Special interest groups

Groups that meet in a conference situation that are made up of individuals who have a specific interest or position, which may but probably will not have any direct connections with the flow and focus of the conference as a whole.[Advantages]

Conferences are rarely homogeneous. As part of the integrating process, special interest groups can be planned into the design of the conference and their deliberations included in the overall process. Special interest groups that meet after, or toward the end of a conference can include in their deliberations the input of the conference, as they relate to their specific situation.

[Disadvantages]

Where the special groups are not formalized the mechanism for integrating their input into the conference may be difficult. There is the danger of splinter groups emerging that schedule meetings that conflict with the other events in the programme. Allocating time for the groups to meet can disrupt the flow of the conference, and there will be some participants who are not part of any of the special groups. Different groups will need different amounts of time to complete their business. If they are not well integrated into the conference they can be distracting and disruptive.