Monday, December 28, 2009 at 8:09AM When times are tough that is when the workforce need to feel valued. In the words of Richard Reeves and John Knell "Sociable workplaces are those where gossiping by the water cooler is not seen as a semi-criminal activity; where investments are made in physical spaces for people to interact; and in which the Christmas party is never, ever - from The 80 minute MBA
Quotes Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 11:20PM What's changed in the technology and techniques we use for conference production since the millennium? In general our audiences and clients have expected more surpises, unpredictable content and more engaging evening entertainment. We've enjoyed the challenges! And behind the scenes much has changed...
Technology Monday, December 21, 2009 at 7:22AM An interesting final event of the year, a marquee in freezing conditions. Frozen services to luxury toilets, frozen generators, frost damaged roses and draft management around the temporary kitchens - but all managed successfully for a successful event.
Events Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 5:41PM A busy year. London, Dubai, Hong Kong roadshow. A private party with guest Russell Watson. Introducing 1,400 Somerfield managers to the new Co-operative board and briefing 800 head office staff about the changes. Filming in Ireland, Cornwall, Kent and on an airboat in Florida. Firework spectacular for 600 at a massive garden party. 4 car reveals in 3 weeks in September. Entertainment from Stavros Flatley, Pixie Lott, The Saturdays, Bootleg Beatles, DJ Yoda and Rockeoke. 850 delegates to Florida on 6 aircraft, backstage tours in the Magic Kingdom. Mock TV ads, exhibition stands and updating a museum show. A busy year and at its busiest a flutter war broke out with Jim the first target and Alan buried in a revenge attack
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Cascade Office, Events, Video Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 9:23AM 
Following the extension of Google's trial of their new Google Wave system, Cascade have signed up as a tester. We are interested in using Google Wave as a collaborative tool to replace some meetings - both with our remote based production crew and with clients - effectively, when used alongside a conference call, Google Wave could provide a medium where all interested parties can share media in a way that can be accessed by everyone instantly and can be revisited afterwards.
We expect that we will establish Waves for different aspects of a production which will grow and develop as the plan become more complete.
This is an explanation of what Google Wave is from Wikipedia:
Google Wave is designed as a new Internet communications platform. Google Wave works like previous messaging systems such as email and Usenet, but instead of sending a message along with its entire thread of previous messages, or requiring all responses to be stored in each user's inbox for context, message documents (referred to as waves) that contain complete threads of multimedia messages (blips) are perpetually stored on a central server. Waves are shared with collaborators who can be added to or removed from the wave at any point during a wave's existence.
Waves, described by Google as "equal parts conversation and document", are hosted XML documents that allow seamless and low latency concurrent modifications.[5] Any participant of a wave can reply anywhere within the message, edit any part of the wave, and add participants at any point in the process. Each edit/reply is a blip and users can reply to individual blips within waves. Recipients are notified of changes/replies in all waves in which they are active and, upon opening a wave, may review those changes in chronological order. In addition, waves are live. All replies/edits are visible in real-time, letter by letter, as they are typed by the other collaborators. Multiple participants may edit a single wave simultaneously in Google Wave. Thus, waves can function not only as e-mails and threaded conversations but also as an instant messaging service when many participants are online at the same time. A wave may repeatedly shift roles between e-mail and instant messaging depending on the number of users editing it concurrently. The ability to show messages as they are typed can be disabled, similar to conventional instant messaging.[3]
Technology Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 4:34PM 
Cascade Productions appear in current edition of Conference & Incentive Travel with a two page case study of the Iceland Florida Conference at C&IT Magazine
Comments were from Iceland's CEO Malcolm Walker - extract:
Defending the £4m budget, Walker says: "If anyone questions our investment, the reaction of our staff should justify everything. It may be intangible, but I just know it has been worth it. Cascade Productions really pulled out all the stops and everything ran very smoothly. I just left them to get on with it and everything worked well. Just like Disney, it's the small things they do that you don't necessarily notice. For example, everywhere we went there was a red carpet down for us."
Walker sent his managers home with the news that all shopfloor staff would receive an above-average five per cent pay increase for the next year. He concludes: "I wish I could have brought all my 19,000 staff to Florida but I couldn't so hopefully the managers are now motivated for the key Christmas period and they will pass that excitement onto staff. Plus, the pay increase will help."
Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 8:34PM Experienced simply great customer service at Boots today. Witnessed a cashier from the Pharmacy tills walking over to the long queues at the main checkouts and invite people over to the Pharmacy desk to pay. Simple.
Comment Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 8:19PM We're just back from a fact and inspiration finding trip to the trade show where the meetings 'World' meets. Some inspiration and ideas mostly lacklustre. Expect some of the better new technologies to appear in our events in the new year.
Comment, Technology Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 8:14PM I know this is unorthodox but this really is talent - can't think of an application for us though!
