Planning a Conference
The task
of planning and co-ordinating a conference is a high profile but
demanding role that can be rewarding at the completion of the event. The
following offers a few useful tips to use that will make the task
easier.
Planning
the event is all the groundwork for a successful conference or function.
There
are 2 important questions to ask before considering to organise a
conference
- What
is the conference to achieve - Purpose
- What
method will be best used for the conference to achieve- How
Conference Purpose
The
purpose of a conference may be for a variety of reasons. Some of the
more common purposes are to:
- Co-ordinate
Activities
- Build Morale
- Secure
Agreement
- Brief
Staff/Clients
- Solve a
Problem
- Exchange
Information
- Initiate
Policy
- Product Launch
Keeping
the purpose in mind will assist in planning the method on how will the
conference be able to achieve it’s purpose. This will also determine
how much time allocation is required to achieve the objectives.
How to conduct the Conference
Date and Time
Select
a date, time and duration for the Conference. These may all be
approximates initially, but after reviewing the following steps shall
then enable a much more accurate duration.
When selecting a date, be sure to leave yourself, attendees and
presenters enough time to plan ahead for the conference. Also allow time
to be able to find and book a suitable venue. Many conference and
function venues get booked ahead well in advance, so you may not have
many choices if leaving it too late.
Attendees
Identify
who will be the intended audience of the conference, how many will be
attending and from how far are they required/able to travel to the
conference. Are there any special requirements attendees will require to
access the conference eg wheelchair access.
Conference Content
Determine
the most appropriate topics that will address the conference purpose.
Select activities and presenters that can help achieve the conference
purpose. The final agenda, order and content of conference activities
will go through many changes until the actual conference is run.
Venue/Facilities
Selecting
the correct Venue may require the most time, as you should always
inspect a venue prior to booking it. Preparing a check list of the
conference facilities and requirements that will narrow the selection to
appropriate venues for the conference. The following points should be
decided prior to searching for a conference venue.
ü
Location – To help
decide the location, ask the following questions
o
How far are
attendees travelling,
o
If attendees are
being flown in, how far from the nearest airport
o
How are attendees
arriving to the venue eg car then how long a drive is not too long
o
Does it need to be
close to the workplace or far away from the busy workplace
ü
Capacity – Ensure that the venue can provide
for the number intended attendees in the conference room layout
appropriate for the conference purpose. The following are a selection of
room layouts to be used
o
Theatre– useful
for briefing a large group, initiate a policy or build morale and
writing by attendees is not required to take place
o
Class Room – Used
for briefing a groups who are also required to take notes and perhaps
work in small groups of a maximum of 4 for Exchanging information, or
solving a problem conference
o
Board Room – This
arrangement all participants can see each other in the conference and is
useful for securing agreement, solving a problem amongst the group, or
purpose that consists of a group no larger than 20. This arrangement
encourages participation of all attendees
o
Hollow Square –
The participants face each other but unlike the board room arrangement,
has more space across from participants.
o
U-Shaped – enables
group interaction but the conference is focused around a facilitator at
the front of the group.
o
Banquet Style – A
large conference can be arranged in smaller groups seated around round
or rectangular tables where group and workshop activities can be
performed through the conference. The banquet style also encourages
attendees to network with their immediate group at the conference.
ü
Facilities – There
are a variety of facilities to be considered for a conference
o
The presenter
facilities eg speakers, mics, audio, visual aids, screens, boards,
flipcharts etc.
o
The attendee
facilities eg catering, seating, lighting, break up rooms for workshops,
writing materials etc.
ü
Accommodation – If
the conference is residential the venue should address the following
items
o
Whether the
accommodation will be required close to the conference facilities
o
How are the
attendees to be roomed eg in pairs, triples, quads or dormitory styles
o
Capacity – can the
venue accommodate to room the number of attendees of the conference.
ü
Budget – work
within the cost allocated for each attendee and how much has been
budgeted for the conference. This amount will narrow the selection of
venues suitable for the event.
ü
Conference support
– It is always helpful to have a conference co-ordinator at the venue
that can assist with the finer points of the conference. Venue
Conference Co-ordinators know their venue and it’s capability that can
provide useful suggestions for your conference.
ü
Extra curricular
activities – When the conference is in recess, will the attendees be
required to participate in any “team building” activities. The venue
may have contacts that can oblige or find your own, ensure the venue can
accommodate these activities if required.
The
hardest decision of the conference organising has been completed soon as
a suitable venue has been selected.
Leisure
and Tourism Link is offering a Conference Referral Service. We may have
a suitable venue for the conference you are arranging. Contact us,
supply the conference requirements and let us assist in the venue
selection process. Our service is free to use and there is no
obligation. We are an information service that is here to take out the
monotonous task of chasing up possible venues.
Promote the Conference
Invitations
may be required to be sent out to presenters/facilitators and the
intended the audience of the conference.
Posters
on noticeboards around the workplace are also a useful easy promotion
activity of a work conference
Preparation
All the
finer details of the conference should now be attended to. Items such as
fine tuning the order of the conference, confirmations, name badges,
co-ordinating and printing of presenter notes, table arrangements,
catering options, Conference evaluations etc.
After the Event
Taking
time out after the conference and just covering some of the following,
will nicely complete the hard work of planning and conducting a
conference.
ü
Pay all outstanding accounts of the conference
ü
Organise presenter
notes/conference outcomes
ü
Distribute
conference outcomes
ü
Collect and analyse
conference evaluations if used
ü
Reflect whether the
conference reached it’s objective/purpose
ü
Strengths of the conference
ü
Weaknesses of the
conference.
ü
Have a team meeting
and brief the team (if used) about the conference outcomes.
Take
a rest until the next conference is required.
