Draw people before equipment
Begin with the booked footprint, open sides and neighbouring stands. Mark where a visitor notices the offer, stops, participates and talks to staff. Then add equipment that helps those steps. A stand can have a large display and still be difficult to understand or enter.
The examples below are planning exercises, not approved construction drawings or rental packages. Actual screen dimensions, mounting, access and visitor capacity depend on the stand design and venue. Define “front” as the main aisle in the first two examples.
Layout A: a hypothetical 3×3 m stand
Assume one open front and a product that needs a short staff explanation. Put a concise visual loop on the rear display, the physical sample along one side and the conversation position on the other. Keep the middle usable for approach and turning. Place playback equipment where staff can reach it without dismantling the sample display.
| Position | Role | Candidate AV scope |
|---|---|---|
| Rear | Explain the offer from the aisle | One display with approved loop and complete mounting/playback |
| Side with product | Make the real sample easy to inspect | Targeted light checked against reflections |
| Conversation side | Answer individual questions | Staff-controlled tablet only if it helps the task |
| Centre and front | Enter, pause and leave | Keep device bases and cable routes out of the agreed visitor path |
The example route is aisle → offer → sample → conversation → aisle. A self-service kiosk may create a queue that this particular layout cannot accommodate. Test whether a staff-held device provides the same useful information without adding another fixed station.
Layout B: a hypothetical 6×3 m stand
Assume the wider frontage supports both quick browsing and longer meetings. Use one side for a short touchscreen catalogue and the other for a conversation area. A rear display provides the shared brand message. Position the catalogue inside the stand so waiting visitors do not become an unintended barrier across the front.
| Zone | Content and equipment | Handover |
|---|---|---|
| Recognition | Rear display with a short silent-readable loop | Guest identifies a relevant product category |
| Exploration | Touchscreen, computer if required and prepared catalogue | Guest makes a shortlist or asks for assistance |
| Discussion | Product lighting and any staff presentation device | Staff continues from the chosen topic |
| Technical area | Power, playback and network equipment with service access | Operator can recover a station during opening |
The extra width does not automatically justify twice as many displays. Compare a single shared brand screen with separate zone displays only if their content roles differ. If a scheduled presentation attracts a group, draw that temporary audience over the ordinary layout and check which activity must pause.
Layout C: an open stand with several approaches
For a hypothetical island stand, give visitors a recognisable welcome point from each main approach. Avoid placing a tall screen so that its technical rear becomes the first view from another aisle. A central feature may work, but its support footprint and service area must be included.
Use a simple route: approach → brief demonstration → optional interaction → discussion or exit. Put the interaction queue beside its entry and the finish near staff who can continue the conversation. Choose the number and orientation of screens from these routes, not from symmetry in the render.
Check sound, light and visitor movement together
Test the screen with actual stand lighting and representative content. Product lighting should reveal the sample without creating troublesome reflections on the display. If sound is needed for a demonstration, agree where it should be heard and how nearby conversations continue. Captions or a silent loop may support the aisle message more effectively.
HSE's crowd-planning guidance explains why attractions should not obstruct pedestrian routes. Use this as a design reference and confirm the venue's actual requirements. Adding a popular interaction changes circulation even when its equipment occupies little floor space.
Walk-through before ordering
Mark the real bases, furniture, products and technical access on a scaled plan.
Walk the visitor route with someone demonstrating and someone waiting.
Test the message from every important approach and the detail at the discussion point.
Confirm power, cables, content sources and responsibility for daily start-up.
Review the plan with the stand contractor and venue before final equipment approval.
Common mistakes are filling every wall with media, placing interaction at the narrowest entrance and leaving no recovery access. Use the existing exhibition solution to frame the project, then send the marked plan for AV equipment planning, including touchscreens or displays only where their role is clear.