How to Approach a Prepared Event

Prepared events can be intimidating, especially when starting them. Hopefully, this can be used as your guide to starting your prepared event most easily and effectively possible.

Stage 1: Finding the right event

First and foremost: written events aren’t for everyone. They’re a super fun and different way to compete, but they aren’t suited for every member. Written events are a process, requiring lots of work and research. If you love solving a challenging problem on your feet, then stay away from written events (go for role plays!). However, if you like having a prepared plan and the opportunity to rehearse, go ahead and try a written event!

Think a written event is for you? Awesome! Before you dive in and begin planning your paper, you must decide which event to compete in! The great thing is that DECA’s Competitive Event series offers a plethora of exciting events to choose from, so chances are, you can find one you’re interested in. Choosing the right event is a vital part of the competition process. DECA breaks the written events into four categories: Business and Operations Research Events, Project Management Events, Entrepreneurship Events, and Integrated Marketing Campaign Events. Want to check out all DECA’s competitive event options? Take a look at the complete list by heading to www.deca.org/compete.

Stage 2: To collaborate or not

Now that you have a better understanding of what written event you’d like to compete in, it’s time to move on to the skeleton of your event: the core member(s). Every DECA written event allows you to compete solo, as a partnership, or as a group of three. Like every project or idea, the team is the backbone and will make or break everything. Choosing your team, or not choosing one, is the single most important decision you will make during your project. Keep in mind, your partner(s) must be from your chapter.

If you are the type of person who wants absolute control over every aspect of your project, flying solo would be the route for you. Going solo is great:  you never have to deal with conflicting schedules, you can work on your own time, and you make every decision. But that also opens you up to some negatives. When it comes to presenting, you have the full load of work; you can’t rely on someone else to cover certain parts. You have no one to hold you responsible to any deadline, and if you start to lose interest, you will have to find a way to reel yourself back in.

If you have a strong connection with one or two chapter members who possess different skill sets and mesh well, forming a team with those members is a great way to go. From a paper standpoint, the team route decreases the workload and dependence of all members. From a presenting standpoint, each member can cover certain parts of the pitch, which should allow for better flow and transition. Not to mention the matching outfits, which are cool. However, this route also opens itself up to potential negatives: team communication has to be at maximum level during the project; arguments can break out over trivial team decisions. If done well, teaming can be a perfect option, but any disagreement during the project could be detrimental to all of your hard work.

Stage 3: Planning and Research

Do not think you are too good or too smart for planning and research. This step ensures a successful execution of your paper and presentation! However, there is no right way to plan for your project. Find the methods that work best for you/your team.

It doesn’t matter if you are not organized or a planner. Still creating a rough sketch for your event, no matter how detailed, is useful. A simple print-out of the event guidelines, a few dates/ideas scribbled here and there, is all you need. If you need a little more planning, there are plenty of resources available for your convenience. Setting a calendar with reminders can help you stay on track. Groups may find it very helpful to set a meeting agenda whenever they are going to be working on the project.

For a winning paper, you will spend more time researching than you will actually writing the paper. That said, researching is supremely important. When conducting research, always take notes so you can retain any potential benefit to your paper. If you get easily distracted, go to a peaceful place to do all of your work. This can help when it comes to getting stuff done in an efficient manner, and I would recommend you or your team find a quiet “paper place,” somewhere you go when it’s time to finally get down to business.

Stage 4: The Paper

After a significant time of planning and researching, it’s finally time to start seriously drafting your paper. A word of advice: don’t get too attached to your first couple of drafts; they won’t be great. As a serious competitor, you need to be a little critical; try to read your paper through the lens of that advisor and make changes just as a harsh third-party would. No matter if you’re working alone or as a group, enlist the help of your advisors, friends, and family to give you feedback on your paper. However, make sure to explain to them that they need to be 100% honest in their critical feedback, so you are certain of what needs improvement.

The most important tip when writing your paper is to use the guidelines as a blueprint. Read them before writing, then again while writing. Know the guidelines better than the people who wrote them. This is a competition, and the guidelines were provided for a reason. Judges are sticklers for judging a paper off the guidelines. In your paper, include the exact vocabulary from the rubric and guidelines in your writing. This may help you more than you know.

Other tips to keep in mind while writing your paper include having a 75:25 ratio on content to visuals, avoiding penalty points, and having a presentation consistent with your paper. There are plenty of resources available to help you with any aspect of your prepared event, so don’t forget that when you are overwhelmed with the process of approaching your event!

Written by Lucy Etling, Region 4 President