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TEDx Sydney

How one of Australia’s largest TEDx organisations moved a 4,200-attendee flagship event into a bigger venue and cut the volunteer hours registration used to take.

"I thought this would just help us get people in quickly. I didn't realise that was only the beginning."

Susan McMahon · General Manager & Head of Operations, TEDxSydney

The Results at a Glance

TEDxSydney flagship event · ICC Sydney

Attendees welcomed
0

Up from 2,300 the year before

Volunteer time on registration
0 hrs

Down from 210+ hours in 2016

Tribes activated on-site
0

Joined by tapping a Smart Badge

THE CHALLENGE

Growing Pains for the Flagship Event

Started in 2009, TEDxSydney has grown to more than 60,000 members. Any member can register for the annual event, but attendance is capped by the venue.
Moving from the Sydney Opera House to the International Convention Centre nearly doubled capacity — from 2,300 attendees in 2016 to more than 4,200 in 2017. The bigger room raised a harder question: how do you keep the day intimate, on volunteer support alone?

Registration was the pinch point. Pre-printed badges were spread across 30 tables, each staffed by at least three volunteers, while attendees queued outside to be admitted one by one.

  • Nearly double the attendees, no increase in volunteer hours available
  • A venue change that reset every arrival flow
  • An audience that comes to connect, not to queue
VOLUNTEER HOURS ON REGISTRATION
2016 · Without Jomablue
210+ Hrs
2017 · With Jomablue
Under 160 hrs
Fewer hours, nearly twice the attendees. A significant reduction in effort and a substantial cost saving.
It has been so beneficial to have someone who is a true partner in helping us come up with ways we can improve our technology, improve our processes, and make our lives easier.
Susan McMahon
General Manager & Head of Operations, TEDxSydney
THE SOLUTION

Creating a Smoother, Faster Event Check-in

When TEDxSydney implemented Jomablue in 2017, the welcome became seamless. Volunteers scanned e-tickets as members arrived and personalised Smart Badges printed on the spot.
Attendees walked straight in and started doing what the organisation exists to facilitate: meeting people and exchanging ideas.
  • E-ticket scan on arrival, no pre-printed badge tables
  • Personalised Smart Badges printed in seconds
  • Fewer volunteers, redeployed to hosting instead of queues
2016 · SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
Badge collection
30 tables, pre-printed
Volunteers per table
3 or more
Registration effort
210+ hours
Attendees
2,300
2017 · ICC SYDNEY WITH JOMABLUE
Badge collection
Printed on arrival
Volunteer workflow
Scan the e-ticket
Registration effort
Under 160 hours
Attendees
4,200+

Building Engagement & Community

To build a sense of belonging, TEDxSydney created 15 tribes. Attendees joined by tapping their Smart Badge at activity stations across the venue, then connected with the people in their tribe.
Tracking tribe affiliations and activity gave the organisers something they had never had before: a live picture of what their members are actually interested in.
TEDx Newbie
Creative & Curious
+13 more tribes
Joins a tribe and records engagement
1 tap
No sign-up sheets for volunteers to key in
0 forms

Jomablue Feature Highlights

Ticketing & Registration

Paid online registration with e-tickets issued straight to the attendee.

Check-in & Badging

Smart Badges printed on arrival, personalised for every attendee.

Community

Tribes, activity stations and badge taps that turned a crowd into groups.

Reporting & Insights

Attendance and engagement data the team could act on.

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