Chapter: Participatory Conferences


Café conversation
Café conversation

PowerPoint presentations too often resemble a school play – very loud, very slow, and very simple.

If your words or images are not on point, making them dance in color won’t make them relevant.

Power corrupts, PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.

Edward Tufte, Yale Emeritus professor

Traditional conferences and meetings are too often death-by-Powerpoint. It need not be this way.

In this chapter, I take a look at some of the ways in which conferences and meetings can be made more conversational and participatory.



Posted on

Introduction: Participatory Conferences From audience to participants

Conferences often involve long, boring presentations that disengage audiences. This “death by PowerPoint” approach fails to actively involve attendees in the learning process. With some creative planning, however, organizers can transform conferences into engaging, participatory experiences that energize audiences. In a conference presentation or lecture, would you rather have this: or this or this or … Continue reading Introduction: Participatory Conferences From audience to participants

Posted on

Conversational Conferences In a conversational conference, the dominant style of presentation is the conversational talk

Most conferences are a series of PowerPoint talks interspersed by the occasional panel discussion. The audience gets a little time to ask questions, but they get absolutely no time to reflect or interact with each other besides in the coffee breaks or over lunch. Not allowing time for conversation is a missed opportunity for the … Continue reading Conversational Conferences In a conversational conference, the dominant style of presentation is the conversational talk

Posted on

Conversational Talks How to give a conversational talk or presentation

In most talks or seminars, there is no opportunity for the audience to discuss the presentation. This doesn’t have to be the case. Allotting a few minutes during the Q&A session for conversation can facilitate this. Conferences far too often rely heavily on standard lecture-style talks where presenters speak and attendees passively listen. However, integrating … Continue reading Conversational Talks How to give a conversational talk or presentation

Posted on

Conference Breakfasts and Dinners A great opportunity to network and build relationships

So often at conferences, the organizers allow little time for conversation and networking. They feel they do not have the time to spare as they need to pack in so much content. But what about before and after the conference – breakfast and dinner time? I was at such a conference a few years ago … Continue reading Conference Breakfasts and Dinners A great opportunity to network and build relationships

Posted on

Peter Block’s Four Ownership Questions Are you prepared to take responsibility for the learning and engagement of others?

How many people at a conference or a workshop genuinely engage with the day and consider they are as much an owner and co-creator of the experience as the chairperson, speakers, and facilitators? And how many are happy to sit there, entranced, passively listening, and doing as they are told?  This short process built around … Continue reading Peter Block’s Four Ownership Questions Are you prepared to take responsibility for the learning and engagement of others?

Posted on

Let’s Get Rid of Lecterns The lectern is a barrier to connecting with your audience

Why do we still use lecterns in meetings and at conferences? A lectern prevents you from engaging with your audience, I was at a conference a few years ago, and there was no lapel microphone available and no hand microphone – just a fixed mike on the lectern, which meant I had to stand behind the … Continue reading Let’s Get Rid of Lecterns The lectern is a barrier to connecting with your audience

Posted on

The Unconference A conference organized, structured and led by the people attending it

Traditional conferences offer limited participant engagement, presenting a problem in fostering meaningful interactions. Unconferences provide a solution by enabling attendees to actively shape the agenda, leading to dynamic collaboration and enhanced learning opportunities. An unconference is a type of conference or gathering that operates on principles of participant-driven and collaborative learning, as opposed to the … Continue reading The Unconference A conference organized, structured and led by the people attending it