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The format desk
Each format asks a different question of the room.
A conference, a workshop and a trade show can share a venue and a date, yet they need completely different plans. This desk sets out what each format asks of the programme, the space and the team around it.
01 Conference A main stage, a parallel track, and the space between sessions.
The room needs
- A plenary room with clear sightlines and a backstage route
- Breakout rooms close enough to reach during a short changeover
- A registration point that does not block the entrance
- Quiet space for speakers before and after their sessions
Decisions to settle
- How many programme tracks the audience can genuinely support
- Whether the day is built around one argument or several themes
- How much time sits between sessions for conversation
- Which moments are ticketed and which are open to all
What we prepare
A session map, a room by room run of show, speaker movement notes and a delegate route through the building.
Put this in a brief02 Seminar One room, one argument, and a discussion worth the journey.
The room needs
- A room sized for the conversation rather than the stage
- Seating that lets people see each other as well as the speaker
- A reliable sound system for questions from the floor
- Materials that give the discussion a common starting point
Decisions to settle
- The single question the session must answer
- How much of the time belongs to the speaker and how much to the room
- Whether the session is recorded and what happens to the recording
- How attendance is confirmed and followed up
What we prepare
A timed discussion plan, a speaker brief, audience prompts and a simple note taking sheet for the chair.
Put this in a brief03 Workshop A working room with tables, materials and a task.
The room needs
- Tables that allow people to work in small groups
- Wall space or boards for shared notes
- Power and connectivity for the tools being used
- A room that can be rearranged between activities
Decisions to settle
- The output each group must produce by the end
- The mix of tables and how participants are placed
- Who facilitates and who captures the work
- What participants take away and in what format
What we prepare
A facilitation plan, group materials, a room reset schedule and a template for the final output.
Put this in a brief04 Trade show A floor that reads clearly before the first aisle is walked.
The room needs
- A floor plan with visible routes, exits and service access
- Exhibitor spaces that match the way each stand is built
- A visitor entrance that separates registration from the floor
- Space for meetings that do not block the aisles
Decisions to settle
- The visitor journey from entrance to the furthest stand
- How exhibitors are grouped and how they are signposted
- The build and breakdown schedule for the whole floor
- Which activity happens on the floor and which sits in a side room
What we prepare
A marked floor plan, an exhibitor manual, a build schedule, signage rules and a visitor route note.
Put this in a brief05 Product launch A controlled sequence of reveal, explanation and conversation.
The room needs
- A stage and sightline plan built around the reveal
- A rehearsal room away from the audience
- A press and partner area that can be managed separately
- A clear route for products, props and demonstration units
Decisions to settle
- The one idea the audience must leave with
- Who speaks, in what order and for how long
- What is shown live and what is filmed in advance
- How questions are collected and answered
What we prepare
A reveal sequence, a rehearsal schedule, a media area plan and a question handling note.
Put this in a brief06 Corporate function An internal gathering that still has an outside audience.
The room needs
- A room that matches the tone of the occasion
- A programme that respects the working day around it
- Space for recognition, conversation and departure
- A plan for guests who arrive at different times
Decisions to settle
- Whether the function is a meeting, a celebration or both
- How the internal message is carried into the room
- Which guests are invited and how they are hosted
- What the team should feel and do afterwards
What we prepare
A programme outline, a guest journey, a hosting note for the leadership team and a departure plan.
Put this in a briefNo formats match this setting. Choose another filter.
How to choose between formats
Start with the behaviour you want to see. If the aim is to inform a large group, a conference or seminar gives you a stage and a shared reference point. If the aim is to produce work, a workshop gives people a table and a task. If the aim is to meet the market, a trade show or launch puts the product and the conversation in the same room.
The format can change after the brief. What should not change is the reason the gathering exists. Once that is written down, the room, the schedule and the budget can be tested against it.
If two formats seem to compete, read the note on programme architecture and then take the question to the method.
Industry desk
Associations and publications for format research
Useful starting points when you are comparing formats, floor plans or programme models. Read widely, then decide for your own audience.
These independent sources are listed for orientation. They are not clients, partners or endorsements.