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The MeetSAFE guidelines for room design, created by PSAV, incorporate physical distancing and traffic flow to reduce health risks within the meeting environment. (PSAV)
As COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen around the world, PSAV is offering business events industry professionals advice on how to safely host events. The event design firm has created MeetSAFE, a set of guidelines for retooling events to meet both strategic and safety goals.
The MeetSAFE guidelines, developed with input from venue partners, event planners, and leading industry associations, focus on the following areas of face-to-face or hybrid events.
Event Design
In the May 4-7 COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard survey, 51 percent of planners and 63 percent of suppliers said that during recovery, smaller local and regional events will thrive before national and international groups gather. PSAV focused its first meeting design on a smaller gathering, gradually moving to ideas for larger groups.
MeetSAFE Design 1
The one-room design, PSAV says, is “ideal for a smaller group meeting in a single room at one venue. With physical distancing in mind, screen placement, sound reinforcement, and the ability to connect with others not able to physically attend will be key considerations.”
Meet SAFE Design 2
The multi-room, broadcast communication design can accommodate larger groups that may need to be split into several rooms at the same venue. With special technology, planners can broadcast to multiple rooms and include two-way communication and collaboration.
MeetSAFE Design 3
The multi-room/multi-venue, networked communication design extends the ideas of the first two for groups that need to meet in several rooms and possibly at more than one venue to follow social-distancing protocols. Networking technology will connect all participants and speakers, PSAV says.
Room Layout/Traffic Flow
PSAV’s ideas incorporate physical distancing and traffic flow to reduce health risks within the meeting environment.
Technology Enhancements
Some groups may need to ramp up their technology beyond projectors and big screens. They may need tech that supports sound reinforcement, recording, web-conferencing, and digital tools for polling and Q&As in several rooms.
Cleaning Guidelines
Hygiene remains top of mind since the pandemic began and will be important to instill confidence in meeting attendees. With that in mind, PSAV is educating its team members on enhanced cleaning procedures. Tent cards will indicate when equipment has been cleaned, with multiple cleaning of high-touch items such as microphones, keyboards, wireless presenters, and markers.
An overview of MeetSAFE guidelines can be found on PSAV’s website, where you also can download the MeetSAFE Guidelines Playbook.
Curt Wagner is an associate editor at Convene.