Speaking Environment Part 4: 5 Types of Seating Arrangements

This submit is the final submit in a four-part sequence that gives ideas and methods on learn how to greatest strategy your talking setting – from the room setup to your timing, in addition to different issues – in order that your presentation is heard and skilled precisely as you supposed.

Quick-food eating places usually set up uncomfortable seats to encourage diners to eat rapidly and depart. Pubs, alternatively, usually tend to have plush stools to maintain individuals comfy and encourage them to order one other spherical. In each instances, the seating decisions are intentional and elicit totally different outcomes.

A number of components go into your alternative of seating preparations, together with the scale of your viewers, the ambiance you hope to create, and the extent of interplay you plan to elicit from the viewers. As you learn within the earlier lesson, the nearer persons are to at least one one other, the better the rapport audio system can construct with their audiences. However there are occasions when different issues require extra distance between viewers members, akin to a meal being served throughout a presentation.

On this lesson, we provide tips about a few of the extra frequent seating preparations, together with the professionals and cons of every.

5 Varieties of Seating Preparations

1. Theater

Chairs are organized in parallel rows that face the entrance of the room. You’ll usually discover this setup in an auditorium or lecture corridor. (See image above.)

Execs:

• You may maximize the occupancy of the room
• It’s simpler to construct rapport and enhance the vitality within the room, as persons are nearer collectively.

Cons:

• If the seating is all at one stage (relatively than on risers), some viewers members might have hassle seeing you or the display screen.
• Viewers members are boxed in and may disturb their neighbors when leaving their seats.
• The setup isn’t conducive to collaboration and interplay amongst viewers members, as they need to twist their our bodies to make face-to-face contact.
• There isn’t any designated house for attendees to relaxation laptops, notebooks, or refreshments.

Theater-style seating works greatest for comparatively quick, extra formal occasions and addresses, the place there’s primarily a one-way circulate of data, and the place the viewers isn’t anticipated to collaborate with each other, take notes, or take part in hands-on coaching. Interplay between the speaker and the viewers largely takes place by a Q&A. Greatest for:

• Product launches
• City corridor conferences
• Keynote addresses
• Motivational speeches
• Panels

Relying on the room, you could possibly stagger the chairs in every row so that individuals can see between the shoulders of the individuals in entrance of them. For bigger rooms, contemplate three sections with two aisles in between. Angle the aspect sections towards the rostrum or display screen. Talking in particularly broad rooms may be difficult, so go for a tighter seating association that removes seats from the farthest wings.

Lastly, encourage early arrivers to sit down nearer to the entrance. When your viewers is sprinkled about, you face the identical menace as these past-their-prime rockers – numerous empty chairs separating every individual. One technique is to put handouts solely on the primary few rows of chairs, which can encourage individuals to decide on these seats. You may have a colleague add handouts to chairs in every subsequent row as individuals arrive. That manner, if fewer individuals present up than anticipated, these current might be nearer collectively and also you’ll nonetheless be capable of create an intimate and energetic setting.

2. Classroom

Think about your typical faculty seminar class. Tables and chairs (sometimes separate desks) are organized in parallel or curved rows dealing with the entrance of the room.

Execs:

• Viewers members have house for laptops, useful resource supplies, and refreshments.
• That is probably the most space-efficient setup of all of the desk preparations.
• Individuals are nonetheless comparatively shut collectively, permitting for a extra intimate rapport.

Cons:

• If the tables aren’t angled, curved, or on risers, some viewers members won’t have clear sightlines.
• The viewers may need to disturb their neighbors to depart their seats.
• The setup isn’t perfect for collaboration and interplay amongst viewers members, as they need to contort themselves ultimately to make face-to-face contact.

The classroom-style seating preparations work greatest when individuals are anticipated to take notes. That is primarily a one-way circulate of data from the presenter, who is basically relegated to the entrance of the room. The Q&A could also be much less formal and happen all through the session. Greatest for hour-long to full-day:

• Trainings
• Seminars
• Lectures

If you’re establishing classroom or theater seating in a convention room, you possibly can organize the tables and chairs in a chevron model and supply a middle aisle.

3. U-Formed (or Horseshoe)

The “horseshoe” may be slender or broad, however the setup is similar – tables are organized to type three sides of a rectangle, sq., or “U” form. In these kinds of seating preparations, seats are organized on the surface and the center space is saved clear.

Execs:

• A number of eye contact! The viewers doesn’t need to contort themselves – largely – to see different viewers members, and so they have a transparent sightline to the presenter and the display screen.
• The presenter can extra simply have interaction and work together with the viewers through the use of the open center space.
• Group dialogue is inspired.

Cons:

• Doesn’t accommodate bigger group occasions.
• Doesn’t work properly in slender rooms, during which individuals may be jammed too tightly towards the wall.
• Facet-by-side viewers interplay requires some twisting and delivering chairs to take care of face-to-face contact.

The U-shaped seating association works greatest when the purpose is a two-way circulate of data and individuals are anticipated to take notes, apply the talents they’re studying, work together with the presenter and fellow viewers members, and supply continuous suggestions. The presenter is extra of a coach or facilitator on this state of affairs. The session probably feels extra collaborative than formal. Greatest for:

• Trainings
• Workshops
• Breakout Classes
• Small-Group Discussions

4. Boardroom

Usually, your viewers is seated round a big desk in a devoted boardroom or convention house.

Execs:

• The desk supplies an area for laptops, handout supplies, notes, and refreshments.
• There are alternatives for face-to-face contact and engagement amongst session individuals (significantly if chairs swivel).
• Audio system usually have an unobstructed view of all of the attendees.

Cons:

• This setup can really feel much less collaborative than a U-shaped setup. In some conditions, sitting on reverse sides of the desk may even really feel adversarial (akin to on reverse sides of a authorized dispute).
• Viewers members should twist and switch to see individuals seated on their aspect of the desk.

Boardroom model is usually greatest for small conferences or occasions the place the main focus is on sharing info, discussing priorities, or making choices. Greatest for:

• Inside administration or workers conferences
• Pitching buyers or shoppers
• Informational classes
• Trainings

5. Banquet

You’ve in all probability encountered this seating association at marriage ceremony receptions. Tables, often round, are located across the room with chairs round every desk.

Execs:

• Small group dialogue is inspired.
• The desk supplies an area for laptops, handout supplies, notes, and meals.
• Face-to-face contact is feasible amongst session individuals.

Cons:

• Not everybody on the desk is dealing with the display screen or presenter.
• The setup may encourage aspect conversations.
• The association doesn’t maximize the house.
• It requires bigger rooms for smaller audiences. As a result of the viewers is unfold farther aside than in a convention room, it may be harder to determine rapport and maintain vitality.

Banquet model works for, properly, mealtimes. It additionally works for small-group discussions throughout which the presenter is extra of a facilitator. Greatest for:

• Galas
• Award ceremonies
• Networking dinners
• Brainstorming classes
• Convention luncheons

A model of this model is Cabaret (or Crescent). On this occasion, solely half of the desk has chairs. This could enhance sightlines for the viewers, but it surely additionally requires extra space and will increase the space between the speaker and the viewers.

Earlier posts on this sequence:

Half One: The Room (and different Issues)

Half Two: Presentation Timing Ideas

Half Three: Microphones and Different Tech Issues