Planning in Changing Times

I am working with a team to plan a large, 3-day conference with a tradeshow in six months. Because of the volatile nature of Covid-19, venues, airlines, restaurants… everyone continues to change the rules or requirements around event health and safety. So, how does one plan when the allowable capacities, mask rules, sanitation plans, and distances are constantly changing?

Planning an event under these conditions can feel like herding cats. For me, it feels more like planning multiple events simultaneously. I am planning three different events. There is the “ideal” event, the “what are the rules now” event, and the “worst case scenario” event. 

Before beginning, the team must be united in its approach to planning. Based on the goals and objectives of the event, the team should decide what the maximum attendance can be when taking into consideration the various room setups at different capacity levels. If someone on the team is not on board, you could end up with mismatched expectations for resources, budget, contracts, communications, schedule, food & beverage, etc. 

First, it is important to know the total square feet of the venue spaces for the event and how each room will be setup. Theater style? Classroom style? Booths for a tradeshow? Then, I like to start with the “ideal” event. If Covid-19 didn’t exist and there are no stipulations on the venue, what is the maximum number of people that will fit in the spaces?

For the “what are the rules now” event, I use the current social distancing guidelines and any cleaning and sanitation factors (like dwell time) to create room setups and maximum allowable attendance based on this information. This scenario may change depending on what month I’m planning in and what the current rules are. Not efficient, but necessary when trying to estimate whether or not to limit ticket sales.

Finally, for the “worst case scenario” I plan for just that, the worst case scenario. What is the poorest possible attendance I can anticipate? Is it the most restrictive Covid-19 regulations, half of the venue’s maximum seating, or a complete shut down? Is it planning for 36-square feet per-person in a General Session room and creating one-way hallways, cutting the event’s historical average attendance in half, or assuming the world will come to a complete stop again? Let’s not even go there. (But a good planner has at least this scenario in the back of their mind.).

Once again, being an event planner speaks to one’s ability to be flexible, think faster than a speeding bullet, and leap convention centers in a single bound.

If you have a story of planning in these ever-changing times, please share it!
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