Case Studies / 27th Annual CODIS Conference

The 27th Annual CODIS Conference - Gone Virtual (Again)

Originally intended to occur in Hawaii, the Annual CODIS Conference decided to go virtual for their 27th year. Hosted virtually the prior year, the team at Labroots was excited to work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation again. Jam packed with product trainings, success stories, demos, and more, this private event truly encompassed how uniquely custom an event can get with Labroots.

Typically having about 400-500 attendees at the in-person conference, it was exciting to see that 1,800 registered for the virtual version of the conference. By tripling worldwide reach, the Annual CODIS Conference was able to hit an international audience they never have been able to before!

A Welcome Greeting Like No Other, and a Hawaiian Oasis from your Desktop

Upon entering the conference, attendees were welcomed with a greeting like no other. Richard Wilson, Head of CODIS Division of the FBI, and Eric Pokorak, Unit Chief - Mitochondrial DNA Unit at FBI, started the event off with a welcoming message that got people excited for what the event had to offer! With Richard Wilson as the conference’s gamification icon, it added a level of fun as attendees attempted to win an Amazon gift card.

Originally planned to take place in Hawaii, it was important to the CODIS team that the theme was still prevalent throughout the event’s entirety. That being said, beaches, surfboards, and lush jungles can be found in every event room.

Welcome Video

Gamification Popup

Gamification Icon

Entitlement, Screening, and a Strong Code of Conduct

When it came to privacy, the FBI requested it all (as you could imagine!). Registration (about 35 form fields) was handled through the FBI’s website, to ensure confidentiality and privacy. A Code of Conduct was prominent in nearly all event rooms. Every person who entered this event had to be screened thoroughly. It was made clear early on that there were many things in this event that were only meant for certain eyes. That being said, Labroots took every precaution to ensure individual attendees could only see what they were authorized to.

Labroots not only generated a unique passcode for each email address, but also dove into a wide range of entitlement that was prominent through the entire event.

It began in the lobby. This event’s production team was provided a list of individual attendees that were allowed to see what was behind the 5 buttons/badges in the lobby upon event entry. As for attendees that were not authorized to view, the lobby did not even show the buttons/badges.

With a total of 16 instances of Entitlement, the emphasis on privacy was at the forefront of Labroots’ mind at all times.

Networking in a Hawaiian Paradise

With a seamless incorporation of Spatial.Chat, the CODIS Conference was able to transport attendees to the various islands of Hawaii for a virtual taste of paradise. With 5 rooms beautifully representing different islands (Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Molakai), attendees could enjoy the sounds of waves and relaxing music as they network with others.

Aside from the gorgeous views in each room, the Department Chiefs of States conducted and initiated conversations with attendees. The Networking Lounge was truly an interactive experience, on all levels.

The On-Demand Demo Room

With surfboards directly outside of the on-demand demo room, this Hawaiian-themed space provided an area for 2 days of CODIS Software demos to take place. Utilizing Labroots’ supplied Microsoft Teams links, this room was a hit!

The CODIS Conference also provided attendees with a request poll, allowing them to choose a top 3 (out of 10) to demo, making the event even more interactive.

On Demand Demo Room

Daily Demo Room

Same Place, Same Time

The CODIS team wanted everyone to be in the same place, at the same time. For that reason, no presentations ran concurrently. The auditorium was open to everyone, and it offered a place for attendees to view sessions and engage in a Q&A. With 131 questions asked, these sessions got people thinking.

From the auditorium and the other event rooms, attendees could navigate to an area displaying multiple CODIS success stories (40-50 years old that were solved using the software). Aside from the highlighted success stories, the conference also highlighted 2 retirees (in the lobby and lounge), with their parting words to attendees.

Auditorium

Retiree Highlight

Another Successful Year

With another successful CODIS Conference in the books, Labroots was excited to meet all of the event’s entitlement requirements, while maintaining a Hawaiian theme throughout. Although originally intended to occur in person, the event’s virtual reach speaks for itself. From certifications to success stories, CODIS truly showed how custom an event can get.