TEDx Aston University
Case Study: Streamlining Operations
Tessera demonstrated high levels of
leadership and project management skills which
resulted in a highly successful event which sold out
within a few days and saw one of the talks
receiving over 2 million global views. "
-Modasar Rasul
TEDx Chairman Aston University
Overview
TEDx events are known for their scale, complexity, and strict adherence to TEDx regulations. At Aston University, we directed and managed three conferences from inception to execution, coordinating a team of 50 volunteers, 5 admin users, and an advisory board. The challenge was to bring structure and efficiency to a volunteer-driven project with ambitious goals, tight timelines, and high visibility.
Multiple moving parts — from speaker management to ticketing — created inefficiencies and communication gaps.
Event planning relied on manual processes, which slowed down approvals, delayed communications, and increased the risk of errors.
Ticketing and attendance tracking had to be seamless to handle demand while meeting TEDx’s strict compliance standards.
The advisory board required structured reporting and visibility into progress.
The Challenge.
Our Approach.
To address these challenges, we introduced a unified operations framework powered by automation and project management tools:
Trello for Project Management
We built boards for each event phase (speaker selection, marketing, sponsorship, logistics), ensuring every team member had clear responsibilities and deadlines.Zapier Automations
We connected Eventbrite registrations to Trello, Google Drive, and Hubspot, automatically creating tasks, updating attendee lists, and triggering communications without manual input.Hubspot CRM
We centralized contact management for speakers, sponsors, and attendees, with automated workflows for outreach and follow-up.Google Drive Standardization
We established structured, automated folder systems for each event, with permissions for team members and restricted access for sensitive documents.Reporting Framework
We created automated reporting dashboards for the advisory board, ensuring progress updates were transparent and decisions could be made quickly.
The Solution in Action
A team of 50 volunteers and 5 admin leads operated smoothly within the new system.
Ticketing via Eventbrite was fully integrated, providing real-time attendee data and automated confirmations.
SOPs and automation reduced manual admin work by more than half, freeing volunteers to focus on marketing, logistics, and event experience.
All operations stayed in strict compliance with TEDx rules and regulations, from branding to communication protocols.
Results.
3 Successful Conferences Delivered – All executed on time, within compliance, and with streamlined operations.
Sold-Out Events – Tickets sold out within two days of launch.
Massive Engagement – Over 2 million global views across talks.
Team Efficiency – Automation and centralized tools reduced admin burden significantly, ensuring 50 volunteers worked in sync.
Scalable Framework – The operational system built was replicable for future TEDx events.
