Illustrative one-day conference for 120 participants
Scope
An illustrative in-person conference from 08:30 to 17:00, using local venue time. It assumes 120 participants at 20 tables of six. Two parallel clinics each hold 60 people at ten tables. This is a planning example, not a report of a delivered event.
Objectives
- Compare two approaches to a shared professional challenge.
- Design a small test each participant can take back to work.
Outputs
- An option sheet per table, recording choices and open questions.
- A personal action card with an owner, date and evidence to check.
Setup
- Confirm one main hall for 120 and two clinic rooms for 60 each. Prebook clinic places, then confirm capacities and accessible routes with the venue.
- Assign a lead facilitator, one clinic facilitator per room, a roving helper per clinic and a table recorder. Name registration, AV and follow-up owners.
- Provide option sheets, action cards, pens, microphones and an accessible digital copy. Check requested access needs, captions, dietary needs and quiet seating before the day.
- Invite one optional ask and offer at check-in. Use only details participants agree to share; keep confidential information off public boards.
- Test the routes between rooms. If a move needs more than ten minutes, shorten session content or extend the timetable before publishing it.
Limits
- This example is not a staffing or capacity plan for a much larger event. Confirm room limits, staff availability and participant needs locally.
- The clinics suit people willing to discuss one shared challenge. A lecture, certification exam or confidential decision meeting needs another design.
- This plan assumes everyone is on site. Hybrid delivery needs a separate access, audio and facilitation plan.
Schedule
| Time / Minutes | Session / Room and Track | Owner / Output / Changeover |
|---|---|---|
| 08:30-09:00 (30 min) | Arrival and optional asks and offers Foyer / All |
Owner: Registration lead Output: Optional introduction request Changeover: Seat by 09:00 |
| 09:00-09:10 (10 min) | Welcome and the shared challenge Main hall / All |
Owner: Lead facilitator Output: Challenge on option sheet Changeover: Stay at tables |
| 09:10-09:40 (30 min) | Opening keynote Main hall / All |
Owner: Speaker Output: One idea to examine Changeover: Stay at tables |
| 09:40-09:48 (8 min) | Reaction tables Main hall / All |
Owner: Table recorder Output: Notes on option sheet Changeover: Stay at tables |
| 09:48-10:00 (12 min) | Questions to the speaker Main hall / All |
Owner: Moderator Output: Clarified questions Changeover: Break starts at 10:00 |
| 10:00-10:20 (20 min) | Break and room change Foyer to clinics / A or B |
Owner: Room stewards Output: No output required Changeover: Arrive by 10:20 |
| 10:20-11:20 (60 min) | Parallel clinics on two approaches Rooms A and B / A or B |
Owner: Clinic facilitators Output: Draft option sheet Changeover: Stay in clinic room |
| 11:20-11:30 (10 min) | Break Clinic areas / A or B |
Owner: Room stewards Output: No output required Changeover: Return to same table |
| 11:30-12:10 (40 min) | Compare options and constraints Rooms A and B / A or B |
Owner: Clinic facilitators Output: Completed option sheet Changeover: Lunch starts at 12:10 |
| 12:10-13:10 (60 min) | Lunch and optional introductions Dining area / All |
Owner: Lunch coordinator Output: Optional connection Changeover: Return to main hall next |
| 13:10-13:20 (10 min) | Return and recap Main hall / All |
Owner: Lead facilitator Output: Two approaches recapped Changeover: Stay at tables |
| 13:20-14:00 (40 min) | Experts examine a shared example Main hall / All |
Owner: Moderator Output: Constraints on option sheet Changeover: Break at 14:00 |
| 14:00-14:15 (15 min) | Break Main hall area / All |
Owner: Room stewards Output: No output required Changeover: Return by 14:15 |
| 14:15-15:00 (45 min) | Design a small test Main hall / All |
Owner: Lead facilitator Output: Draft personal action card Changeover: Stay at tables |
| 15:00-15:30 (30 min) | Peer review Main hall / All |
Owner: Table recorder Output: Reviewed action card Changeover: Break at 15:30 |
| 15:30-15:45 (15 min) | Break Main hall area / All |
Owner: Room stewards Output: No output required Changeover: Return by 15:45 |
| 15:45-16:15 (30 min) | Owners dates and sharing choices Main hall / All |
Owner: Follow-up owner Output: Completed personal action card Changeover: Stay at tables |
| 16:15-16:45 (30 min) | Synthesis from selected examples Main hall / All |
Owner: Lead facilitator Output: Approved summary notes Changeover: Stay at tables |
| 16:45-17:00 (15 min) | Close and agree the review Main hall / All |
Owner: Follow-up owner Output: Review date and access route Changeover: Departure at 17:00 |
Instructions for each block
08:30 Arrival and optional asks and offers
Invite an ask and an offer. Explain sharing choices. Direct participants to one of the 20 tables.
09:00 Welcome and the shared challenge
State the two objectives, the two output types and how to ask for help. Invite corrections to the challenge.
09:10 Opening keynote
Give one argument and its supporting evidence. Ask participants to note one idea and one uncertainty.
09:40 Reaction tables
Use one minute to write, five to discuss and two to select one question. Passing is welcome.
09:48 Questions to the speaker
Take a few table questions. Record unanswered questions without extending the slot.
10:00 Break and room change
Allow ten minutes for a break and ten for the room change. Check directions and accessible routes.
10:20 Parallel clinics on two approaches
Each clinic holds ten tables of six. Brief for ten minutes, work for 35, compare options for ten and record questions for five.
11:20 Break
Protect the break. If a clinic ran late, shorten the next discussion rather than removing this pause.
11:30 Compare options and constraints
Use ten minutes to read another table sheet, twenty to discuss tradeoffs and ten to capture an option and an unresolved question.
12:10 Lunch and optional introductions
Use the first ten minutes to move and collect food. Offer ask-and-offer tables and open seating. Do not require networking throughout lunch.
13:10 Return and recap
Allow five minutes to settle, then summarize the two clinics in five minutes using approved option sheets.
13:20 Experts examine a shared example
Use a fictional or approved example. Frame it for five minutes, hear expert reasoning for fifteen, discuss at tables for fifteen and close for five.
14:00 Break
Protect time for rest and individual needs. Keep a quiet space available.
14:15 Design a small test
Brief for five minutes. Draft for twenty, discuss constraints for fifteen and revise for five. No participant must disclose confidential work.
15:00 Peer review
Pair participants who opt in. Allow ten minutes per person and ten to revise. Ask what evidence would change the proposed action.
15:30 Break
Protect the pause. If time is short, reduce the number of plenary reports later.
15:45 Owners dates and sharing choices
Allow fifteen minutes to specify an action, owner, date and evidence. Use ten for questions and five to record sharing preferences.
16:15 Synthesis from selected examples
Share up to four volunteered examples for five minutes each. Use ten minutes to name common questions. Do not photograph private cards.
16:45 Close and agree the review
Confirm where approved materials will appear and the review date. Invite optional feedback. Explain how participants can decline follow-up.
Illustrative redesign notes
See the proposed change
Before: A fictional schedule ends its keynote and immediately starts another talk.
After: Keep the 30-minute keynote, add eight minutes of reaction tables and twelve minutes for questions.
Reason: Participants have a defined place to interpret the argument. This does not establish a retention improvement.
See the proposed change
Before: A fictional schedule labels lunch as networking without further instructions.
After: Offer optional introductions based on asks and offers, plus open seating.
Reason: Participants can choose a specific conversation without being required to share personal details.
See the proposed change
Before: A fictional schedule ends with thanks and an unspecified promise to follow up.
After: Reserve time for action cards, sharing permissions and an agreed review date.
Reason: An owner and evidence question make later follow-up possible. Completion must still be checked.
Follow Up
- Before departure, each participant chooses whether to share an action card and receive a follow-up. Keep a private copy available.
- Within two working days, the follow-up owner shares only approved option sheets, open questions and the agreed review date.
- At the agreed 30-day review, ask what was attempted, what evidence exists and what changed. An intention or a completed survey is not proof of impact.