Assign results, not broad labels
“AV handles the screen” is too broad when another company builds its surround and the venue controls the power connection. Divide the work into observable results: approved mounting arrangement, installed display, power available, content loaded and presentation tested. Name an owner for each result and the point at which it is handed over.
APM recommends a responsibility matrix to clarify roles and communication. Its guidance uses the RACI approach: responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. For a small event, plain columns describing who does, accepts and supplies inputs can make the same conversation easier.
Build the table together
Invite the organiser, AV lead, builder and venue technical contact to review the actual plan. The table below is an illustrative starting point; its assignments must be replaced by the agreements for your project. A company name alone is not enough for urgent coordination, so add a named contact and backup.
| Result | Who delivers it | Who accepts or confirms it | Required input |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue power connection ready | Venue-appointed electrical provider | Venue technical representative | AV requirements and organiser's service order |
| Display support arrangement agreed | Appointed design and construction specialists | Relevant technical reviewers under the venue process | Equipment details, layout and builder's design |
| AV equipment installed | Assigned AV installation team | AV lead through the agreed checks | Ready supports, access and services |
| Final content released | Client or appointed content producer | Named client content approver | Formats, translations and final messages |
| Programme tested | Technical operators with presenters | Producer through the rehearsal checklist | Installed system, approved files and running order |
| Live cues called | Named show caller or producer | Event production lead | Approved cue list and communication method |
| Area handed back | Assigned removal teams | Venue contact under the agreed handback process | Finish time, access and transport arrangements |
Add due times and evidence to the rows you will use. Keep specialist approvals visible; a general production sign-off does not replace them.
Worked example: a screen inside a custom stand
Imagine a hypothetical stand where the builder supplies the display surround and the AV company supplies the screen. The organiser assumes installation is included in the phrase “screen rental”. The builder assumes the AV supplier will provide every supporting element. The venue connection has not yet been ordered.
Resolve the interface before fabrication. Confirm who designs and supplies the support, who reviews the equipment details, who mounts the display and who provides access for service. Separately assign the venue power order and connection. Then agree the readiness handover from the builder to the AV installer.
Set an observable acceptance result: the approved equipment is installed in the agreed arrangement and passes the specified content and operating checks. This turns several assumptions into tasks that can be scheduled and priced. It does not prescribe a mounting method or allow the organiser to approve structural details without the relevant specialists.
Separate doing the work from approving a change
The technician who can change a layout may not be authorised to accept its effect on budget or the brand presentation. Name the person who approves scope and cost, and the person who approves technical suitability. Some changes require both decisions.
For example, moving a touchscreen to improve queue flow affects the floor plan, cabling, visitor access and perhaps tracking calibration. Record who proposes the move, who checks the interfaces and who accepts the revised arrangement. Update the drawing rather than leaving the change only in a message.
Make handovers explicit
Use a short handover statement: what is ready, what was checked, what remains and who takes over. A content handover should identify the released files. An installation handover should identify the accepted configuration and remaining issues. An operating handover should name the person who can run and reset the system.
Include contacts and escalation during the event. If a problem crosses contractor boundaries, the producer needs a route to bring the right people together. Avoid a row that assigns every company equally; it can leave nobody clearly driving the resolution.
Review the matrix before opening
Every required result has a delivering owner and an acceptance route.
Inputs, service orders and deadlines are confirmed.
Drawings, scope and the responsibility table describe the same version.
Live operating roles and changes of shift are clear.
Dismantling, collection and venue handback are assigned.
Share the table with the team planning technical support and installation and removal. Use it to close gaps in the quotation and schedule before they become on-site negotiations.