Conference impact

There are three levels of impact on the participants in a conference. The first is the immediate impact. The participants during and immediately following the event say that they have had a good time: "It was a significant event". This is largely due to the style of the facilitators of the event; they are friendly, open, engaging, funny, etc. They convey a sense of listening and they elicit participation.The third level is the long term impact of the occasion on the participants. The life and thinking of participants has been altered for one to five years after the event. Such an impact is largely a function of the structure of the event. The sequence in which material was presented, the design of the daily activities and the use of space potentially modify the perception and response of participants. The structure of the conference consistent with the experience the organizers intended and consistent with the experience of the issues being dealt with.

Naturally a "good" conference has short, medium and long term impact on participants and organizers alike.