Designing for different needs
Impact 2.0, IMEX’s Talking Point for this year, is all about rallying the industry to take meaningful action. It’s a bold and necessary reframe—shifting the focus from surface-level outcomes to something much deeper and more human. But there are currently some major barriers in our sector to taking action—burnout, disconnection and loneliness among others. Ours is a high-performance, high-pressure and high-reward industry. And that can take its toll. However, we can tackle the root causes of these negative impacts by understanding that everyone has different needs and by designing our environments—be it events, workplaces or homelife—accordingly.
Meeting people where they are
According to Yush Sztalkoper, Founder and Neuroinclusion Strategist, NeuroSpark+, when we truly understand what people need—emotionally, physically and neurologically—we can design gatherings that meet them where they are.
“In my sessions at IMEX America I’ll share what I've learnt through my own lived experience as a neurodivergent individual—I'm a late diagnosed ADHD woman—and my experiences of navigating events. Like many in our sector, I love the energy of industry conferences: the people, the connections, the spontaneous moments. For someone who’s extroverted with an ADHD brain, it’s dopamine central—and it lights me up! But what doesn’t get talked about enough? The same energy that fuels me also drains me. And recovery isn’t fast—it’s slow, layered and absolutely essential.”
Event planners can design their gatherings to support this recovery in various ways. Examples include:
- Energy planning: No back-to-back schedules. Frequent mini breaks are essential—energy planning is just as important as agenda planning
- Quiet spaces: simple, device free zones to aid rest and recovery at the venue
- Workstations: because work doesn't stop when you're at an event. There's nothing more stressful or draining than perching in a corridor to take a call
The best part? These examples don't just benefit attendees with neurodivergent needs; they elevate the experience for everyone. Viewing events through a neurodivergent lens allows us to design a system that benefits all participants and paves the way for genuine, true IRL connections. Yush goes on, “The new Neurodiverse Inclusive Event Certification being piloted at IMEX America this year is a huge step for the industry. It’s meaningful progress toward planning events that truly welcome and support all brains—not as an afterthought, but as part of the design from the start. It’s a real commitment to designing events that center human connection.
“A more informed approach starts with building systems—not just schedules—that honor how we show up. Ahead of my sessions at the show, I invite event professionals to consider this: What if the future of events isn’t about doing more—but about understanding people more deeply?”
Yush Sztalkoper at IMEX America
Back to IMEXscoop
