Sudhindra Rao The venue and the setting in which the training is conducted forms a very important part of how the training is received. When selecting the venue ensure a few things beforehand:
- Venue is accessible - by suitable means of transportation - by walk would be the optimum
- Venue has ample space - to be rearranged and suited for all kinds of training sessions.[#seating]
- Venue has a high ceiling and is mostly soundproof - this ensures that there is enough air circulation and privacy when the training is in session.
- Consider custom lighting arrangement to be used during facilitation. Most of our sessions did run with full lighting as well as the projector running all the time. Activities during training do need sufficient lighting.
- Venue has the facility to provide for the meals for the day - coffee/breakfast, lunch, high tea - which is why hotels with restaurant service are preferable. This can help cater to trainees with special food requirements.
- Venue has ample electricity outlets to support the training crew as well as the trainees. We did carry some of our own extension cords to ensure availability of power near the trainee tables.
- Venue has decent internet connectivity - Now I have seen and heard about venues that mostly suck at providing decent internet connectivity for anything over 10 users. If that is the case with your venue arrange for some way to get to the internet. Most importantly arrange for some way of sharing the computers over a network - this helps in distributing material, assignments, solutions. We arranged for our own wireless router which allowed to share the internet as well as create a private network. Not to mention we did have plenty of USB keys available for quick transfer of large files.
- Ensure that the venue has a person to be the point of contact when the training is in session. This will help resolve last minute issues/hiccups. Treat this person with respect - when you do this you are sure to get better service.
- Have the venue arrange for a projector on site. Alternatively also carry your own projector in case the projector at the venue dies or you need to project multiple things at the same time.
- Transportation
- Space
- Food and drinks availability
- Electric outlets and Wireless Internet/Shared network
- Projectors