6 tips for an ace meeting space

Six months ago the Inky Thinking team met at Sandburn Hall near York for a day and a half of learning, connecting and fun together. Time has flown so quickly since and we all fondly remember the time we spent together face to face, especially when we had been collaborating online for so long.

This week I spent time revisiting photos from our meeting and was inspired by the meeting space we created for our work together. Significant time was spent planning the content, design AND meeting space. I share these six insights with you if you are currently planning a meeting and seeking inspiration on how to make your meeting space work for you.

Daylight is such an important element of any working space - it makes us more energised, cheerful and ready to work. Our meeting room offered superb daylight (plus a lovely view which was a bonus) which helped us work more effectively throughout the whole day. You don't need an amazing view to benefit from daylight in your meeting room. Make daylight a core part of your meeting space checklist.

Tip: Arrange your physical meeting space to make the best of the daylight available (i.e., don't just open the blinds).

Not every meeting venue will offer outside space, however this can be a hugely powerful addition to your meeting experience. We were lucky enough to meet at a venue with walking routes where the team could walk and talk together (this was part of the meeting design). We also made time for some circus fun after the hard work was over.

Tip: Broaden your perspective to consider what’s offered inside AND outside the room. How can you use both in your meeting design?

They say change is as good as a rest. If you have a room large enough consider how you can zone the space for different parts of the conversation and activity. Meeting participants often choose to stay in the same place for the whole meeting, so why not mix it up and encourage participants not only to sit in a different chair but also work in a different part of the room? In our meeting space we had a learning zone for books and resources, a thinking zone for quiet time, plus a kit zone for our pens and equipment.?

Tip: If you can, always book a room that is larger than what you need. It is tempting to select a room designed for your exact number of participants, which can often lead to meetings in tight, uncomfortable spaces.

Tables are, without doubt, very useful however they can present a barrier to productive, engaging conversation and collaboration in meetings. We removed all the tables, except one or two for the zones, and maximised the clear space between us. This made for a much more personal, open conversation. If you can move tables it is definitely worth it.

Tip: If tables can't be moved, treat them as massive notepads and cover them in paper. You could even zone a large table (such as a board table) for different groups to work on.

We wanted our meeting to have a fun and quirky vibe that would encourage creativity AND we wanted to avoid using boring (and often uncomfortable) meeting chairs. Instead bean bags, director's chairs and deck chairs made for a fun choice of seating positions, and the team swapped around during the course of the day. It does no harm to ask your meeting venue what seating choices are available. They may just have some interesting options tucked away.

Tip: Provide opportunities for participants to sit AND stand in the meeting. Poseur tables are good for standing and taking notes. Here's a different idea - what about an exercise bike for listening and exercising at the same time (assuming it is quiet)?

As you would expect for a team of illustrators we had plenty of space to experiment and draw, but your meeting participants don’t have to be a team of creatives to work this way. Consider using flip-charts, large boards and tables overlaid with paper as places where the team can express ideas and thinking. Provide paper/notepads to record thoughts if space is restricted.

Tip: Treat your meeting space as an environment for experimentation. What options to you have for making the best of the space you have?

It will be wonderful to hear your ideas on creating ace meeting spaces. You can also find tips on creating productive and engaging meeting spaces in my book 'Meet with Impact - 40 visual tools for productive meetings and engaging workshops', available from local booksellers and online.