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QR CODE & RFID: How to use data collection technology for your event?

Road map

SKIMMING

Conclusion

About Personal Data: What Do I Need To Know?

#1 Provide consent

#2 intent of collection

#3 access to YOUR data

#4 update YOUR data regularly

#5 protection of data

#6 delete once obsolete

#7 keep within bounds

Which Conference Lanyard Clip Should I Get? Here’s a Guide Based on Our Research:

The Dawn of the Future: Appraising Facial Recognition as an Event Technology

ISCA Conferences: Innovating Registration with QR Code Badge Printing

Winning in Disruption: Deloitte’s VIP Registration Experience

How many check-in counters do I need for onsite badge printing?

What is RFID and QR code

Why choose them for your event?

Multi-scenario application

Concerns and solutions

Action timeline

RFID

QR Code

Data security and privacy

Cost

What qualifies as personal data?

Lobster Clip

Standard/oval Clip

Bulldog/alligator Clip

Plastic No-twist Clip

Swivel Clip

Facial data as sensitive data, whose responsibility is it?

Consent

algorithmic Biases

Going from here

The Challenge

From complexity to simplicity

Also.. some Ad-hoc actions

Corporate/Government Conferences:

Public events

Posted on 26 Sep 201926 Sep 2019 by carinazhang9

In this article, you will learn:

What is RFID and QR code?
Why choose them for your event?
Multi-scenario applications
Concerns and solutions
Conclusion

QR codes are suitable for both casual and formal events. It checks in fast, costs little, stores a large amount of information. Before event, QR code can be embedded into the confirmation email. On the event day, event organizers can track attendees’ real-time activity by setting up scanning counters at various locations.
RFID enables an instant, touchless check-in process with a lightweight tag. Active tags, passive tags, and semi-passive tags are three main RFID tags. Active tags are the most expensive(up to hundreds USD) but has a extended range(up to a few hundred meters). Passive tags cost similarly to QR codes but have a limited range of a few meters.

*Event Priority	Recommended technology
Attendee participation: O2O interaction	QR code
Economical & fast check-in	QR code
Environment conscious	QR code
Voluntary multi-location data tracking*	QR code
Lower budget	QR code
Completely skip the queue	RFID
Involuntary real-time, multi-location data tracking*	RFID

*The difference between voluntary and involuntary data tracking is worth noting. For QR code, only when an attendee is willing to scan, the data entry can be collected. For RFID, as long as the attendee is within the range, the reader can capture the data continuously. Because of this, many customers are concerned with the privacy issue of RFID.

The complete kit of RFID has three parts: RFID tag, a reader, and a backend server(On the image, it’s a tag and a reader). RFID tags are tiny microchips attached in microcircuits. There are three RFID tags: passive, active and semi-passive.

Conference Name Badge with QR Code

QR codes (Quick Response) are 2-dimensional barcodes that can store up to a few thousand characters. Once scanned by smart devices such as a phone, a tablet, QR code will direct you to websites, SMS messages, card information, images, videos, etc.

If you want to know more about how QR code is used in a real event, you can click here.

QR Codes and RFID can be useful for multiple scenarios: event check-in, breakout session check-in (activity tracking), and post-event(data collection and analysis) period. Essentially, what these two technologies can do is to collect raw data — from registered information to spatial activity.

Comparing with the traditional data collection method(hand writing, excel sheet, online form), advantages of QR code and RFID for events are

QR code:

Environment-friendly – QR code can reduce the usage of printing materials
Attendee convenience – ticket can be distributed online before the event day to avoid the complicated process of retrieving ticket
Cost-Effective – QR Codes themselves cost nothing to generate. The cost of QR is mostly the man power of coding, customization of QR
Automatic – Completely reduce the human effort of data collection as well as human error
Versatile – QR code can be incorporated into most marketing materials for most messages(text, sms, webpage, ticketing wedge, photo, video, pdf..etc)
Measurable – Users’ activity via QR code can be back traced with analytics or other quantitative tools

RFID:

Touchless – Passive RFID enables remote check in within meters, active RFID within a few hundred meters
Efficiency – One RFID readers can read multiple RFID tags simultaneously
Automatic – Completely reduce the human effort of data collection as well as human error
Reset – RFID supports multiple rewrite of data
Real-time tracking – Often used in supply chain tracking, RFID can realize true automatic tracking.

Security and privacy are always among the top concerns of event organizers of large, private or formal event. Although there is no 100% safe method, QR code and RFID both have some protective solutions.

QR Code: malicious websites

Usually, QR codes can be scanned by ANY smart devices. Scanning a malicious QR code can direct the user to cloned malicious sites, resulting in revealing sensitive information.

For example, a cloned google page with a login button can acquire user’s Google account.

However, event organizers don’t need to worry, as event sites are rarely targeted, because 1. some event sites are private; 2. relatively limited web traffic; 3.The public may have no access to QR codes themselves. On top of that, personal data of any event will be kept in a security system. For example, QR codes generated by EventNook have a series number, eg. 988868CE9F. If you search this number in public search engine, you will see no result. The data is encoded and kept safely in the system.

RFID: privacy controversy

RFID enables better visibility yet creates privacy concerns. According to the report produced by Capgemini, around 60% of the consumers in the US and EU are concerned that they are being tracked through purchasing. It’s likely that event attendees have similar concerns about RFID’s capability to do real-time tracking.

RFID provides event organizers with dynamic mapping of all attendees—- the walking pattern, the duration of staying, and even the temperature of the room. As a result, much more personal and interactive analysis can be realized: attendee’s preferred activity/location/temperature; the relationship between multiple attendees, or more generally, the activity pattern of different genders.

However, attendees will have concerns about RFID for the exact reason: too much data is exposed. To address this, event organizers can use methods like “killing”(make the tag inactive), or erasing and rewriting the tag to stop this automatic data collection. However, if so, the main advantage of RFID over any other method is taken away.

The cost of these three types of RFID tags varies drastically. Active tags will cost up to a few hundred USD with an extra long battery life of maximum 5 years. Passive tags(without the reader and the backend server) cost approximately the same as a QR code.

On average, passive RFID tags cost a little higher than QR code. From the perspective of functionality, passive RFID can achieve approximately similar things with QR code: fast event check in, and some real-time data feedback during the event.

QR codes will have much potential in event marketing, registration, multimedia event involvement and real-time event tracking in the future. Many people have concerns about it being taken over by RFID, but QR has its own niches: it bridges the offline and online world with a few cents and a simple scan. We expect QR code to protect data more safely and incorporate new technologies like AR and VR into online-offline interactions.

RFID definitely has a large potential in the future for its touch-less data transmission. We expect it to lower the price, increase reliability and range limit so that more event organizers can consider it to be an affordable option.

For more information on how smart QR check-in is a fast-speed solution for a seamless event registration, click here to visit EventNook’s website or to contact us for a live consultation or demo.

Posted on 28 Aug 201920 Sep 2019 by carinazhang9

Based on the PDPA Guidelines, your personal data can be defined as “data, whether true or not, about an individual who can be identified – a) from that data; or b) from that data and other information to which the organisation has or is likely to have access”.

Examples of this would be your name, address, gender, email address, IC number, etc. As of 1 September 2019, the new guidelines issued by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) dictate that organisations will not be allowed to collect, use or disclose NRIC numbers unless required by the law. Do note that the PDPA does not apply to business contact information such as business title, business telephone number, business address and business e-mail

This topic revolving around privacy and personal data has become such a hot topic for discussion. We hope you take some time to read though this article to stay updated on the necessary actions to take to ensure that your personal data is not compromised.

Of course, in most cases, we would need to give up some form of personal data due to the nature of the business or transaction. How then, can we ensure that our personal data is handled lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner as required by the PDPA?

Here are 7 tips that you can keep in mind when giving away your personal data:

Firstly, you have to give either verbal, written, or even deemed consent for your personal data to be collected. Whether there is a checkbox to select or a signature line, ensure that you are aware of the consent that you are giving by completing that form/questionnaire.

What constitutes as consent would include: Voluntary provision or cases where it is reasonable to voluntarily provide the data. Do note that you also have a right to withdraw your consent at any time. One example would be the Do Not Call (DNC) registry where you can opt out of receiving unsolicited marketing messages and calls. You are able to lodge a complaint if you still receive such messages and calls, and the organisations involved would face a fine up to $10,000 per breach.

Once you have given, or are deemed to have given, consent, the personal data collected can only be processed in an appropriate manner and for a reasonable purpose. You have the right to be informed of the purpose for which the personal data is being collected.

Be aware of what your information is being used for, read the security and privacy policies if you have the time. Read the fine print – you may be consenting to having your data be used for marketing or analysis. When you give your consent, you would be giving your consent to any terms that are mentioned in these documents.

Individuals have the right to request who we provide access to and to make corrections to their personal data. There are some exceptions, such as cases in which providing access would cause immediate harm to the safety, or physical or mental heath, of the individual; threaten the safety, or physical or mental health, of another individual; or reveal another individual’s personal data.

We must make a reasonable effort to ensure that all personal data collected is accurate and complete. It is likely that the personal data will be used to make a decision that affects the individual to whom it relates, or is likely to be disclosed to another organisation. In case of any changes to your personal data, you should be given the option to edit what you have previously given.

Organisations must protect personal data in their possession or control by making reasonable security arrangements to prevent unauthorised access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, disposal or similar activity. Read the security and privacy policies of the companies that you are giving your data to.

Organisations must cease retaining documents containing personal data, or anonymise that data, as soon as it is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected, or for other legal or business purposes. You have the right to request for your personal data to be deleted should you choose to move your business elsewhere.

Lastly, organisations must not transfer personal data outside Singapore except in accordance with the Act’s requirements, to ensure that they provide it a comparable standard of data protection.

At EventNook, we deal with a lot of personal data, so we practice extra caution in data handling and take pride in our commitment to protect all our customers’ personal data while delivering the results. If you have any questions on our data protection policies for your events, feel free to drop us an email or a call, our friendly team will be more than happy to assist you!

Posted on 14 Aug 2019 by carinazhang9

Different types of lanyard clips and hooks

In event planning, every small detail can be a win or a loss.

Bulldog clip? Lobster clip? Swivel clip? No more confusion and waste of time browsing useless articles, event planners! We ran the necessary tests on the 5 most common types of lanyard clips and rated them based on 4 factors; Functionality, Tear-ability, Cost, and Speed.

Lobster Clip
Standard/Oval Clip
Bulldog/Alligator Clip
Plastic No-twist Clip
Swivel Clip

Before we dive in, we would like to clarify that a lanyard clip, also known as lanyard hook or attachment, is the connecting part between a lanyard and a name badge/plastic kangaroo pouch. With the right type of clip, you can improve your check-in efficiency and your attendee’s experience during the event.

The lobster clip is a common sight at conferences – many organisers choose it because it is usually the default lanyard clip and has proven to be reliable. We wanted to put the status quo to the test, and found that it did not prove to be the best choice based on the 4 points of comparison.

Simple and versatile; able to hold almost every material
Seemingly easy to fasten onto the badge, but can take slightly more time due to the difficulty of using the opening handle
Its shape is slightly narrow hence it would not be advisable to hold overly heavy materials. This shape also increases the chances of strain on the badge when pulled – increasing the risk of tear
It is cost-effective

The oval clip is also a common sight at major conferences. It is gaining popularity among organisers due to its ease of attachment to the badges – needing to only push down to open the clip.

Increasing in popularity
Easy to attach, but speed may be affected slightly due to its smaller entry-way
Can hold most materials, restricted only by the size of the badge hole
Its shape allows for durability and strength
Relatively cost-effective, slightly costlier than other materials

Contrary to its given names, the bulldog/alligator does not bite! It is an extremely safe and fuss-free option for all users.

Easiest and fastest to clip onto badge
Can hold most materials, except for ones with small holes
Badge is more susceptible to tear due to the large surface area of grip
Cost-effective for conferences

It received its name because it won’t twist your lanyard around, so your badge will always display at the front. It has two versions: 1. Narrow, which works for holes and small gaps, and 2. Wide, which works for normal gaps and notches (Shown above is the wide version).

Structure of the clip allows for excellent grip on the badge
Despite its appearance, it is simple and easy to attach onto the badge
Able to hold varying badge materials with ease
Measures up with the rest in terms of cost effectiveness

The swivel clip, as its name suggests, allows the badge to rotate. In most cases, they are used as double clips on conference badges – clipping onto the two top corners of the badge.

Light-weight option for conference badges
Easy opening and fastening
Can hold most materials, except for heavy materials (you can choose Double Swivel Hook for heavier materials)
Cost-effectiveness is comparable to the other clips discussed

Here’s a quick table summary of our findings after running some tests on the 4 factors – functionality; tear-ability; cost; and speed. We have scored the clips with 1 being the lowest score and 5, the highest.

The oval clip is our clear winner! However, do note that this is just a useful tip for those who do not know where to begin. Ultimately, you should consider your attendees’ preferences when making a decision on which clip to use. Regardless of your final choice, we hope that we have made your decision-making process easier with our findings!

If you have an upcoming event or want to find out more about how we can help your team, please contact us for a free consultation and live demo – https://overview.eventnook.com/p/contactus

Posted on 7 Aug 20198 Aug 2019 by carinazhang9

Facial recognition is a biometric technology that mathematically stores an individual’s facial features. This allows the technology to identify a person in live video or digital images without any other information. With this, your facial features become your digital fingerprint.

Our clients never fail to ask us this question: “How do you ensure that our data is privately secured?” Being event organisers, they not only value the efficiency and convenience of technology, but also realise the threats it poses to the privacy and freedom of its users.

Our company currently uses the QR code check-in system which enables automated and instant self check-in. In the meantime, we are also actively hunting for a diverse range of check-in methods, including facial recognition.

The use of facial recognition has been gaining momentum in the last few years. Some common examples include tagging a friend on Facebook, unlocking your phone with Face ID and airport customs inspections. The biggest advantage of Face ID would be the speed of the check-in process. However, at the heart of the debate, some concerns regarding the consensus among users and algorithmic biases are raised.

EU’s data protection regulation has defined sensitive data to be “Data about an individual’s race and ethnicity, religious or philosophical beliefs, sex life, sexual orientation, political opinions, trade union membership, health information as well as genetic and biometric data”. Thus, facial data of all people is sensitive data, which calls for an even higher level of protection. This requires all companies to be aware of their responsibilities when producing, disseminating and applying users’ data, and to pay attention to the following aspects: How can they obtain users’ consent in a transparent way? Is the facial recognition software inevitably accompanied by the issue of algorithmic bias?

Usually, event companies will ask the users to upload their headshot in order to later identify them at the check-in point. Once they upload their headshots, it is considered that they have yielded their consent. However, the decision power of consenting is not on them all the time. Some events provide guests with the option to check-in using other methods, such as QR code or manual registration, and attendees can choose to upload their headshots or not. However, for some events, face identification is the only check-in method, which makes it mandatory for any guest to consent to sending out their biometric info. In such a case, it cannot be said for sure that consent was given out of the individual’s free will for the use of their personal data.

“We have entered the age of automation. Over confident, yet under prepared.” – Joy Buolamwini.

Part of her research examines how accurate facial recognition software are when examining people with different skin colour and gender. Microsoft has the highest accuracy of 94%. However, all softwares have algorithmic bias that better recognises certain types. For example, lighter males on average have a much better accuracy than that of darker females.

While the biggest advantage of facial recognition in event check-in is its efficiency, some delegates may be stopped at the entrance because the software fails to recognise females and people of colour. This “future technology” then not only loses its advancement but also its credibility of fairness.

The future of technology is mostly in our hands. We need to decide for ourselves how we should incorporate it into our daily lives. The event industry primarily works with people, so it should not be a test lab for any technology that is not ready. However, we are confident that AI researchers and developers are doing their best to make the algorithm just and transparent, so we can expect a better future with the facial recognition technology.

Till then, the most efficient and secure method of checking-in would be through QR-code scanning. At EventNook, we make event registration easy with our fast and seamless QR code check-in.

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to get the latest updates.

Posted on 6 Aug 201926 Aug 2019 by carinazhang9

EventNook has a longstanding partnership with ISCA (Institute Of Singapore Chartered Accountants). For the second and third time this year, we are honored to be part of their PAIB and FFCC Conference (Professional Accountants in Business and Financial Forensic and Cybersecurity). This year’s conferences were held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Center, hosting over 500 guests.

ISCA is the national accountancy body of Singapore. To build values for its member and create a globally recognised professional accountancy body, ISCA holds activities, conferences and many other events. PAIB (Professional Accountants In Business Conference) is the largest accounting and finance conference attended by relevant professionals in Singapore. FFCC aims to provide insights to the impact of digitalisation on financial crime investigations, fraud detection and prevention, and cybersecurity issues for businesses.

The scheduled registration period is on average 500 attendees/1 hour. With 6 counters, every attendee must check-in under 20 seconds to avoid the formation of queues. In addition, the registration is unpredictable because of many reasons: walk-in registration, distribution of goodie bags, and many changes to registration information (eg. changing name or company name). If you are keen to know more about our solution to simplify this complicated process, we are more than happy to tell you.

“It’s always a hassle. Anything can go wrong, from checking in to food catering.”

To deal with all the complexity, we have communicated the requirements of the organisers multiple times beforehand and customised the on-site package with them.

Eventually, we decided to set up 6 counters using 6 iPads and 4 printers to complete 500-person registration within an hour. Normally, 4 counters with 3 printers can complete this task, however, to accommodate last minute replacements or walk-in registrations, 2 counters were added and dedicated to handle this possible situation that ISCA faces at their conferences. One day prior to the event day, the EventNook support team went to the venue to simulate the process and to confirm any last minute updates that the client may have (badge template layout or placement of counters). On the actual event day, we observe the flow and redistribute resources according to the crowd: eg. connecting two iPads to the busiest counters, and preparing extra iPad and Bluetooth keyboard for walk-in registration.

On-site supporting and troubleshooting
Separating the lines and distributing resources according to the crowd
Ensuring the stability of equipment by enforcing the set up of hardware
Training all staff who will interact with the mobile app and printing process

Both the PAIB and FFCC went smoothly, and we would like to congratulate the ISCA events team on the execution of yet another run of successful events. We look forward to the next conference with ISCA in the last quarter of this year and for many years ahead!

Posted on 6 Aug 201926 Aug 2019 by carinazhang9

To ensure the VIP experience for every premium guest, we need to perfect everything by preparing early and comprehensively.

Deloitte is a multinational professional services network. As one of the “Big Four” accounting organisations, it is the largest professional services network in the world by revenue and number of professionals. Deloitte Singapore is affiliated to Deloitte Southeast Asia Ltd, a member of Deloitte Asia Pacific Limited and of the Deloitte Network.

A part of Deloitte CFO program, Asia Pacific CFO Vision 2019 Singapore, is a one-day exclusive conference for more than 100 of the world’s leading CFOs. The conference provides the opportunity to hear from top leaders and peers on how to address the increasing complexities and disruptions in business—and the world. For this year’s conference, EventNook was engaged to provide a VIP registration experience for the guests. To truly embrace Deloitte’s statement of “good isn’t good enough”, everything was prepared with precision and the highest standard, from badge designing to check-in support.

Here is a video of the smart check-in registration:

Self Check-In using QR Code with On Demand Badge Printing

Checking in can be a frustrating process, but we don’t want the first thing that the CFOs experience in this conference of easing disruption to be, a disruption. In order to deliver seamless registration on the event day, we need to make sure everything to be perfect beforehand, including badge design, badge material, printer, ink, onsite support, and so on. To do so, we create and stick with a comprehensive action timeline during preparation. As an intermediate service provider, we work closely with multiple entities: venues, badge suppliers, event organisers, and/or event management agencies, and so on, to ensure that the road to the event day goes smoothly.

One week before the event, we finalised the badge art-work with the designer of the badge before sending it out for mass printing. Specially for Deloitte’s event, we chose a thick, laminated art card for its aesthetic value and tear-proof feature.
Three days before the event, we have received the badges from the supplier and can begin working with the organiser to create and test the badge template (fields to be printed, font, spacing, bold/normal/inclined/underlined, position are subject to changes at this stage).
Two days before the event, we tested every device(printer, IOS device, laptop) ensuring that they are charged and well-functioning.
One day before the event, our onsite support specialists went down to the venue and did a full set-up to demonstrate the registration process and provided the product training to event agents and Deloitte team. At this stage, some minor changes regarding the badge template can be made. This event brought something new for the EventNook team – the customised kiosk(image below) the Deloitte team had custom made for the event. We prepared for the real event day by incorporating our devices with the kiosk before the event to ensure a smooth set-up and functionality for the event day.
On the event day, our onsite support specialists were at the registration site to monitor the check-in flow and on-the-spot troubleshooting.

The VIP registration process went as planned, checking in 250 guests within 30 minutes. Staff with Deloitte assisted the guests with their check-in and badge printing, with the queues for each counter at less than 3 guests at any point of time. At the end of the day, feedback like “You really pulled it off. I don’t need to worry at all” was received and we at EventNook are appreciative of this opportunity. We look forward to supporting yet another Deloitte event in the future!

Posted on 2 Jul 201911 Jul 2019 by carinazhang9

Say goodbye to pre-printed badges! EventNook’s streamlined check in experience can check in guests, prints badges on the spot and sends guests into your event in a matter of seconds.

You may be asking yourself how many check-in counters you will need for your event. Furthermore, what kind of check-in experience works most efficiently for you?

Experience has told us that during a thirty-minute check in period, one check counter can check in approximately 100 attendees. So, using this information, we can suggest the following:

# of attendees to be checked-in over 30 mins	# of Check-in Counters
100	1-2
500	5-6
1000	10-12

Here are a couple of different scenarios that can help you gauge exactly what kind of check in experience you need on the day of your event…

In an exclusive corporate or government conference, you can sometimes expect upwards of a thousand invited attendees. For this reason, you can expect that everyone will be wanting to check in quickly and at around the same time.

Due to the high density of attendees , we suggest that you assign trained registration staff at each check-in counter to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and a hassle-free check-in experience for your guests.

Check out our demo video to see how EventNook helps with large event check-in:

Functionality

Tear-ability

Overall Score

Lobster Clip

Bull Dog Clip

Plastic No-Twist Clip

Swivel Clip

From baby races to yacht shows, public events attract more than just the typical businessperson or government official. Crowds can be bigger, and the event can last throughout the day. For this reason, peak registration times can be less concentrated as attendees may decide to check in at different stages during the event (some in the morning, some in the afternoon etc.)

We recommend using self-check in kiosks where attendees can check themselves in using the QR code with minimal assistance from a staff member. This saves event organizers manpower while still promoting efficiency. Even though the check in process may take a couple extra seconds, the direct attention of event staff is not necessarily required.

See a demo for the three-way self check-in:

To recap, here are a few things you need to consider when planning the check-in stage of your event:

Type of event
Number of attendees
Special counters (Walk-in, VIP only)
Peak check-in time period
Complexity of the check-in procedure (Is it a simple check in? Or you need to give a check-in package? Or even more, attendees need to do a ticket drawing for prize?)

Note:  You may require extra check-in counters for walk-in registrations, badge reprints, and any exclusive check-in counters for VIP guests.

For more information about our staffed and self-check in counters, please visit the links below, and if you have any more questions, feel free to send an email to hello@eventnook.com for your free inquiry!