A new global study by Encore, in partnership with Boldpush, is challenging long-held assumptions about what really drives value in live corporate events – and the findings carry important implications for organisers, destinations and venues alike.
Released in May 2026, The Experience Design Report: What’s Shaping Live Experiences in 2026 draws on insights from 447 event professionals across corporate, agency, association and independent planning roles. Its central conclusion is clear – human connection is now the primary currency of live events, yet most programmes are still designed around content delivery rather than interaction.
Encore is a global leader in B2B live event production, delivering technology-enabled experiences to approximately 100,000 customers, primarily through its network of approximately 2,200 established venue partners. Headquartered in Schiller Park, Illinois, Encore is in 23 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia Pacific.
Networking matters most – but remains underdesigned
According to the report, 49 percent of planners rank attendee-to-attendee connection as the single most important driver of event success. Despite this, only 8 percent say they allocate sufficient programming time to structured networking.
The gap highlights a fundamental misalignment between stated priorities and practical design decisions.
The research shows that face-to-face networking sits at the top of the trust hierarchy, outperforming digital interaction, speaker content and branded experiences. In an era where information is abundant and increasingly automated, trust – built through shared, in-person experience – is emerging as the defining value of live events.
The implication is significant – connection does not happen by accident. It must be deliberately designed, facilitated and supported by production, technology and spatial planning.
The keynote isn’t disappearing – it’s evolving
Contrary to predictions of the keynote’s decline, the report finds that 65 percent of respondents still view keynote speakers as important drivers of registration. What is changing is the format.
Long, monologue-style keynotes are giving way to shorter, multi-voice, more interactive formats, often combined with facilitated discussion or audience participation.
Interestingly, when keynote budgets are reduced, planners are not reinvesting primarily in speakers or content. Instead:
– 26 percent reinvest in production
– 24 percent in connection-driven formats
– 23 percent in workshops
This shift underscores the growing role of experience design over individual star power.
Roundtables and workshops lead satisfaction
When it comes to attendee satisfaction, roundtables and hands-on workshops rank highest, outperforming plenary sessions and traditional panels.
These formats allow for peer learning, co-creation and problem-solving – reinforcing the report’s central thesis that events succeed when participants are contributors, not just audiences.
For business events destinations and venues, this trend places renewed emphasis on flexible spaces, breakouts, acoustics and facilitation – not just main auditoria.
Technology works – when integrated
The report confirms that technology remains a critical enabler, but not a standalone solution.
Mobile event apps deliver the highest return on connection (33 percent), particularly when used to facilitate introductions, matchmaking and real-time interaction. AI-driven tools, while still emerging, show promise – but only when integrated into the broader experience design and production strategy.
The research warns against tech-first thinking. Tools amplify connection only when aligned with human-centred design.
Production partners move from vendors to collaborators
One of the most telling findings concerns how planners view production.
Nearly 49 percent now see production partners as strategic or creative collaborators, not just technical suppliers. Yet only 21 percent involve production partners at the concept stage – limiting their ability to shape the experience from the outset.
Early involvement, the report notes, correlates strongly with innovation in event formats and delivery.
As Julius Solaris, founder of Boldpush, explains, live experiences remain fundamental to how people learn and do business.
“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,” Solaris said.
Boldpush is a media, research, and consulting firm for the event industry. Founded in 2022, Boldpush brings industry focused insights to event professionals across the globe. Boldpush is also a newsletter with 38,000 subscribers and an advanced intelligence platform for industry insights, Boldpush+.
Connection as the core outcome
For Jill Hunt, Vice President of Customer Experience and Insights at Encore, the findings reflect an industry at an inflection point.
“Connection isn’t a ‘nice to have’ anymore – it’s the core outcome of live events, but the industry hasn’t fully operationalised that priority,” she said.
As AI reshapes how information is consumed, the report argues that the future value of live events lies precisely in what technology cannot replicate – trust, empathy and shared human experience.
For organisers, venues and destinations, the message is unambiguous – design for connection first, and everything else follows.
Download The Experience Design Report: What’s Shaping Live Experiences in 2026 here.
