By Mary Tucker | Senior Communications and Content Manager | IAEE

What makes an event truly memorable? Why do some experiences spark genuine connection while others leave attendees feeling overwhelmed or disengaged?

These questions are at the heart of the IAEE Master Series Certificate on Event Design for the Brain, a three-part webinar series led by Lisa Schulteis, international speaker and consultant on the neuroscience of engagement, trust, communication and experience design. Designed specifically for exhibition and event professionals, this series translates cutting-edge research on attention, memory, and social interaction into practical design strategies you can apply immediately.

Each 60-minute virtual session builds on the last, guiding you through the core elements that shape how people experience events. With built-in micro breaks, interactive moments and a downloadable workbook, the series doesn’t just teach effective design principles; it models them in real time.

We sat down with Lisa to dive deeper into what attendees can expect from each session and why these principles matter now more than ever.

Session 1: Designing for Attention (9 April)

You teach that attention is “limited and easily disrupted” in modern event environments. What’s the biggest mistake you see exhibition organizers making when it comes to managing attendee attention?

Lisa: The biggest mistake is designing as if attention were unlimited.

We schedule back-to-back meetings, fill show floors with competing stimuli and then feel surprised or frustrated when people start looking at their phones.

The brain can only hold a small amount of information in working memory at one time. Focus naturally fades without a reset. In loud, visually dense environments like exhibitions, that drop-off happens even faster. When we do not give attendees any white space or guided breaks to recover, we create cognitive overload. People are physically present, but their mental bandwidth is already full, so very little of the “must-know” content actually sticks.

Many organizers assume that keeping people engaged means adding more – more content, more activities, more stimulation. How do you help them shift from that “more is better” mindset to designing for sustained attention instead?

Lisa: I usually start with a simple question: Why?

Why are we adding this?

Are we adding another session, activation or notification because it truly serves the attendee’s brain, or because it makes us feel like we are delivering more value? Is it there to create meaningful impact, fulfill a sponsor agreement or simply because it is the next shiny tool?

When organizers, suppliers and venues look at the full experience through that lens, they quickly see how many elements are diluting attention instead of deepening it.

From there, the conversation shifts from “How much can we fit in?” to “What should we fit in?”

What do we want people to remember and act on two weeks after the experience, whether that experience is a trade show, a FAM trip, a venue tour or something entirely different?

Once that outcome is clear, simplification becomes easier for everyone involved. We shorten content blocks, design spaces that support focus, build in intentional pauses, and create a few strong focal moments instead of a constant stream of stimulation.

Session 2: Designing for Memory (16 April)

You make an important distinction between engagement and long-term memory. Can you give us an example of a common event element that creates high engagement in the moment but fails to support lasting recall?

Lisa: Engagement and long-term memory are connected, yet they serve different purposes.

Engagement is the excitement, the interaction, the feeling that something is happening in the moment.

Memory is what people can still recall, repeat and act on days or weeks later.

A common example on the trade show floor is a booth activation that is designed purely to pull people in. There might be a very cool game, photo moment or custom giveaway that creates a line and lots of buzz. But if the activity is not meaningfully connected to what the company does or why anyone should care, attendees remember the activation and forget the exhibitor. They walk away with a fun object or a great picture, yet cannot tell you who hosted it or why they should follow up.

You will be talking about “memory anchors.” What does that look like in practice and how can organizers build these into their programs without overwhelming attendees with repetition?

Lisa: Memory anchors are deliberate cues.

They are moments, phrases, visuals or interactions that you connect to your most important messages, so the brain recognizes them as “save this” moments.

In practice, strong anchors usually show up in three simple ways.

First, what people see. This might be a consistent visual tied to a key idea or a recognizable moment on stage that signals importance.

Second, what people hear and feel. That could be a story you return to throughout the day or a speaker intentionally slowing their tone and pacing, so an insight lands differently than the rest of the content.

Third, what people do. When we give the brain time to rest and reset, we also need to give it time to process. Even a short reflective prompt right after a session, such as “What is one thing you heard that you want to implement?” can become a powerful anchor. Reinforcement can also appear inside the event app or during a short micro-break exercise.

This is not about saying the same thing ten times. It is about reinforcing meaning in varied, intentional contexts so the brain has multiple paths to retrieve the idea later. When that happens, memory becomes stronger without feeling repetitive.

Session 3: Designing for Connection (23 April)

Trust and belonging aren’t words we typically associate with event logistics, yet you emphasize how design choices directly influence these feelings. What is one overlooked design element that significantly impacts whether attendees feel comfortable participating?

Lisa: One of the most overlooked moments is the first few minutes of the experience.

As an extroverted introvert, psychological safety matters deeply to me. I need to feel genuinely welcome before I am willing to fully participate. The way people are greeted, how they enter the room, find a seat and make their first connection all send a powerful signal to the brain:

Is this a place where I belong?

Small design choices shape that answer more than we realize.

A host noticing someone standing alone and making an introduction can instantly shift the experience from isolation to connection. Clear signage, warm welcomes, intentional seating and low-pressure ways to interact all communicate safety and invite participation.

When the start of an experience feels confusing or high pressure, people often withdraw quietly and may never fully re-engage.

When it feels safe and welcoming, trust forms quickly and meaningful connection becomes possible.

Different people engage in different ways – some are comfortable jumping into group discussions, while others prefer to observe first. How can organizers create experiences that honor these different engagement styles while still fostering meaningful connection?

Lisa: The key is designing for choice instead of assuming there is only one right way to participate.

Not everyone wants to speak in front of a room right away. Some people need a moment to think. Others feel more comfortable starting in a pair or small group before sharing more broadly. Some people participate most fully by listening, observing and processing before they decide to speak.

When we design experiences that allow for all of those entry points, more people start to participate.

That might look like quiet reflection before discussion, small group conversation before opening to the room, or tools that let attendees submit questions from their devices. At one event I attend, Q and A happens both with a passed microphone and through a QR code that sends questions to the screen. That option allows someone to ask a thoughtful question while remaining anonymous if they choose, which can significantly lower the social risk of participating.

When social risk goes down, participation goes up. And when more people feel safe enough to participate, the overall sense of connection and belonging grows for everyone in the room.

Click here to register for the IAEE Master Series Certificate: Event Design for the Brain and learn more about upcoming IAEE webinars here.

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