Interactive Technology and Live Events: A Framework for Engagement

Interactive technology is shifting live events from passive spectacles to measurable, participatory experiences. The key is applying a four-part framework (Attention, Participation, Immersion, Insight).

At InfoComm 2026, the education session, Blending Interactive Technology with Live Events, touched on this framework and included case studies. Let’s get to the main takeaways from the session.

Speaker Jimmy Hagan, Creative Technologist / Executive Technical Director – For Good & Company, outlined a four-part model for evaluating whether interactive technology is actually earning its place in an experience:

• Attention draws people in. Dynamic LEDs, projection mapping, responsive scenic elements, and sensor-driven activations all fall into this category. “Attention is the first step, but it's not your goal,” the speaker said.

• Participation gives the audience something to do. Live polling, QR codes, RFID smart badges, NFC wristbands, and mobile device interactions are all tools here. However, these tools, “should reduce friction and increase the relevance, not create a learning curve.” If the interaction requires explanation, it's probably too complex.

• Immersion is where the experience becomes cohesive. Responsive media, spatial audio, real-time content adaptation, and storytelling all contribute to the feeling that the event was built specifically for this audience. “Spectacle gets the attention, but the relevance is what creates the immersion.”

• Insight is the newest layer (and increasingly the most requested). Event leaders are under real pressure to demonstrate business impact. Interactive experiences create natural data collection opportunities—dwell time, choice patterns, content interactions, follow-up behavior. “Events are increasingly valued as data collection points now,” the speaker observed.

Not every project always needs all four. However, if a technology choice doesn't support at the very least one or two of these outcomes, it probably shouldn't be in the build.

To see the four-part framework come to life, let’s check out a case study shared by the speaker. Built as promo for a popular tv show called The Boys, this experience was designed around a single, clearly defined creative premise: a superhero baby that shoots lasers from its eyes.

First, the team installed a laser aperture inside a prop baby's hollowed-out head and added a squeeze trigger in the body.

“With a gentle squeeze, the laser would hit the wall, and we could track its position, and then map effects to it. So, we had things like projection map content, a cold spark machine that would shoot big sparks out of an electrical panel, a light drop ceiling with a DMX control, and obviously the total light itself, and then a smoke machine that would shoot smoke out of the bed if you hit the bed.”

Social media influencers were then brought into the space to film their reactions, generating shareable content for the show's promotion. The build worked because the technology was chosen entirely in service of a clear character, a defined audience, and a measurable outcome.

A year ago, AI tools were mostly used for image generation in pitch decks and as unreliable coding assistants. Even the speaker admitted, “It didn't work very well. I didn't really consider it a useful tool.”

With time, though, that assessment has changed. “One of the big shifts from last year to this year is that AI has moved from just being a flashy experimental thing to actually becoming an operational tool.”

Teams are now using AI for coding, real-time content adaptation, machine learning-powered audience analysis, and more. The technology can be used in pre-production or even with the project itself. Let’s take a look at another case study shared by Hagan to see how you can incorporate AI into a project.

For an art installation in downtown Portland, a mixed media video wall was put up. Nearby, there was an animated QR code that allowed you to take two paths. The first was a simple choice between a list of objects. Once an object was chosen, it would then appear to float around in digital space through the video wall. The second interaction was a simple AI feature where you could create the background for the screen by answering a few prompts and then it would generate a unique background associated with that person’s name.

“Over the course of 4 heavy traffic days, we were also able to collect data from the interactions and had 366 interactions with the AI component and 4,396 interactions with the window object,” the speaker expressed.

Overall, there are three principles the speaker returned to repeatedly:

• Test everything, trust nothing. The speaker explained this by sharing an incident that occurred to him during a project where a fully automated soccer shootout game worked perfectly in their warehouse but then failed in direct sunlight outdoors because the sensor net was never tested in bright conditions. This is something that could’ve been avoided by more thorough testing in different environments.

• Rehearse the whole experience. A system that functions in isolation can still break an audience journey. The speaker noted that timing, staffing, and flow need to be rehearsed alongside the hardware and software.

• Always build in a backup plan. Live events don't offer second takes. So, having a manual override ready is super important.

These are important tips to take into consideration for any interactive project.

With these insights, you should now have a better understanding of exactly how interactive tech is transforming live events and be equipped with tips to turn your next project into a truly mind-blowing experience. Have fun creating!