If you’ve ever attended a conference, you’ve probably experienced the swirl of navigating sessions and networking with new people. Between rushing to workshops, meeting new people, and juggling multiple conversations, it’s easy for things to get chaotic and lead to misunderstandings and conflicts among attendees. This is where a conference ombuds can help.
What is a Conference Ombuds?
A conference ombuds is an impartial, independent, informal, and confidential person who helps conference participants manage, address, and surface concerns at conferences and events. The ombuds is an impartial third party, allowing all participants—attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and organizers—to have a positive, fair, and productive experience.
Why Do Conferences Need an Ombuds?
Conferences involve hundreds or thousands of people with varying expectations, interests, and backgrounds. Despite best efforts in planning, issues can still arise—whether it’s a scheduling conflict, misunderstandings, inappropriate behavior, or just the stress of managing many moving parts.
Conference ombuds are the “go-to” person for addressing these concerns and ensuring the environment remains welcoming and professional for everyone involved. They also provide valuable upward feedback to conference organizers, sharing insights and suggestions for improvement without revealing the identities of those who raise concerns. This helps organizers make necessary adjustments to improve the quality of their conferences.
How can a Conference Ombuds Help?
The role of a conference ombuds is dynamic and multifaceted. Here are just a few of the ways they contribute:
Conflict Resolution
Whether it’s a disagreement between attendees, a speaker feeling overlooked, or an exhibitor feeling their booth placement wasn’t ideal, the ombuds can listen to concerns and work with all parties to find a fair solution. Addressing issues promptly and confidentially ensures that minor problems don’t snowball into more significant disruptions.
Providing Guidance and Support
Conferences are often filled with new information and unfamiliar faces. An ombuds is available to help participants navigate the event, whether it’s talking about options or next steps, pointing out essential resources, clarifying conference policies, and answering any other questions that may arise about the conference experience.
Promoting Inclusivity and Respect
Diversity and inclusion are core values at many conferences, but these ideals don’t always go as planned. An ombuds listens to concerns about discrimination, harassment, or exclusion. The ombuds can help people think through how to address these issues informally or help them understand and navigate formal reporting options.
Improving Communication
With so many moving pieces, communication can break down at large conferences. The ombuds can clarify misunderstandings or relay feedback between different groups—attendees, organizers, or speakers—helping everyone be on the same page and avoid unnecessary confusion or frustration.
Sharing Upward Feedback to Improve Future Events
Suppose someone has a complaint or suggestion about the conference (from logistical issues to content quality). In that case, the ombuds can gather that feedback and make sure it gets passed on to the organizers in a way that helps improve future events. Whether adjusting session formats or refining registration procedures, the ombuds is a vital part of gathering actionable insights to enhance conferences year after year.
How Can Participants Benefit from a Conference Ombuds?
Imagine a first-time attendee who isn’t sure who to talk to to address an issue they experienced at the event or feels uncomfortable in a particular workshop. Instead of wasting time stressing or searching aimlessly, the ombuds can point them in the right direction.
Or, if someone witnesses inappropriate behavior, feels they’ve been mistreated or is unsure about a situation but doesn’t know how to address it, the ombuds will listen carefully to their concerns and help develop a list of options for resolving it, including referring them to the appropriate formal resources if necessary.
A conference is often a significant investment—both in terms of time and money. When attendees know an impartial person is available to address their concerns, it builds trust and confidence in the event. This peace of mind can lead to higher satisfaction, greater engagement, and more enthusiastic participation.
Conclusion
While most of the attention at a conference tends to be on the speakers, sessions, and networking, a conference ombuds plays a vital behind-the-scenes role in helping conference participants have a positive experience. By offering guidance and gathering feedback, they can help create a more enjoyable, safe, and impactful event for everyone involved.
To discuss Conference Ombuds Services, contact Josh Hoch, Ombuds & Director of Ombuds Services, at 617-895-4028 or jhoch@mwi.org. To schedule a time for Josh to call you, click here. Elise Ramos wrote this blog article. Elise is an ombuds and program coordinator with MWI.
