#eventprofs

Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-04

Do beats Show and Tell. Multi-sensory environments improve our ability to learn, requiring us to be active participants in our learning.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

Do beats Show and Tell: a photograph of a kindergarten class with children sitting on the floor and a teacher and a child with an umbrella up front. Photo attribution: Flickr user wwworks.
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-04

In 2011, I wrote about why hybrid events "aren't going away". Tech has significantly improved since then…but the article is still relevant.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

hybrid events aren't going away: photograph of napkin with the written message "ME LEAVING TOO. CONNECTION TOO BAD. TWEET YOU L8R"
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-04

Software testers do peer conferences (aka unconferences) right! Here are three examples of software tester conference awesomeness.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

Participants gather at the 2022 SoCraTes peer conference
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-04

We'll all get a lot more out of our events when we practice wirearchy, not hierarchy. I encourage you to join me.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

A photograph of birds on a wire and a lamppost.
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-04

Traditional conferences have implicit ground rules. Surprisingly, it turns out we also need explicit ground rules.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

implicit ground rules: photograph of a baseball umpire pointing dramatically
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-03

Stay on time! How not keeping to your conference schedule plays havoc with your attendees' meeting experience and satisfaction.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

A red poster in the style of British government posters. It includes a white crown and the words "KEEP CALM AND STAY ON TIME"
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-03

What's the relationship between conference size and "success"? My experience? Small well-designed conferences beat the pants off huge events!

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-03

How do you crowdsource a conference program in real time? I explain, using the 2017 Haute Dokimazo in Austin, TX as an example.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

Screenshot of participants listening to facilitator Adrian Segar at the Haute Dokimazo unconference, Austin, TX, in May 2017
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-03

Here are two ways to take a hard look at your conference evaluations. You may be surprised by what you find.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

hard look at conference evaluations: an illustration of people looking at evaluation forms
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-02

Hack the peak-end rule to maximize conference impact by including many different kinds of short experiences in our events

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Hack the peak-end rule to maximize conference impact: photograph of a person, silhouetted against the sky, making a triumphant gesture at the top of a rocky hill
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-02

Whenever possible, avoid squaring the circle of a room set design. Here's what to do when you can't use circular seating layouts.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

An overhead photograph of a group of people sitting in a large circle with Leonardo de Vinci's "Vitruvian Man" superimposed at the center.
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-01

An independent review of my conference design work, published as a case study in Chapter 25 of "The Routledge Handbook of Business Events".

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

Image of the front cover of The Routledge Handbook of Business Events. This book, published in 2023, includes a case study of Adrian Segar's work.
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-01

I'm Torn About Technology. New tech isn't the only way to improve events—we can use different human process to improve learning & connection.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

Torn About Technology: photograph of a Kodal Ektagraphic slide projector on top of a Kodak Carousel Transverse 80 slide tray box
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-01

Post-It Plus makes categorizing and analysis of sticky notes post-session just about as simple as possible—and the price is right!

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

-ItPlus

Two iPhone screens showing (on left) a photo of a set of sticky notes on a wall, and (on right) showing each note recognized by the Post-It Plus app
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-01

Too many events still use child-based pedagogical instead of adult-centered andragogical modalities. Concentrate on the latter.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

pedagogy and andragogy: photograph of two men sitting on tiny chairs in a nursery school
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-02-01

Can meetings where no one says a word exhibit significantly different interpersonal dynamics? After my third silent meditation retreat, I say: Yes they can!

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

The interpersonal dynamics of silent retreats: a photograph of a group of people silently meditating, sitting indoors, on the floor
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-01-31

A core claim of facial analysis technology — that it can reliably measure attendee emotions at events — is seriously flawed.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

An illustration showing computer experts debating whether their facial analysis software of the Mona Lisa is showing a smiling, neutral, or sad expression. Illustration by Peter Arkle; Associated Press (Mona Lisa)
Adrian SegarASegar
2026-01-31

Meeting planners try to minimize surprises. But incorporating planned surprises into our events can improve attendees' experience and learning. Here are three examples.

conferencesthatwork.com/index.

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