t he com pany account for t he labor cost s, but it will help you
explain why t he labor cost s increased or decreased on t his
event .
Follow t he labor law s and allow for breaks and overt im e when
assigning each t ask.
I f you are aut horized t o m ake changes, docum ent t he change

on paper and keep a live com put er record as up- t o- dat e as
possible. Give t he m anual form s t o t he first and second AV
t echnicians. Meet wit h t hem oft en and keep t he docum ent s up-
t o- dat e.

Cont ract s and quot es are used t o com m unicat e and docum ent
agreem ent s bet ween com panies and client s. They can help
facilit at e com m unicat ion and resolve conflict s when t hey arise.
Com m on Con t r a ct s in t h e AV I n du st r y
The m ost popular st andard cont ract s in t he indust ry are know n as

all- inclusive AV rent al cont ract s, ot herwise cat egorized as client
cont ract s. They are creat ed for com panies t hat rent individual
pieces of equipm ent t o end users. Typically, t hey include an
agreem ent and legal language t hat st at es t hat t he person signing
t he cont ract is agreeing t o t ake responsibilit y for t he equipm ent .
You will find t hese cont ract s t hroughout t he AV rent al indust ry.
Many com panies will t ransit ion from a rent al com pany t o a st aging
com pany. During t he process t hey bring t heir st andard cont ract s
wit h t hem . Too oft en t hese cont ract s are not revised t o m eet t he
new needs of t he st aging com pany. This m ay place t he com pany in
a t enuous sit uat ion if t he t erm s of t he cont ract do not cover all
t heir operat ions.
• Ve n u e a n d clie n t con t r a ct s are cont ract s t ypically agreeing

Com m on Type s of Con t r a ct s
• Lon g- t e r m con t r a ct s w it h ve n u e s a n d clie n t s are

on t he t erm s of a service and use of a space.
cont ract s t hat agree t o t erm s over an ext ended am ount of
• La bor con t r a ct s are agreem ent s bet ween t he suppliers and

t im e.
• Su b- ve n dor con t r a ct s are agreem ent s wit h an organizat ion

em ployers of labor.
t hat will carry out t he business on behalf of t he ent it y t hat

proposed t he cont ract .
Con t r a ct s m a y in clu de t e r m s su ch a s:
Con t r a ct t o pe r for m a se r vice – t his says t hat one part y agrees

t o do som et hing for anot her part y in exchange for som e t ype of
com pensat ion.
Pa r t n e r sh ip a gr e e m e n t s – defines how t wo or m ore part ies will

“ get along” w hile working t oget her.
Agr e e m e n t s – are loose cont ract s t hat are usually used t o define
t he expect at ions or rules t hat one part y requires of anot her. A hot el
will oft en provide a service provider agreem ent for an AV com pany
t o sign t hat defines t he rules and regulat ions of t he venue.

Scope of w or k – will define t he lim it s t o t he services one part y will

provide t o anot her. This is oft en used when t he provider want s t o
define where it s responsibilit y ends t o avoid being held liable for
circum st ances beyond it s cont rol.
Su m m a r y
The live event s indust ry provides a t im e- sensit ive service t hat

requires careful preparat ion, planning, and m anagem ent .
Underst anding your client s’ goals and knowing how t o m eet or
exceed t heir expect at ions depends on how well you plan for t he
event and how well you execut e your plan. Ensuring t he cont inued
success of your business will depend on your knowledge of how t o
properly m anage an event how t o properly budget , so t hat you
rem ain bot h com pet it ive in t he m arket place and profit able w it hin
your organizat ion.

Re fe r e n ce s
Chandler, Linda C. Cheat Sheet : Select ing an A/ V com pany:

Point ers for ident ifying your A/ V needs and t he com pany t hat can
best accom m odat e t hem . Ret rieved: Oct ober 13, 2006,
ht t p: / / w w w.expoweb.com / 2006JulyAug/ 2006JulyAugust Cheat sheet
.ht m .
Client Expressions Corporat ion. Managing Client Expect at ions t o

I m prove Sat isfact ion Ret rieved: Sept em ber 16, 2006,
ht t p: / / w w w.client expressions.com / CEx/ cexweb.nsf/ ( Get Pages) / fb0
e21c03e1a1fbb85257011006e6396.
Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e, I nc. ( 2004) . A Guide t o t he Proj ect
Managem ent Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK) 4t h ed. Newt on Square,
Pennsylvania: Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e, I nc. ( p. 19) .
Zielinski, David. Soft Skills Hard Trut hs. Training Magazine. July
2005, pp.18- 23.

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Live Eve n t s

An I nfoCom m I nt ernat ional® Whit e Paper

Ove r vie w ................................................................................... 4

Sum m ary .................................................................................... 44

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I n foCom m pu t s t h is w h it e pa pe r for t h t o a u diovisu a l

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Underst anding your part in t he event planning process is very

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I n it ia t in g – Proj ect m anagers and t he sales st aff t ypically begin

Pla n n in g – Planning t he event is one of t he m ost crucial part s of

Ex e cu t in g – During t his phase, t he plans you creat ed are

M on it or in g – Monit oring occurs during t he ent ire event process.

Closin g – The closing of t he event begins when t he client signs t he

Each phase can be repeat ed t hroughout t he event ’s life cycle. You

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t he way t he AV com pany is organized. The less experience t he

Typica l Tim e lin e of Clie n t Con t a ct s:

One of t he first docum ent s t hat is generat ed by t he client is a

An RFP or in it ia l con ve r sa t ions t ypica lly r e cor d t h is

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I s t he event a conference or m eet ing, or does it include an

Successfully creat ing plans depends on t he qualit y and quant it y of

Scope Pla n – Once you know t he m axim um num ber of event

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St a ffin g Pla n – Once you know t he schedule, you can begin

Qu a lit y Pla n – Qualit y plans should always focus on present ing t he

Com m u n ica t ion s Pla n – Plan t he chain of com m unicat ion. I f

Risk M a n a ge m e n t Pla n – Creat e plans t o deal wit h fact ors t hat

Pr ocu r e m e n t Pla n – Once you know how m any resources you

Sch e du le Pla n – Every event is different . Som e event s have

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H e r e is a n e x a m ple illu st r a t in g t h e se con ce pt s:

Pla n n in g a n Eve n t ’s Scope

• Scope definit ion

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Scope D e fin it ion

• List what resources, procedures, t im e, and m oney you need

• Ask for input from people w it h experience in set t ing up

• Creat e several plans for reaching t he goal efficient ly and

• Decide what m et hod is t he m ost efficient and effect ive for

m oney or space ( Proj ect Managem ent I nst it ut e, pp. 109-

• List t he assum pt ions you are m aking when creat ing t he

Cr e a t e a w or k br e a k dow n st r u ct u r e – A WBS divides t he event

Scope Ve r ifica t ion – This st ep is difficult t o apply t o t he rent al

Scope Con t r ol – is cont rolling t he changes t o t he proj ect ’s scope”

• Keep t he event w it hin t he scope ident ified in t he RFP or

• Review all schedules prior t o t he event including equipm ent

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Proficient ly m onit oring and planning t he scope of t he event is

I n t he RFP or during pre- event com m unicat ions t he client ’s goals

Depending on how an AV com pany is organized, eit her a lead AV

Be st pr a ct ice t o con du ct a sit e su r ve y:

Make cont act w it h onsit e personnel

• I nquire about t he facilit y rules.

• Ask about out side vendor cont ract requirem ent s.

• Measure t he dock height .

• Measure any ram p grades.

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• Ask about t he securit y of t he dock.

Det erm ine t he accessibilit y of t he elevat or by m easuring it s

• The height of t he chandelier and soffit s

Conduct ing a sit e survey is very im port ant t o t he success of t he

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