Structure-oriented participant type

Conference participants who feel that valuable work is done, when time, space and relationships are clearly structured. Prefers procedures and clear agendas. Mistrusts and is frustrated by unstructured, dis-ordered, and spontaneous forms of interchange. Tends to favour the standard structure of lecture presentation and small group-workshops.[Advantages]

Prepared to trust procedures structured by the organizers and to get on and work through them as productively as possible. This allow a greater focus on the aims of the conference and less distracting questioning of the structure itself. A useful balance to processists who are threatened by and question all structural guidelines.

[Disadvantages]

Unquestioning acceptance of the structures can lead to constraints on creativity and to a sterile conference. Unwillingness to be exposed to new and unexpected forms of inter-change reflects an unwillingness to risk unexpected directions of change.