When visitors look at the interactive floor plan on the Web site for the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition (http://aap2001 .iconvention.com) they only see the tip of the iceberg. They don’t see how that plan provides behind-the-scenes operations data.

“This plan is a Web-based tool with multiple access points,” says Robin Droppa, President/CEO of iConvention in Citrus Heights, CA, the company that powers the Web site. “Management gives access to the venue, contractors and exhibitors, who can log in to keep the floor plan up to date.” 

Most show managers already use floor plans to promote attendance and sell booth space. But a dynamic, interactive floor plan is database-driven, withmultilayered data. When the plan is used as a data map, exhibitors can see booth specifications, contractors see exhibit service orders, and show management can see account balances.

Droppa says a user ID defines what people can access. “The manager can see who accessed the plan and what they did. That allows security so there aren’t renegade changes,” she says.

Building an interactive plan begins with a static diagram, drawn using a computer-aided design (CAD) program, that’s merged with a database tool. Bluedot 3, by Bluedot Software in San Francisco, includes a module that allows users to build plans through their Web browsers, without using CAD. 

Once fields are defined, data can be imported. Both iConvention and ExpoExchange in Frederick, MD, offer back-end integration that enables users to synchronize the data with other database products. Hosted on a secure Web server, the floor plan can then be used to access information and generate reports. 

Some floor plan tools require changes to be made offline, then uploaded to the Web. EXPOCAD VR2, by Applied Computer Technology in Aurora, IL, for example, has a view-only version accessible via the Web. “It’s not dynamically generated for security reasons,” says CEO Rich Stone. EXPOCAD VR2 lets operations personnel post a CAD file online instead of e-mailing outdated information. “It closes the gap for errors,” Stone says.

Interactive floor plans give show managers control over all the details, as international organizers already know. “Internationally, the organizer serves as the single point of contact for the customer,” says Krister D. Ungerboeck, Director of Product Management for Ungerboeck.com in St. Charles, MO, producer of Event Business Management System. “Whether service orders are taken on paper or on the Web, they want the system to put symbols in the booth for every item.” 

Any digitized floor plan can serve as a gateway to interactivity, but the database-driven plan is a powerful means for collaboration among the operations team. 

Cathy Chatfield-Taylor covers technology solutions for business and industry. E-mail:cathy@cc-tunlimited.com.

Is the plan dynamic?

Are base features clickable?

Who will use it?

How is access secured?

Does the information viewed depend on

user identity?

Can it handle multiple users? 

Are changes made online or offline?

Does it require plug-ins?

Is it intuitive to use?