October 17, 2014
Project Challenge Expo 2014
*PLEASE NOTE – DropTask is now Ayoa – an all-in-one tool for idea generation and collaboration, that goes beyond traditional task management. Discover Ayoa and achieve your best work.*
This week DropTask had its first public outing, with myself, Yogi, and Darren packing our bags and travelling from Cardiff to London to attend the Project Challenge Expo 2014. The event was held over two days at the Olympia, playing host to a variety of project management related solutions.
The event was a huge success, and we took part in many great conversations with some of the industry’s finest. Although there are some tired eyes in the office today, a fantastic time was had by all and we can’t wait to take DropTask out on the road again! Here’s an idea of what we got up to along the way…
Day One: Packing, Travelling and Build Up
After final preparations in the office, the three of us squeezed into our jam-packed 7 seater car and set off for London. Three hours later we arrived at the Olympia, ready to unload and build our stand. It took some impressive lifting skills on Darren and Yogi’s part, along with multiple trips in the lift, but we eventually managed to get all our equipment to stand 120 ready to start building! During this process we learnt that escapee helium balloons can pose major problems, and that I’m really rather terrible at DIY.
Finally at 7.30pm the stand was looking lovely and all set for the next day. We then jumped into a black cab to check in at the hotel that would be our home for the next couple of days. After a quick pit stop to unpack, we ventured out to a nearby Italian restaurant. Luckily, we all managed to refrain from falling asleep in our pasta after a long day travelling and setting up. With that it was time to head back to the hotel for some much needed rest – ready for our early start the following day.
Day Two: The Exhibition Opening
The snooze button was strictly prohibited the next morning, as we were all up and ready to leave by 7.00am. Once we arrived at the Olympia the quest for breakfast began, with each of us doing our best to eat yogurts with forks whilst simultaneously experiencing bottled cereal for the first time. Don’t ask. Somewhat satisfied by our makeshift breakfast, we began blowing up balloons and setting up our equipment. Once finished, we took a brief moment to pose for a team photo.
At 9.30am the show was officially opened and we awaited our first delegates. DropTask soon began to attract attention and we started discussing all things visual task management – introducing DropTask for the first time to many of the people we spoke to. It was exciting to hear such great feedback about DropTask, with many welcoming a fresh and engaging way to manage projects and people. We were rushed off our feet as the crowds gathered for live demos and it was fantastic to chat to each and every person.
The bright colours and unfamiliar look were what first attracted delegates to our stand, but once they saw DropTask in action most people fell in love with the intuitive design and ease of use. Many were pleasantly surprised by the amount of powerful features packed into something so simple and pleasurable to use.
As the exhibition drew to a close at 5pm, we packed away and headed to the official networking event where we met some of our fellow exhibitors. With a short rest before dinner, we prepared for day 3.
Day Three: Exhibiting, Stand Breakdown and Going Home!
Learning from our breakfast experience the day before, we got up a little earlier than necessary in order to go further afield in search of sustenance. Cups of tea and eggs were a welcome relief after the yogurt and fork incident of the previous day. We then jumped in a cab and made our way to the Olympia for the final time, having to maneuver some lively protests taking place next door to the exhibition centre in the process!
The day was once again packed full of great conversations and delegates excited about getting their teams started with DropTask PRO. The unique look of DropTask was really popular, and delegates were delighted to have found a tool that their teams would not only understand, but enjoy using. The ability to have everything within a project stored in one place, such as discussions, file attachments and progress was also a welcome feature. The day flew by, and before we knew it the exhibition had come to a close and it was time for the hard bit – stand break down!
Surrounded by boxes, bags and tools we got to work dismantling our stand and boxing up equipment. With a kind helping hand from the exhibition staff, we loaded our belongings into the car, ready for the return back to Cardiff, Wales.
We had a truly wonderful time at the event and thoroughly enjoyed every second. It was great to demo DropTask face to face and hear people’s thoughts on what we’re doing. The response was overwhelmingly positive and all feedback extremely thought-provoking. As well as having a great time we also learnt a lot along the way – like after a whole day exhibiting, deciding not to get a chair probably wasn’t a great idea…
A big thank you to everyone who came to see us at Project Challenge – we hope you enjoyed the event!