Give suppliers a problem they can design for
Write one sentence describing what the technology must help people do. For example: guests must follow a product demonstration, read the presentation from their seats and ask questions. This is more useful than opening with a shopping list of screens and speakers. You can still specify equipment that is genuinely fixed by an artist, venue or existing system; identify why that requirement cannot change.
AVIXA's needs-assessment guidance starts with users, objectives and the space. Use that principle to gather information from the producer, presenter, designer and venue contact before requesting AV equipment rental. Read AVIXA's explanation of the assessment process.
A brief you can copy into your project document
Replace the prompts in the second column with your answers. Keep an explicit “to confirm” wherever information is missing, and add an owner and date. Do not leave blank cells that could be read as “not required”.
| Field | Complete this prompt |
|---|---|
| Project and decision | Event name; organiser; person approving the scope; reply deadline; version and date |
| Outcome | Guests should be able to…; essential result…; optional enhancement… |
| Audience and zones | Expected simultaneous visitors; seated/standing; zone names; viewing and listening positions |
| Programme | Session times; simultaneous activities; speakers; demonstrations; music; audience participation |
| Visual content | Presentations, films, live cameras or interactive content; who supplies each; current sample files |
| Audio | Maximum simultaneous speakers; audience questions; music sources; recording or streaming needs |
| Venue | Address and room; plan and photographs; access contact; confirmed available installation positions |
| Logistics | Load-in route; booking requirements; storage; setup, rehearsal, event and removal windows |
| Existing resources | Client/venue equipment with models and connections; who confirms compatibility and operates it |
| Dependencies | Power, network, structures and scenery: provider, confirmation status and deadline |
| Budget basis | Working limit or range if known; currency; tax basis to confirm; items expected inside that scope |
| Review and delivery | Required demonstration before opening; client reviewer; operation owner; deliverables after the event |
Make attachments answer a specific question
Attach a plan with the audience and stage marked, not only an empty floor plan. Include photographs showing daylight, ceiling and access where relevant. For screen selection, provide an actual dense slide or representative video; a logo alone cannot describe the hardest content to display. For a product demonstration, explain what the presenter holds and where they move.
Keep attachment names and versions clear. The designer's latest render, the venue's latest layout and the running order must describe the same arrangement. If they disagree, identify the unresolved decision in the brief instead of letting each supplier choose a different assumption.
Worked example: a small launch with an open decision
Imagine a hypothetical afternoon launch for 80 seated guests in one room. There is one host, one demonstrator, a product table, a presentation and a closing video. The organiser wants a screen but has not decided its technology. A recording is optional.
The outcome becomes: all seated guests should follow the slides and demonstration; the host and demonstrator need to speak during their handover; the product must remain visible. Attach the proposed seating and a sample slide. Ask for the base live-event scope, with recording priced as a separate option. Mark the screen technology as a supplier proposal and the room access window as awaiting venue confirmation.
This avoids two false assumptions: that the organiser has already selected an LED wall, or that recording is included. It also exposes the next action: the venue contact must confirm access before the installation plan and schedule can be finalised.
Turn uncertainty into a short action list
Not every detail has to be known at the first enquiry. Separate fixed facts, preferences and open questions. For each open question, record who will answer it and what depends on the answer. An unresolved ceiling position affects installation; an undecided opening animation affects content and cue preparation. They should not disappear inside a generic note saying “details later”.
Ask suppliers to state assumptions explicitly and flag any proposal that changes the intended outcome. If one proposes LED screens and another a different display approach, compare the result against the same audience and content rather than forcing identical product lists too early.
Before sending
Check that every zone has an audience, activity and operating time.
Include setup and removal, not just the public opening hours.
Name the people supplying content and approving changes.
Distinguish required scope from optional additions and client-supplied equipment.
Send the same version and attachments to everyone quoting.
Use design and visualisation when the physical arrangement still needs development. If the programme has live transitions, include the required technical support in the brief so operation is considered from the start.
Further reading
AVIXA: conducting an AV needs assessment provides additional context for aligning technology with users and spaces.