Encore, a global provider if event production and technology, in partnership with industry research and media firm Boldpush, recently released “The Experience Design Report: What’s Shaping Live Experiences in 2026,” offering new insights into how event professionals are designing experiences and where critical gaps remain.
“Live experiences are at the core of how humans do business and learn about the changing world. This research brings clarity to how top event professionals are creating impactful experiences. [It’s] a must-have tool for companies shaping the future of events,” according to Julius Solaris, founder of Boldpush.

Based on insights from 447 event professionals across corporate, agency, association and independent planning roles, the results reveal a clear disconnect between what planners say matters most and how events are actually structured.

There are four key findings that include:

  1. Connection builds the most trust, but programming hasn’t caught up. Nearly half of respondents (49%) rank peer networking as the most important factor in event success, yet only 8% dedicate more programming to structured connection. This gap presents a major opportunity for planners to better align programming with attendee expectations. Human connection builds trust, but design makes it possible. Face-to-face networking and shared experiences are the strongest drivers of trust at events. While human interaction is key, delivering those moments at scale requires intentional design supported by production, technology and environment.
  2. The keynote isn’t becoming less important; it’s evolving. Keynote speakers remain important — the majority of the respondents (65%) say they contribute to registration, but formats are shifting toward shorter, interactive and multi-speaker experiences. When keynote budgets are reduced, production becomes the top area for reinvestment (26%), ahead of connection (24%) and workshops (23%), pointing to changing priorities in experience design.
  3. Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are critical, but require integration. Mobile apps currently deliver the highest connection return on investment (ROI) (33%), while AI-driven tools are still emerging. The findings highlight that technology alone is not enough. Its impact increases when integrated into the overall experience design and production strategy.
  4. Production is emerging as a strategic investment. Nearly half of planners (49%) already view production partners as strategic or creative collaborators, not just vendors; however, less than one-third (21%) involve production partners at the concept stage, limiting their ability to influence experience design. Early involvement is also linked to greater innovation in event formats, reinforcing the value of bringing partners in sooner.

“The data makes one thing very clear: Connection isn’t a nice-to-have anymore, it’s the core outcome of live events, but the industry hasn’t fully operationalized that priority,” says Jill Hunt, vice president of customer experience and insights for Encore. “There’s a real opportunity for planners to rethink how they design formats, content and experiences to better align with what attendees value most.”

The report encourages event organizers to rethink how time, space and programming are
allocated, especially as AI continues to reshape how people consume information outside of
live events. As automation grows, the report suggests the value of live experiences increasingly
lies in what technology can’t replace or replicate: human connection.

Download “The Experience Design Report: What’s Shaping Live Experiences in 2026” here.

Author

  • Midwest Meetings works to elevate the visibility of Midwest meeting destinations while delivering meaningful, interactive content platforms for Midwest meeting professionals to learn, share, and grow together.