Select a seating arrangement to support the event and presenter's goals.
Provide comfortable chairs.
Arrange for adjustable chairs for day-long training.
Provide surface for writing, using manuals, laptops, and placing beverages.
Accommodate people with special hearing, seeing or mobility needs.
Plan sufficient space for each person to avoid feeling cramped.
Provide for easy access to seating with adequate number and width of aisles.
Select space proportionate to the number of people attending.
Ten people will feel lost in a room set up for 300, surmise the meeting is poorly attended even though everyone is there and tend to disperse to near the exits. If you must use a large room for a small group, cordon off the unused area with plastic emergency tape.
Check for adequate air and comfortable air temperature.
Avoid noxious odors or enticing aromas.
Check room for exterior noise.
Tape door latches to prevent them from making noise when people have to leave or arrive late.
Arrange for adequate acoustics and acoustical support so people can hear (May require a variety of microphones).
Arrange for adequate lighting for presenter, audience and activities planned
Find out who to contact when problems occur.
Raise the speaker with a podium or platform so those in back can see.
Consider whether to use a lectern, it covers about 75% of the body and restricts the speaker's movement.
Locate screens, projectors and related visual equipment so audience can see
Determine which wall will be the front of the room.
Place entrance at rear of room to minimize coming and going distractions.
Check flip chart use and wall space for the display of filled pages.
Find out if there is time and staff to change the setup in a room for subsequent speakers.
Provide water, coffee, or other refreshments.
Test equipment for working order (video, projectors, monitors, etc.).
Provide vanity curtain for speaker's table to hide their stuff.
Note proximity to rest rooms and coat storage.
See that exit doors are clearly marked.
Provide signs on outside door(s) and inside identifying the event and time.
Provide name tags and/or name tents for attendees and presenters.
Arrange for intuitive registration and program material distribution.
Know how to turn on the lights and check that the light is shining at the screen or whiteboard, and that it is in focus so the audience can see clearly.
The white board - Ensure you have pens, and an eraser to clean the board before the next presenter uses it. You can put pictures on the board using small magnets or tape.
Short audio or video recordings - Check that you have a video or audio tape player, and wind on your tape to the right starting place. Have some pictures or the script in case something goes wrong.
