Pedestrian Safety Roadshow: Logistics Requirements

The best layout for the room will be a semi-circle of small tables around the presenter and the screen. The slide projector will have to be positioned toward the rear of the room but must be accessible to the presenter through a remote control (unless someone else is available to run it). The diagram below shows the optimal room layout.

Small tables should have between 6-8 persons for best interaction. Smaller table size should be combined with other tables. You want a good mix of participants at each table - try not to have more than one job category at any table (e.g., police officers, engineers, planners, politicians, etc.).

If this arrangement is not possible, the room can be arranged in a horseshoe - but this arrangement is awkward for small group discussions and limits team building.

The Instructor will be responsible for arranging the equipment and presentation materials.

You will need to arrange for the following (check with the facilitator for quantities):

You will be responsible for setting the date and establishing the Agenda for the Road Show, in coordination with the Instructor. When setting the date, allow enough time to send out invitations and gather the needed local information. A minimum of four weeks lead time is recommended.

Once the date has been confirmed, you need to set the best time for the Road Show. There is approximately four hours of content in the Road Show. To this you need to add two ten-minute breaks. Therefore, you should plan on a 4½ hour block of time.

Although the Road Show could be offered at various times during a day, the following options are the preferred scheduling approaches.

8:00 AM to 12:30 PM	This approach allows for two breaks and finishing in time for lunch. Citizen participants do not have to take too much time off of work.
1:00 PM to 5:30 PM	It is harder to generate enthusiasm after lunch but this schedule still keeps the group together.
10:00 AM to 4:30 PM	Spanning lunch allows the opportunity for a walking tour, but ties up too much of the day for many participants. Some participants will not return after lunch.
5:30 PM to 10:00 PM	This schedule is possible. Although private citizens may be more able to attend theoretically, very few people are eager to give up their evenings. The quality of discussion can deteriorate significantly the later the session runs.

NOTE: There may be no "best time" - it all depends on the community. In the course of presenting Road Shows you will find that you have requests for sessions that can be on mornings, afternoons, and/or evenings. You, as a presenter, need to work with the community to ensure the right audience is invited and follow-up calls are made.

Depending on the final schedule you choose, you will need to arrange for some refreshments for the breaks. You should plan on having coffee and tea, at a minimum. Sodas and juice are recommended. If your session will be starting early in the morning, you might want to provide pastries. You should then inform the participants that a continental breakfast will be provided: this might increase your attendance.