Sensory experiences are so innate that we usually fail to recognize their importance. Our memories of holidays are marked by familiar seasonal scents and sounds. We save tirelessly and travel long and far to vacation in the place where ambience, temperature, food, and accommodations perfectly combine to alter our state of mind to allow for mental decompression and relaxation. But when it comes to our most important decisions about business events, these same critical environmental factors are often perceived as less important or even frivolous aspects of a collaborative experience. However, a meeting experience curated with a sensory experience in mind is no less important to supporting productivity as the perfect beach is to providing relaxation.
Regardless of the location, the best conferences consider the distinct needs of participants, speakers, sponsors, staff, and the meeting planner while addressing how they can each be supported. But the majority of planners are still tasked with overcoming poorly designed spaces.