Conference tensions

Any conference operates within a set of polar tensions of which five seem important in the design of the event: amount of structure, diversity of participants, open endedness of product, focus of topic and style of decision making. The amount of structure has ranges from no structure like a sensitivity training group to extremely structured, like a liturgy or drama. The diversity of participants ranges from a homogeneous group to extreme disparity. The open endedness of the product runs from predetermined results to results being designed by the participants in the process of the conference. The topic may be as focused as a single, narrow, concrete subject or as broad as dealing with any concern the participants may wish to discuss. The style of decision making runs from consensus to confrontation. Most conferences operate toward the middle of these tensions. Organizers of any event need to decide what the emphasis is within these polarities.

The tensions and aims of a conference have to be taken into consideration by the organizers as the design is developed. A conference is not so much an isolated event as an unfolding process of development which effectively runs for several months or even years. The focal point of the process is the meeting itself, or perhaps a series of related meetings. In some cases, however, other points along the journey, like rulings on conference participation or the local followup events, can be more important. Above all, the image of conferencing as a process of gradually developing an event, allows the necessary reflection and adaptation.