the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
| 20 Dec 2023
Planning virtual and hybrid events: steps to improve inclusion and accessibility
Abstract. The past decade has seen a global transformation in how we communicate and connect with one another, making it easier to network and collaborate with colleagues worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid and unplanned shift toward virtual platforms, resulting in several accessibility challenges that have excluded many people during virtual events. Virtual and hybrid conferences have the potential to present opportunities and collaborations to groups previously excluded from purely in-person conference formats. This can only be achieved through thoughtful and careful planning with inclusion and accessibility in mind, learning lessons from previous events’ successes and failures. Without effective planning, virtual and hybrid events will replicate many biases and exclusions inherent to in-person events. This article provides guidance on best practices for making online/virtual and hybrid events more accessible based on the combined experiences of diverse groups and individuals who have planned and run such events.
Our suggestions focus on the accessibility considerations of three event planning stages: 1) Pre-event planning, 2) on the day/during the event, and 3) after the event. Ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in designing and running virtual events can help everyone engage more meaningfully, resulting in more impactful discussions that will more fully include contributions from the many groups with limited access to in-person events. However, while this article is intended to act as a starting place for inclusion and accessibility in online and hybrid event planning, it is not a fully comprehensive guide. As more events are run, it is expected that new insights and experiences will be gained, helping to continually update standards.
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Status: open (until 11 May 2024)
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RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2939', Christopher Atchison, 12 Feb 2024
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Overview:
This paper presents foundational information any conference organizer should consider when planning for virtual or hybrid convenings. The focus on access for those with disabilities should also highlight that these planning considerations will eventually benefit everyone, across every demographic, at some point in time, who wish to remain active in their respective discipline the older they get. Specific comments follow:
Is there a way to contribute to this discussion? As new things are learned?
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Introduction: Why is this being written to focus on the deficit of the geosciences being of the least diverse of all science fields? We know this as it is written in nearly every paper that focuses on DEIA. This paper goes beyond and highlights the opportunities and benefits of planning for access and inclusion. Therefore, this opening introduction starts the reader in a negative frame of mind. How can this be rewritten to focus on the assets of inclusion rather the deficits of a lack of diversity?
Line 50: Why is the “Global North” a focus here? Does this not impact people in the Global South?
Line 72: Returning to in-person events does negatively impact those who are ‘historically marginalized’, but so many others as well for reasons presented in this paper.
Line 76-79: challenges of virtual alternatives: please provide citations as evidence here.
Line 97: Review of Previous Literature: Why was the focus only since 2020, yet Figure 1 shows data previous to 2020. What was known prior to the pandemic?
Line 131-132: Figure 2: ‘lack of correlation between the wo data sets’ is untrue, there are at least 10 correlations in the distinctive dips between the two data sets. This should be explained. Also, there was a significant uptick in virtual meetings BEFORE the pandemic shut things down. Why? Is there a mistake in the X-axis dates?
Line 162: Why is compatibility of conference apps only important for phones? Many others use tablets. Also, screen readers should be taken into consideration here.
Line 169: Virtual poster sessions have been difficult to design with limited success? Be sure to check out the American Geophysical Union Virtual Poster Showcase was an excellent example for how this can be done, and it was done well before the pandemic. https://www.agu.org/honors/virtual-poster
Line 182-183: Virtual options do not reduce financial barriers to attendance. Virtual options are expensive and most often this expense gets passed down to attendees through registration. Be sure to differentiate between fully online and hybrid here. It is true that fully online conferences may be less expensive (line 185), but this potentially presents a misconception by stating all virtual options are more accessible due to the reduced financial cost.
Page 8 paragraphs do not flow well. Paragraph on line 207 seems like an extension of paragraph following line 194.
Line 226: closed captioning for virtual events are rarely mentioned, this is really the same for in-person conferences.
Line 256: ‘…suggest themselves as volunteers’ – we should tread cautiously here. Volunteers, especially those from underrepresented groups, are commonly exploited for their time. Is there a way to amplify their voices in the design and development of a hybrid event, and offer some compensation (e.g. conference discount or full registration) for their time without requiring them to volunteer. Also, avoid potential tokenism here (explained line 271)! Many people get asked to volunteer or to speak as a ‘representative’ of an underrepresented group. We all need to do better to avoid this situation.
Line 264: ‘…because people engage in different ways.’ - examples?
Line 267: ‘diversity of conversations’ or rather “broad perspectives and worldviews”
Line 269: ‘…give people the opportunity…’ or rather “encourage people to integrate discussions about their research and DEIA at the same time.
Line 284: Adding in “neurodiversity” in this line seems very deficit-minded. There are other reasons to have pre-event meetings, not just for people with disabilities.
Line 297: Recording of the event shared after… how about offering a platform for continued, asynchronous discussion that is inclusive of those who could not attend in real-time?
Line 302: This budget section could use further development. Many conferences, AGU and GSA included, are considering or have already eliminated virtual/hybrid options due to cost. What can be offered in this section to suggest alternative supports to this while maintaining the benefit of so many who cannot/will not attend in-person?
Line 320: Talks on demand: pre-watch and view with questions; asynchronous community discussion.
Line 336: uploading videos after, while it may be accessible, and less expensive than real-time video, is not inclusive and community-focused.
Line 338: Consider screen-readability as well.
Line 361: This would be a great section to offer, or point to, presenter guidelines for creating and giving an accessible/inclusive presentation. Consider this resource (perhaps throughout this manuscript) by Dr. Gabi Serrato Marks: https://blog.ucsusa.org/science-blogger/how-to-make-professional-conferences-more-accessible-for-disabled-people-guidance-from-actual-disabled-scientists/
Line 370: Explain how captioning can minimize screen fatigue in virtual events. Captioning done poorly can enhance screen fatigue. Also in this section, recommend CART services for real-time captioning [https://www.nad.org/resources/technology/captioning-for-access/communication-access-realtime-translation/ ], and stress that everyone must use a microphone for both in-audience participants, as well as anyone attending online. Virtual formats do not pick up all questions/discussions, and transcription certainly won’t pick up on what is being communicated if it is not amplified.
Line 405: There are several resources that mention Color vision deficiency. Please cite some of them here. Example: https://rock.geosociety.org/net/gsatoday/groundwork/G322GW/article.htm
Line 420: PLEASE mention that these spaces must be separate. Quiet spaces are not meant to be shared with people on a conference call or breast-feeding/pumping. These all require their own space. There have been conferences that combined these spaces… serious fail!
Line 439: Don’t forget the importance of using microphones throughout the session room.
Line 442: Virtual attendance still requires childcare and balancing other work. This is not just unique to live/in-person talks.
Line 450: Excessive preparation happens when people are giving a live presentation, also.
Line 467: Video captioning on recordings: Provide presenter guidelines for how to do this in multiple platforms. OR, require everyone to create recorded presentations in Google Slides with the auto captioning on.
Line 474: Do panel sessions need to be live? If we’re creative, recordings of presentations can be combined together along with pre-determined questions and asynchronous follow-up discussions by all panelists.
Line 482: Code of Conduct, how will violations be submitted, recorded, and addressed?
Line 488: Where will attendees/presenters go to get assistance when needed?
Line 505: Volunteers and staff, how will daily communication and urgent updates be handled?
Line 510: Questions from the audience: Be sure everyone uses a microphone, at all times, no exceptions! Just because you talk loudly, doesn’t mean people can hear you. Some people have assistive technology that uses the same frequencies as the microphone. This is incredibly necessary for both online and in-person. (Restating this in ‘Event Etiquette”, line 530, might be a good idea. You can never say it too much).
Line 550/555: FEEDBACK should not just be something people provide after an event. There should be countless opportunities for people to give feedback prior to (registration process, attendance planning, etc.) and during the event. Have QR codes posted everywhere where people can open up an online feedback form. Have an information desk and an online help desk open at all times for real-time communication of issues and concerns.
Line 579: ‘…and inclusion they have provided.” Who/what is “they” – virtual opportunities?
Line 591: ‘…may exclude some participants.” MOST participants, actually.
Line 595: planning must include authentic voices of the participants that will be most impacted by the decisions being made. Suggested reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10899995.2020.1768017
Line 598: Yes, ask about virtual access needs before the event, but also have a way of contacting should real-time requests/issues/concerns arise during the event.
Line 607: Accessible and open communication is key, before, during, and after the event. Provide opportunities for people to offer and receive information about every aspect of the event.
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CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2939', Martín Griffin, 25 Feb 2024
reply
Planning virtual and hybrid events: steps to improve inclusion and accessibility
Line #
Comments
332 - CHANGE: such as Zoom, TO such as Zoom, and Microsoft Teams
338 - ADD: reliable captions
339 - ADD: When choosing a platform or technology provider, ensure that they support your necessary requirements to deliver your conference’s goals and vision. Prepare a set of questions, no matter how many, and inquire till you are re satisfied on the service provided. A few standard details you can ask your potential virtual events provider include
The type of sessions you’re looking for
The learning curve required for adapting to the event tech
Reporting metrics that will be available during/at the end of the event
Design options for the virtual environment, booths, and landing pages
The engagement and networking tools
Any third-party plugins or other affiliations
The extent of customer support in your time zone
What accessibility features are available344 - ADD: It’s time to make use of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and any other platforms that you see your potential audience engaging with, to market your event and increase registrations.
346 - ADD: Social media platforms can be
347 - ADD: Consider targeted email campaigns
349 - ADD REFERENCE: Ensure the use of alternative (alt) text1 (Chiarella, D., Yarbrough, J., & Jackson, C. A. L. (2020). Using alt text to make science Twitter more accessible for people with visual impairments. Nature communications, 11(1), 5803.)354 - ADD: with other stakeholder groups
477 - ADD: Presenters may not be able to attend and thereby may not be avle to attend a Question and Answer / panel session.
485 - ADD: Across most social media platforms, a raised hand usually indicates asking a question.
504 - ADD:DEI Announcement
It is advised that organisers should have a clear equity and diversity statement visible for their conference or event. This should be displayed prominently on promotional materials and can also be used as a holding slide of the event. Organisers could develop an event specific version or adopt the Science Council Declaration on Diversity and Inclusion. Encourage the opening speaker to mention it.
509 - ADD:
Consider Innovative Networking Features:
Attendees and exhibitors usually will not attend a virtual event if it means they lose out on engagement and networking opportunities with each other. Therefore, the success of any virtual event is majorly dependent on its engagement rates. There are a bunch of different novel chat & networking features that you can add to your virtual event to make it a more immersive and valuable experience. These features include: 1:1 & Group Chats, Spatial Connect, Roundtables, Smart Matchmaking.Gamify Your Event Boring and monotonous virtual events are a thing of the past. If you do not want to lose audience engagement, you will have to think out of the box. Grab audience attention till the end by perhaps gamifying your event through fun games and activities like scavenger hunts, leaderboards, trivia, and photobooths.
514 - ADD: It is recommend that the use of raining the “raised hand” feature or emoji reaction not to used to avoid unnecessary disruption of the presenter. Questions should supplied within the chat function of the platform or after the presentation has concluded and not to speak until called on by the organizer/chair.
519- ADD: gender specific terms for example “Welcome guys!”
528 - ADD: In addition, certain conditions, such as some people with autism may request not to be on camera. Request participants not to have ‘moving’ backgrounds.
529 - ADD: Data and analytics: Wherever possible make use of the platform’s data and analytics tools to measure the virtual conference success. Virtual events may determine success differently than in-person ones but reviewing wins and misses after the event is still important. Session attendance, attendee engagement, and leads gathered will always be key factors to analyse. Other aspects to look at include time in session, engagement with the session, tech success, and survey results during and after the event.
550 - ADD: Feedback of participants provides participants with the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences on both the positives and negatives. Doing this can provide invaluable information on how to build on and plan more successful events in the future.553 ADD: survey./ polls.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2939-CC1 -
CC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2939', Martín Griffin, 25 Feb 2024
reply
Planning virtual and hybrid events: steps to improve inclusion and accessibility
Line #
Comments
332 - CHANGE: such as Zoom, TO such as Zoom, and Microsoft Teams
338 - ADD: reliable captions
339 - ADD: When choosing a platform or technology provider, ensure that they support your necessary requirements to deliver your conference’s goals and vision. Prepare a set of questions, no matter how many, and inquire till you are re satisfied on the service provided. A few standard details you can ask your potential virtual events provider include
The type of sessions you’re looking for
The learning curve required for adapting to the event tech
Reporting metrics that will be available during/at the end of the event
Design options for the virtual environment, booths, and landing pages
The engagement and networking tools
Any third-party plugins or other affiliations
The extent of customer support in your time zone
What accessibility features are available344 - ADD: It’s time to make use of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and any other platforms that you see your potential audience engaging with, to market your event and increase registrations.
346 - ADD: Social media platforms can be
347 - ADD: Consider targeted email campaigns
349 - ADD REFERENCE: Ensure the use of alternative (alt) text1 (Chiarella, D., Yarbrough, J., & Jackson, C. A. L. (2020). Using alt text to make science Twitter more accessible for people with visual impairments. Nature communications, 11(1), 5803.)354 - ADD: with other stakeholder groups
477 - ADD: Presenters may not be able to attend and thereby may not be avle to attend a Question and Answer / panel session.
485 - ADD: Across most social media platforms, a raised hand usually indicates asking a question.
504 - ADD:DEI Announcement
It is advised that organisers should have a clear equity and diversity statement visible for their conference or event. This should be displayed prominently on promotional materials and can also be used as a holding slide of the event. Organisers could develop an event specific version or adopt the Science Council Declaration on Diversity and Inclusion. Encourage the opening speaker to mention it.
509 - ADD:
Consider Innovative Networking Features:
Attendees and exhibitors usually will not attend a virtual event if it means they lose out on engagement and networking opportunities with each other. Therefore, the success of any virtual event is majorly dependent on its engagement rates. There are a bunch of different novel chat & networking features that you can add to your virtual event to make it a more immersive and valuable experience. These features include: 1:1 & Group Chats, Spatial Connect, Roundtables, Smart Matchmaking.Gamify Your Event Boring and monotonous virtual events are a thing of the past. If you do not want to lose audience engagement, you will have to think out of the box. Grab audience attention till the end by perhaps gamifying your event through fun games and activities like scavenger hunts, leaderboards, trivia, and photobooths.
514 - ADD: It is recommend that the use of raining the “raised hand” feature or emoji reaction not to used to avoid unnecessary disruption of the presenter. Questions should supplied within the chat function of the platform or after the presentation has concluded and not to speak until called on by the organizer/chair.
519- ADD: gender specific terms for example “Welcome guys!”
528 - ADD: In addition, certain conditions, such as some people with autism may request not to be on camera. Request participants not to have ‘moving’ backgrounds.
529 - ADD: Data and analytics: Wherever possible make use of the platform’s data and analytics tools to measure the virtual conference success. Virtual events may determine success differently than in-person ones but reviewing wins and misses after the event is still important. Session attendance, attendee engagement, and leads gathered will always be key factors to analyse. Other aspects to look at include time in session, engagement with the session, tech success, and survey results during and after the event.
550 - ADD: Feedback of participants provides participants with the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences on both the positives and negatives. Doing this can provide invaluable information on how to build on and plan more successful events in the future.553 ADD: survey./ polls.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2939-CC2
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