Registration
If you want to attract delegates,
which I assume you do, make the registration process as simple as possible. A
basic online form is ideal, and you can set one up for free with a WordPress
site or Google Forms. Don’t expect people to send paperwork through the post to
you. None of us is that patient these days, and it’s a real pain for overseas
delegates. Your university probably has a PayPal account you can use, and this
is the most convenient method for everyone. If your budget is tight, then receiving
payment upfront gives you a much better idea of the finances and you don’t have
to menace people for money on the day. Make it clear on the registration form
that delegates who cancel at the last minute won’t receive a refund.
On the registration form, be sure to
ask delegates to specify whether they have any specific dietary or access
requirements.
Catering
Most academics won’t have high
expectations of university catering, but they’ll be grumpy if there’s not
enough food. You might need to advise the caterers of numbers a few weeks in
advance of the event, so keep a careful eye on late registrations and advise
them accordingly. Also remember that some people will just turn up on the day,
but still expect to be catered for.
There is likely to be a least a handful of delegates with allergies, so
make sure their needs are noted. If a special meal is prepared for them, mark
it with their name – sometimes unthinking souls will wolf down someone else’s vegan
lunch just to see what it’s like. You might have to pay a premium for
additional dietary requirements, so ask for a clear breakdown of what
everything costs. It could be cheaper to pop to the local supermarket and buy
some soya milk and gluten-free biscuits for the coffee break.
Oh, and keep an eye on your catering
once it’s arrived. I once attended a conference where the host institution’s
staff sneaked in and cleared all the platters while we were patiently waiting
for the last paper to finish.
Timekeeping
& scheduling
Who’s ever attended a conference
that didn’t overrun? Not me. To prevent it from getting out of hand, make sure
the panel chairs enforce the time limits. The most effective method I’ve used
is to provide them with a laminated card – on one side it reads “5 minutes”
left, on the other “Stop talking now!” It’s not very subtle, admittedly, but a
few academics will just ramble on incontinently until somebody wrestles them to
the ground.
Starting on time is also key.
Appoint a committee member or friendly faculty member as MC (preferably one
with the lungs of Ethel Merman) to summon everyone together for the opening
remarks and keynote address. If this starts late, you’ve got absolutely no
chance of recovering the time. And squeezing the coffee breaks is always an
unpopular move. If you are overrunning, keep closing remarks to an absolute
minimum – the audience will be worrying about catching planes and trains, and
won’t give a stuff about your thoughts on interdisciplinarity.
Technology
Computers are designed to confound
and it’s important to assume they will go wrong. If your conference is taking
place at the weekend, remember that your university’s IT helpdesk might not be
available. Ensure you have a resident geek who can quickly resolve any minor
issues. If possible, encourage speakers to send their slides in advance – that
way they won’t be thwarted by failed wi-fi connections, temperamental laptops,
or forgetful memory sticks. Also ask them to specify any non-standard equipment
required, such as microphones or speakers.
Arrive at the venue early and give
yourself time to switch on all the computers and screens that’ll be in use
during the day.
Delegates
Dealing with a large number of
people in a confined space is challenging. It’s a good idea to recruit some
volunteers to help you on the day, particularly with the registration desk. As
a member of the organising committee, you’ll probably be busy dealing with
speakers and possible emergencies (see below). Ensure that everyone knows their
role and how to carry it out. Keep a list of useful contact numbers on the
desk.
Delegates tend to arrive in one
enormous clump around 15 minutes before the conference starts. Have a system in
place to deal with them efficiently and also station some people there to deal
with complicated enquiries. There’ll almost certainly be a few people who
haven’t registered or did so just after midnight. Have blank name badges
available, and make extra copies of the delegate packs.
Put signs around the building to
guide delegates to the panel locations and toilets, and ensure room numbers are
clearly marked on the conference programme.
Emergencies
It’s horrible when your carefully
laid plans go awry. Unfortunately, speakers do pull out at the last moment –
even keynotes – and there’s nothing that can be done. Sometimes they even have
the temerity to explain they received a better offer. Anyway, don’t panic. If
this happens, don’t be tempted to wheel in another speaker at the last minute.
It’s much easier to simply extend the social breaks or finish earlier (remember
that you’ll probably be overrunning, in any case). If a keynote is travelling a
long distance, he or she could easily be delayed. In that case, do a quick
rejig of the schedule – it’s not going to ruin anyone’s day if the conference
doesn’t run in exactly the advertised order.
Hopefully I haven’t put you off.
Organising a conference is an immensely rewarding experience and it helps
develop many skills – not least of which is patience. Inevitably, things will
go wrong, but it’s very unlikely that anything truly disastrous will happen.
Let go of minor glitches and enjoy your day.
