4. Design for serendipity
By providing a framework for the unexpected to occur, conferences offer an alternative to algorithmic recommendation engines and the mostly linear processes at work.
Bruno Giussani, the European director of TED and curator of TEDGlobal, believes that “People want to get exposed to things that don’t pop up in their daily work lives and find business opportunities through serendipitous encounters. So think expansively when programming and leave enough space for serendipity.”
Networking breaks are safe spaces for meeting “qualified” strangers. Where else do you have the permission to walk up to someone you’ve never met before and start a conversation without it being awkward?