An experiment in meeting room layout will take place at the European Meetings and Events Conference (EMEC) in Budapest, Hungary next week.

Delegates at the event, organised by Meeting Professionals International (MPI), will be able to take part in the trial examining the impact of physical positions on groups of participants.

Working in small groups, the delegates will be asked to tear up the rule book and design what they think is the best possible format, lay-out and seating for a meeting. A role play actor will be the live guinea-pig for the formats designed by participants. Each design will receive feedback from the role play actor and from the session’s presenter, Mike van der Vijver of MindMeeting. 

The room-layout session is one of a number of 'hands-on' experiences promised in the Meeting Design Area at the Novotel Budapest Congress from 29-31 January.

MPI president and CEO Bruce MacMillan, said: “We are committed to demonstrating innovation to attendees because the business challenges facing meeting professionals are unprecedented.”

Registration is open. More information is available at www.mpiweb.org/EMEC.