GUIDELINES FOR
LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

This committee should be responsible for all the local arrangements, maintaining clear communication with the ISCoS through its Secretariat. A clear management structure is essential, with preferably, a single department responsible for the secretarial aspect. If a professional Conference Organizer is employed it must be kept very clear who is responsible for what.

Local committees should meet at regular intervals and should live in the same geographical area, so those meetings are not impeded. Do not give too many responsibilities to one person; they should be divided between people with experience in organization. Each of the following areas has to be taken care of:

1. Venue of the meeting
2. Scientific Programme
3. Accommodation
4. Transport
5. Finance
6. Social Programme

1. VENUE OF THE MEETING

This can be either in:

• A hotel well situated in the centre of a town, not on the outskirts. This has advantages for the evening and for accompanying persons, who will do some sightseeing, shopping, etc. Not all hotels have adequate convention facilities, however.
• A conference centre.
• A university. This offers the advantages of:
  • Cheaper accommodation
  • Facilities of general meeting places, main meeting hall (AGM, presentations of scientific papers), small meeting rooms (Committee and Council Meetings, etc)
  • Inexpensive dining rooms (catering facilities may be available).

In either case the accommodation should be as near the meeting as possible.
All meeting venues and accommodation must be checked for accessibility to wheelchairs (including transport and lifts).

FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED FOR THE MEETING:

At the entrance of the meeting area display a large map. Using colour-coding show the number of the rooms used for the meetings.

Signposting, preferably colour coded must be clearly visible. There should be signs at strategic points indicating the direction of the main meeting room, the exhibition hall, the poster hall, the toilets including toilets "accessible" to wheelchairs.

A) REGISTRATION DESK

• The organization of the Registration Desk is very important especially when there is a large audience.
• The desk should be clearly signposted and very accessible.
• The desk should be manned at all times by at least one person, except on the afternoon before the Meeting starts and on the first day and then several people should man the desk.
• It is advisable for registration procedures to take place early or to distribute registration documents to the delegates' hotels in advance.
• It may be useful to have several areas e.g. for names beginning with different letters of the alphabet and for those who have not paid in advance, although payment in advance should be encouraged.
• Day registration should be considered by the Society, especially for other specialities, medical students or paramedical professionals, etc.
• Payment of registration by credit cards should be possible.
• Change should be available in local currency.
• A photocopying service should be available, if possible in the neighbourhood of the Registration Desk. Decide how the copies should be paid for (in local currency – credit card).
• Meeting evaluation sheets need a special signposted place for collection by a particular person. A table nearby will be necessary for people to complete the forms. Suitable boxes for posting evaluation sheets must be provided.

a) Registration Documents:

These should be handed over to the delegates on arrival in the delegate pack, as soon as registration has taken place. They should include:

• Book of abstracts
• Programme
• Name badge with lanyard
• Tickets for meals and social events if necessary
• A large-scale map of the actual location. If there is a special entrance for disabled people this must be well indicated as well as the parking facilities
• Information about restaurants and tourism
• Evaluation Form, which, when completed at the end of the meeting, can be exchanged for a Certificate of Attendance
• List of participants

b) Name Badges:

Characters on the name badge should be clearly visible. Include name, profession and country. Check spelling. The name badges should preferably be on lanyards (font size Arial not less than 26). Clips and safety pins do not work on all types of clothing.

B) ISCoS DESK

• The desk should be clearly signposted and very accessible
• To be provided close to the registration area or another convenient place so that members can contact ISCoS representatives for information and questions.
• There must be a computer, printer, paper and electric power for ISCoS’s own material.

C) MAIN MEETING HALL

• This should be large enough to seat all participants, comfortably.
• There should be entrances at the back to minimise the disturbance of people entering and leaving.
• Accessibility must be provided for people in wheelchairs in the audience and on the platform for speakers in wheelchairs.
• The speakers' platform should be able to accommodate 6 people for round-table discussions. If a platform is not available, tables should be available for the Chair and the speaker. They must be able to see the screen easily.
• From the lectern the speaker should have a good view of the screen while speaking. A visible timer should be installed so that the speaker can keep control of the time.
• If there is a display of names of speakers on the platform, these names should be visible from the back of the meeting room (characters should be at least 10-15 cm high, black on white backing; check spelling)
• Several signs to indicate that smoking is forbidden must be visible from all parts of the audience. A glass and water should be available to the speakers on the platform and changed as necessary.

D) AUDIO-VISUAL REQUIREMENTS

• The person in charge of the projection should wear a special badge or should be in another way easy recognisable
• The dimming of the lights in the Meeting Hall should be performed by the projectionist; some light is useful for taking notes even when presentations are being shown. The speaker's lectern light must be able to be dimmed.
• During the breaks, the speaker(s) of the following session should be briefed on all the audio-visual controls. This should be the responsibility of the Chair of the Session.

a) Computer Presentations

• The equipment available should be announced beforehand to all speakers.
• A projectionist should be available to help the presenters and the equipment should be checked beforehand.
• Make sure that all the necessary programmes are available. It should also be mentioned when people can come with their own laptop.
• It should be announced if the presentation is to be forwarded in electronic version to the organizers beforehand. This will enable the organizers to cue up all presentations in order on a centralized projection system.
• If it is not possible to send the presentation electronically beforehand, there needs to be adequate time prior to each block of sessions for speakers to get their presentations loaded, etc. This should be done under the guidance of the local AV personnel
• The presentation should be ready for the projectionist at least two hours before the session for the presentation, preferably by transferring the data from CD discs or memory sticks to the organizers computer. In sessions with more presentations it should not be allowed to present from the presenters own laptop computer as this takes unnecessary time.
• Presentation DVD and other videos should be possible.

b) Overhead projector and transparencies

• bTransparencies should be ready well before the session when they are to be shown.
• The equipment availble should be checked beforehand

c) Microphones

Microphones are often a nuisance and therefore must be strategically placed and their efficiency checked and rechecked.

• Speaker: A portable microphone must be available.
• Audience: Four to six microphones may be needed for questions. There are several options:
  • Fixed microphones on stands, clearly visible, with obvious on/off switches.
  • Portable microphones that can be passed around, together with staff to co-ordinate them.
• It is essential that speakers should be advised as how to use the microphones, especially those that are portable, and to speak from the correct distance from mouth to microphone. The best way is to distribute all the instructions to all the speakers well beforehand.
• Control of the speaker's microphone remains the privilege of the Chair who should be able to warn the speaker 2 minutes before the time allowed is over and eventually to cut off the microphone when the presentation continues beyond the scheduled time. Visible lamps or an audible symbol (preferably amusing) can also be used to warn the speaker.

d) Laser points

• A good laser pointer must be available for the presenter.

E) MEETING ROOMS

• At least four will be needed the day before the Conference for the Council Meeting and the Society Committee Meetings (Editorial Board, Education, and Prevention) and two days before the Conference for the Executive, Nomination and Scientific Committees.
• Photocopying facilities should be available.
• A presentation preparation room is needed for speakers to check their presentation on computer or projection of their slides. This room must be supervised by the audio-visual staff.
• A room should be available for the ISCoS office during the meeting.
• In addition a meeting room for 10 persons for other meetings to be held by ISCoS Committees and working groups should be available from day -1 and all through the duration of the congress.

F) POSTERS

• These need careful organisation to prevent them becoming "second class citizens". Do not merely accept poor abstracts as posters. Posters can have equal importance as oral presentations.
• A person responsible for the poster sessions must be named and be available for the authors.
• Inform authors by mail 5 months before the conference on what (maximum) size posters should be and when they are to be erected and taken down. Boards and fixing facilities must be ready at the scheduled times.
• Provide specific instructions regarding the type of poster display board that is available – and indicate to presenters that they need to bring their own push pins or other materials to mount their posters.
• Posters should be as close as possible to the Main Meeting Hall and to the space where people gather after sessions for refreshments. They must be clearly signposted. Posters should be placed in groups or sessions (by subject), and identified by numbers on the boards and in the book of abstracts.
• Provide specific viewing times and ask authors to remain next to posters during these times so that they can provide explanations if required.
• More general session(s) for discussion of posters will or will not be organized. Discussion is best combined with the viewing times, so that those who are specifically interested in a poster can take part in small group discussions.
• Adequate floor space must be allocated to each poster including space for circulation. If space is restricted, posters may be displayed for a limited time and then replaced by another group of posters, provided scientific viewing and discussion time is allowed for each group.
• Poster sessions are not commercial exhibits. If the authors are receiving any sponsorship from a company manufacturing a product mentioned in a presentation this must be clearly disclosed on the poster.
• The Society awards a prize for the best poster in each main topic of the meeting. The five posters in each main topic presented with the best abstracts according to the Scientific Program Committee (SPC), will have their poster presentations evaluated by the SPC and the best one in each main topic will be awarded the prize.

G) SPINAL CORD STAND

If requested the journal Spinal Cord can be presented in a location free of charge. If the publishers want to put other journals on display, an agreement as for commercial exhibit should be made.

H) COMMERCIAL EXHIBITION

• The commercial exhibition brings funds to the meeting budget. The main pharmaceutical or potential exhibitors should be advised well in advance and in some countries two years ahead; the local representatives must be contacted at least one year before.
• Mail the companies that have participated in previous years (addresses should be available from ISCoS Secretariat) giving details of scientific programme and type of audience.
• List of other firms likely to be interested can be obtained locally and personal contacts are often most productive.

Advise companies on:

• requirement for registration
• charge (per site, per sq. metre)
• facilities (electricity, tables)
• any limitations ( on projection, sound)
• times for assembly and dismantling
• access for delivery of exhibits
  
• Locate the Commercial Exhibition close to refreshment areas or organize breaks in the area.
• Ensure adequate opportunities for delegates to visit the exhibition.
• Allow time before and after the meeting for assembly and dismantling of exhibits. Plenty of electrical sockets will be needed.

Other Exhibitors

Consider:

• a reduced fee to research groups producing rehabilitation engineering and technical aids
• a reduced fee for national organizations of disabled people.

I) REFRESHMENTS

• Beverages must be readily available immediately as break starts.
• An audible signal should be heard 5 minutes before the end of the breaks. This signal should be audible not only in the coffee or tea hall but all over the main building, including the commercial exhibition, poster session rooms, toilets, etc.
• The poster room and the commercial exhibition must be close enough for people to visit during breaks. Coffee breaks can be organized in the exhibition area`

J) TOILETS

These should be near the Main Meeting Hall and one or two should be wheelchair-accessible. It is better to have them tested by a wheelchair person beforehand. A wheelchair person's experience is better than a professional, even if the professional thinks he or she knows. The wash-hand basin should also be easily reached by the wheelchair person. The doors of these toilets must bear a sign (the access symbol) indicating that it is accessible.

K) MESSAGE BOARD

Must be available either as pin board or electronically for messages from the organization or from the participants.