How to Ensure Your Session Schedule & Content are Relevant and Appealing

It’s the topic on many Event Committees’ minds: How do we design an event schedule that is exciting to the attendees, gives tangible takeaways, allows time and space for networking and time and space to rest? How do we make sure that we make the most of the time we have with our stakeholders at the annual event?

Thankfully, we have many sources of information and inspiration to learn from! Industry powerhouses like BizBash, CVent and the Symbol Awards put together annual reports and make recommendations based on trends. Read on to learn the top event program design tips for 2026, including one sourced from Beth Lawrence herself!

Let Conversations Inform Your Content, and Let Content Inform Your Conversations

When designing an event, speakers aren’t your only thought leaders. All of your stakeholders are thought leaders! Where possible, use your content to drive conversations throughout the year. Lead, follow and participate in discussions online and in real life that center on their pain points. Learn what keeps them up at night, and what tactics they are using to get through their most pressing challenges. Be the solution, where you can. Reflect your audience’s point of view back to them. When you design your programming from a place of understanding and empathy, you can be sure that each session will be worthwhile.

In Summary:

• Lead and participate in industry conversations online

• Spotlight thought leaders within your community

• Design programming around what keeps your stakeholders up at night

Make Sure They Can’t Miss Your Can’t-Miss Content

As professional event attendees as well as organizers, a great piece of advice is to design your event program with the knowledge that all of your content should offer innovative perspectives, real-life connections and tactics that can be implemented right away. Avoid overly-sponsored content where possible, as human beings are used to being sold to. We want to feel connected at conferences, not only to one another but to what we are learning and who we are learning it from, and our walls tend to go up when we feel that someone is selling to, rather than sharing with, us.

Knowing that your content should all be can’t-miss, should make it more challenging to design events with overlapping sessions that cater to the same audience. Sure, there is some value in creating “Fear of Missing Out (FOMO),” but if your attendees are actually missing out, you should redesign your program.

In Summary:

• All of your content should be can’t-miss

• If you have multiple sessions at the same time, make sure the audiences don’t overlap

• Avoid overly-sponsored content

• Fewer demand for attention, eliminate decision fatigue

Exclusivity Is No Longer a ‘Bad’ Word

Intimate gatherings. Micro-events. Roundtables. Workshops. Whatever the title, smaller and more intentionally-exclusive events are going to stay a trend. If you can incorporate focused micro-sessions into your content (or even assign tables by industry, department or concentration at one of your workshops), it’s a great way to generate excitement and see which topics are the most popular at your quarterly meeting or annual conference.

Having a waitlist used to be a large source of stress for my Clients. When you think of your waitlist as a pipeline, this tactic can be used creatively throughout the schedule of your multi-day conference.

Not all of your convention or trade show’s can’t miss content happens on your schedule or even on your exhibit floor. In the last decade, micro-events have become an integral part of marketing and sales team’s pipeline generation activities at these large conferences. While in the past, larger conventions have tried to over-program the evening in order to provide value, I’ve seen great success with these larger conferences not only acknowledging, but partnering with and amplifying, smaller and more intimate events.

In Summary:

• Exclusivity and waitlists vs 'come one come all'

• Fewer demand for attention, eliminate decision fatigue

• The reality is, larger conferences and conventions will have their outlier events hosted by sponsors and partner organizations. Try to work with this reality rather than against it.

Human-Centered Design…

In the remote work era we live in, events should be designed around optimal work days. Daylight and views of the outdoors have shown to have a significant positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, which is why it’s no surprise that my Clients have increasingly requested meeting spaces that are non-traditional, with natural light and the option for an outdoor experience.

Neuroinclusive design should be a non-negotiable by now, but have we extended the same courtesy or looked at this topic through the lens of the staff behind the scenes as well as front of house? Working with your vendors to make sure staff are being scheduled fairly, have adequate breaks, nursing rooms, sensory accommodations and meals that are not an after-thought are some ways to widen the scope of inclusion in event programming. Schedule intentional breaks, not only from sessions, but time and space for attendees to catch up on emails or take a moment to rest.

In Summary:

• Design your events around an optimal day for your attendees, including natural light and time outdoors

• Neuroinclusive design should be a non-negotiable

• Ensure staff are also treated fairly and given similar considerations throughout the event

…In the Age of AI

AI is certainly going to be top of mind for planners, but definitely used more intentionally and tracked more closely. AI remains a top trend identified across reports (and industries) but with data center development top of mind, streamlining usage is going to be a necessary step forward for our industry.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for! Beth Lawrence’s mention in this year’s Symbol Awards report (Page 12!). The most innovative planners will utilize these tools to their fullest capabilities while keeping an eye on environmental impact, and keeping a human touch front and center.

When it comes to content, trust will be key. Attendees and all stakeholders need to remain informed on the use of AI in your content generation, planning process, and tracking experience. Security and transparency will be more important than ever.

In Summary:

• Use AI thoughtfully, but leave in the human touch

• Proving the value of AI throughout the life cycle of the event

• Your attendees need to trust that your content is real, be transparent about where AI is used

Sources: Bizbash | CVent | Symbol Awards