56. People are Affected by the Arrangement of Furniture

Furniture arrangement is not just important so that people can see you as the presenter. The arrangement of the furniture can affect unconscious expectations about the interactions between you and the participants, as well as about interactions between participants.

Is Your Furniture Conducive to Collaboration?

Some furniture and furniture layouts make it easier to interact and do activities. When participants walk into a room and find a seat at a table with five other chairs—and there are four other tables like that—it sends a message that the session might be interactive. They will be more likely to talk to others around them before the presentation starts. They will have a different experience than coming in to a room with chairs that are all facing the front. People will engage more with people they are facing than with people they are sitting next to.

If you have group activities, then you will need to be able to move around the room to see how the groups are doing and if they have any questions. Make sure the room layout allows you access to the different groups while they are working.