There are a lot of considerations that go into setting up the venue for your conference and creating a conference schedule. One of your top considerations should be accessibility.
The objective is for each and every attendee to have a positive experience at your conference, but the needs of attendees with disabilities are often overlooked. Simple changes to the schedule, dining setup, routing, and venue setup can have a big impact. Here are some things to keep in mind while organizing a conference so that everyone can enjoy the experience.
Accessible routes
Consider how people with disabilities, including those using mobility aids, will navigate the conference venue.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Signage and Lighting: ensure that all routes are clearly lit and any signage is posted in large font in a highly visible well-lit area.
- Route Spacing: hallways at event centers can be hit and miss in meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. If you are setting up booths, seating, signage, or other items in the hallways be cautious about narrowing the space too much. Try to position these items in areas that will not impact the flow of foot traffic or make the space difficult to navigate for wheelchair users.
- Dining Areas: work with the caterers and the venue to ensure tables and chairs are set up far enough apart for everyone, including those using mobility aids,
Sitting areas
Setting up sitting areas throughout the event space is a great way to improve accessibility. Many people have difficulty standing for long periods of time for a variety of health reasons or find themselves becoming fatigued on long event days. Consider where seating areas may be helpful.
For audience seating at panels or keynotes, be sure to set aside accessible seating spaces. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing may need seating closer to the front in order to be able to lip-read, read an ASL interpreter, or be closer to the speakers or sound equipment. Those using wheelchairs, service animals, or other mobility aids may need extra room. Set aside a section for this and anticipate that you may have more accessible seating requests on the day of the event than expected. Also remember that some people utilizing this section may have a friend, partner, coworker, caregiving, or other people that they want to sit with. It’s best to allocate double the spaces that you think you need for accessible seating to allow for others to accompany people with disabilities in the section.
Quiet spaces
Conference spaces can be hectic, loud, and overwhelming. The crowds and the high energy in the event space add to the conference experience for many people, but it can also be overstimulating and anxiety-inducing.
A quiet private space is also helpful for people that need to check their blood sugar, take medication, breastfeed, or simply rest. Having a more private, calm space to tend to health needs or take a break from the chaos allows people with disabilities to enjoy the conference for a fuller duration.
Foodservice and dietary restrictions
Work with your caterers to accommodate a wide range of dietary restrictions. It can be helpful to include a space on the registration form to list dietary restrictions so that conference organizers and the catering company have a clear picture of what allergies or restricted diets will need to be accommodated.
Many events offer buffet-style meals, which is fine as long as proper food safety guidelines are in place. However, most buffet-style meals do not have food items labeled properly with ingredients or allergy information. Try to include warnings for at least the top 8 allergens and label items as gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan when applicable. It is alright to include a cross-contamination warning if there is a possibility of cross-contamination due to shared surfaces and preparation areas.
Also remember that service animal handlers are permitted to enter any buffet lines or other food service areas open to the public with their animals.
Scheduling
Building in breaks throughout the event day is important for all of your guests, including people with disabilities. All guests can be prone to fatigue during long conference days.
Also build in enough time in between keynotes, panels, or other activities to allow for everyone to navigate through the conference center. Stacking activities too closely together can cause people with disabilities to miss out on parts of the sessions as they may need short rest breaks or more time to walk through or navigate the venue.
When in doubt, ask
If you are not sure how to best accommodate someone, let them tell you what they need. The best thing that you can do to promote accessibility is to ensure that all event staff are trained to listen to people with disabilities and make adjustments as needed.
Be open to moving things around if someone reports that a pathway is too narrow or obstructed by a table or signage. Encourage staff to talk to the cooks if an allergy or food-handling question arises. Ensure that staff understands that service animal handlers are allowed in all public event spaces. Integrating accessibility into your event and staff culture will make all of the difference in creating a positive experience for attendees with disabilities.
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