Many of us will have attended meetings or conferences and have been sat in two types of formats; theatre and cabaret. The go-to seating layouts for a variety of events. Both have their place and are relevant within the right environment, very functional but not hugely inspiring.
Seating layouts are within everyone's control and in most cases cost nothing, but they can have a huge impact on the audience. The key is to pair the seating layout with the right content and apply this to the right audience to provide greater outcomes.
Removing a table between delegates breaks a barrier and allows for a more open discussion, changes body language and has a direct impact on what is being said.
Changes in seating layouts are particularly effective when designing breakout spaces. Typically breakout spaces will have the same set up and it's difficult to know one from another. Changing the seating allows for more diverse conversation - whether this through the technique of pair sharing, more intimate conversations through campfire set ups or removing the seating altogether to provide movement amongst peers.
There are hundreds of techniques that allow attendees to communicate in different ways by just tweaking the seating layout. This goes hand in hand with content - there is no point creating concentric circles if there is a panel discussion.
We understand audiences and we curate content to be used affectively within a space - this can enhance the attendee experience without having to enhance the budget.
