# 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
1. Compare two approaches to a shared professional challenge.
2. Design a small test each participant can take back to work.

## Outputs
1. An option sheet per table, recording choices and open questions.
2. 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 / Track | Owner | Output | Changeover | Instructions |
|------|---------|---------|--------------|-------|--------|------------|--------------|
| 08:30-09:00 | 30 | Arrival and optional asks and offers | Foyer / All | Registration lead | Optional introduction request | Seat by 09:00 | Invite an ask and an offer. Explain sharing choices. Direct participants to one of the 20 tables. |
| 09:00-09:10 | 10 | Welcome and the shared challenge | Main hall / All | Lead facilitator | Challenge on option sheet | Stay at tables | State the two objectives, the two output types and how to ask for help. Invite corrections to the challenge. |
| 09:10-09:40 | 30 | Opening keynote | Main hall / All | Speaker | One idea to examine | Stay at tables | Give one argument and its supporting evidence. Ask participants to note one idea and one uncertainty. |
| 09:40-09:48 | 8 | Reaction tables | Main hall / All | Table recorder | Notes on option sheet | Stay at tables | Use one minute to write, five to discuss and two to select one question. Passing is welcome. |
| 09:48-10:00 | 12 | Questions to the speaker | Main hall / All | Moderator | Clarified questions | Break starts at 10:00 | Take a few table questions. Record unanswered questions without extending the slot. |
| 10:00-10:20 | 20 | Break and room change | Foyer to clinics / A or B | Room stewards | No output required | Arrive by 10:20 | Allow ten minutes for a break and ten for the room change. Check directions and accessible routes. |
| 10:20-11:20 | 60 | Parallel clinics on two approaches | Rooms A and B / A or B | Clinic facilitators | Draft option sheet | Stay in clinic room | Each clinic holds ten tables of six. Brief for ten minutes, work for 35, compare options for ten and record questions for five. |
| 11:20-11:30 | 10 | Break | Clinic areas / A or B | Room stewards | No output required | Return to same table | Protect the break. If a clinic ran late, shorten the next discussion rather than removing this pause. |
| 11:30-12:10 | 40 | Compare options and constraints | Rooms A and B / A or B | Clinic facilitators | Completed option sheet | Lunch starts at 12:10 | Use ten minutes to read another table sheet, twenty to discuss tradeoffs and ten to capture an option and an unresolved question. |
| 12:10-13:10 | 60 | Lunch and optional introductions | Dining area / All | Lunch coordinator | Optional connection | Return to main hall next | Use the first ten minutes to move and collect food. Offer ask-and-offer tables and open seating. Do not require networking throughout lunch. |
| 13:10-13:20 | 10 | Return and recap | Main hall / All | Lead facilitator | Two approaches recapped | Stay at tables | Allow five minutes to settle, then summarize the two clinics in five minutes using approved option sheets. |
| 13:20-14:00 | 40 | Experts examine a shared example | Main hall / All | Moderator | Constraints on option sheet | Break at 14:00 | 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. |
| 14:00-14:15 | 15 | Break | Main hall area / All | Room stewards | No output required | Return by 14:15 | Protect time for rest and individual needs. Keep a quiet space available. |
| 14:15-15:00 | 45 | Design a small test | Main hall / All | Lead facilitator | Draft personal action card | Stay at tables | Brief for five minutes. Draft for twenty, discuss constraints for fifteen and revise for five. No participant must disclose confidential work. |
| 15:00-15:30 | 30 | Peer review | Main hall / All | Table recorder | Reviewed action card | Break at 15:30 | Pair participants who opt in. Allow ten minutes per person and ten to revise. Ask what evidence would change the proposed action. |
| 15:30-15:45 | 15 | Break | Main hall area / All | Room stewards | No output required | Return by 15:45 | Protect the pause. If time is short, reduce the number of plenary reports later. |
| 15:45-16:15 | 30 | Owners dates and sharing choices | Main hall / All | Follow-up owner | Completed personal action card | Stay at tables | Allow fifteen minutes to specify an action, owner, date and evidence. Use ten for questions and five to record sharing preferences. |
| 16:15-16:45 | 30 | Synthesis from selected examples | Main hall / All | Lead facilitator | Approved summary notes | Stay at tables | Share up to four volunteered examples for five minutes each. Use ten minutes to name common questions. Do not photograph private cards. |
| 16:45-17:00 | 15 | Close and agree the review | Main hall / All | Follow-up owner | Review date and access route | Departure at 17:00 | Confirm where approved materials will appear and the review date. Invite optional feedback. Explain how participants can decline follow-up. |

## Illustrative redesign notes
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.

## Source URL
https://unitedwetransform.com/conference-agenda-template/