Planning accessible Events

Considering the two-senses principle is the key to barrier-free communication. This principle ensures that your content is accessible to individuals with sensory impairments (sight, hearing, touch) via a secondary sense and that those with cognitive impairments or reading difficulties are provided with an alternative way of accessing the content.

The following approaches are specifically recommended for barrier-free communication:

• Video subtitles
• Haptic exhibits at live events
• Audio descriptions of visual imagery
• Explanation of complex content using easy-to-understand language
• Simultaneous translation e.g. into sign language, for expert language into easy/ simple language, into other languages (when translating into sign language, pay attention to country-specific differences and agree on a language to be translated into)

The event invitation should be designed with accessibility in mind:

• Sans serif and  large fonts
• High contrast in colors
• Digital invitations should be screen-reader compatible
• Printed invitations should contain braille

Leaving aside the technical and strategic focus of your online event- or company content, accessibility should be pivotal to your event’s marketing communications. Here it is important to clearly identify and communicate the various accessibility offerings available to participants, to ask them what their needs are and accompany those with special needs right up to your event.

When planning an accessible event, there are certain aspects that need to be considered to select a suitable venue. It is important to provide information on the accessibility of spaces and rooms within the venue as well as on general accessibility of the building. It is best to start by identifying which aids to barrier-free access are already available at the site. With this done, access can be improved using dedicated technology, structural alterations, and the right furnishings.

The following aspects should be considered to guarantee a barrier-free access to and within the venue:

Disabled access provided to all areas of the event? Such as:

• building entrances
• guest rooms
• stages
• passages for stand construction
• elevator access to different
• catering areas (including accessibility of catering services)
• networking facilities (table heights adapted to requirements?
• sanitary facilities

Has every obstacle been adapted to the needs of all participants through structural measures? These could include:

• ramps
• guidance systems
• height-adjustable tables
• mobile checkrooms
• mixed seating
• sufficient lighting
• information signs
• Is all information available for all? Such as:
• two senses signage
• information and communication aids (inductive hearing aids, audio description, etc.)
• screens

Needless to say, the basic prerequisite for equal participation is the ability of participants to travel to the event, regardless of any impairments or disabilities they may have. In general, good accessible public transport connections to the location should be available, as should enough disabled parking spaces. It is also important to seamlessly communicate the accessible offerings available at the venue and in the city itself. For events in and around Cologne, we recommend forwarding the information in the following brochures to participants:

• Information on barrier-free travel with Deutsche Bahn
• Routes without steps KVB
• Wheelmap – provided by the charity SOZIALHELDEN e.V. (in German)
• Mobility portal for disabled travels (in German)

In addition to supplying participants with travel information, it is important to tell people with impairments or disabilities about how to get to the venue from the parking lot or nearest public transport stop:

• Is a support service available?
• Have the participant’s needs been assessed so that support can be provided on a case-by-case basis?
• Are staff sensitized to possible needs?