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Working on location: wifi, meeting room and tech checklist

· By BookWorkations editors

Laptop, coffee and notepaper on a wooden table
Photo: Lauren Mancke · CC0

A few days of working on location sounds simple: a group, a room, a table full of laptops. In practice the first morning often goes on finding a power strip, a password and a screen that works. This checklist covers what to sort out in advance: the internet, the rooms, the equipment and the data you handle. Work through it with whoever books the venue and whoever runs the technology.

Wifi: ask for details, then test

Almost every venue says it has wifi. Ask for the details that matter: how much bandwidth is shared, whether guests and staff use the same network, and whether the signal is strong in the rooms you plan to use, not only in the lobby. A venue that cannot answer these questions has told you something as well.

  • Ask how many megabits per second the connection offers, and whether that is shared with all other guests.
  • Ask for a separate network for your group, so that a busy lobby does not slow down your video calls.
  • Plan the video calls in the room with the best signal, not in the nicest room.
  • Bring a mobile hotspot as a back-up and test it before the day.
  • Put the network name and the password on a card on every table.

Meeting rooms and workspaces

A room that looks good in the photos does not always work for a working session. Look at the room in person, or ask for photos taken on an ordinary day rather than a styled one.

  • One room per working group of six to eight people, so that groups do not talk over each other.
  • Daylight and fresh air. A room without a window is hard to work in for a full day.
  • Tables and chairs that you can move for group work and plenary sessions.
  • A wall, flipchart or whiteboard, with enough markers that still write.
  • Enough power sockets. Bring extension cables and a power strip, and make one clear place to charge laptops.
  • Check the sound: can people hear each other when the group next door is talking?

Screens, sound and cables

Most technical problems come from cables and adapters, not from the equipment itself. Test the set-up in the room before the group arrives, with the laptop of the person who presents.

  • Find out which screen, projector and connections the venue has (HDMI, USB-C, wireless) and bring the adapters you need.
  • Use a speakerphone or a conference microphone for calls with a group in the room. A laptop microphone rarely picks up the whole table.
  • Have a plan B for presentations: a second laptop, the slides on a USB stick and the key slides on paper.
  • Ask the venue for a technical contact on the day, or appoint someone in your team who knows the set-up.

Laptops, accounts and documents

Working on location means people use other networks and other devices. Make sure everyone can reach the tools they need before they leave.

  • Ask every participant to bring a laptop, a charger and the cables they usually use. Share a short list with the group.
  • Check that everyone can log in to the systems they need, including through the VPN and outside the office.
  • Keep shared documents in one folder or cloud location that also works offline.
  • Appoint one note-taker per session and have the notes saved in the shared folder the same day.
  • Back up the most important files before you travel.

Privacy and security

The rules for personal data do not change when you work somewhere else. The GDPR applies to the personal data you process, wherever you work. Think about what you show on screen and what you leave lying around.

  • Let personal devices use the guest network and keep company devices on the company network.
  • Do not leave laptops or papers unattended in shared rooms, not even during a break.
  • Do not show personal data on a shared screen. Use anonymised examples in presentations.
  • Log out of shared computers, and lock your own laptop when you step away.

The day before

A short check the evening before saves most of the morning. Go through these points with the person who runs the technology:

  • Is the wifi password on the table, and does the first call connect?
  • Does the presentation show on the screen in the room?
  • Are the cables, adapters and chargers in one bag?
  • Does everyone know where the back-up is if the main connection fails?

Choosing a venue

Ask each venue on your shortlist about the points in this checklist and compare the answers, not only the price. The overview of venues on BookWorkations is a good place to start.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How much bandwidth does a group of fifteen need?

There is no single number that fits every group. It depends on how many people use video at the same time and for what. Ask the venue about the shared capacity, and test with the tools your team really uses.

Is a mobile hotspot enough?

As a back-up for one or two laptops, often yes. For a whole group on video calls, a fixed connection at the venue works much better. Treat a hotspot as an emergency plan.

Do we need someone from IT with us?

With a large group, a live demo or a complicated set-up, yes. With a small group that brings its own laptops, the facilitator can usually manage, provided the basics were checked the day before.

What if the wifi drops during the day?

Have a plan: offline copies of the key documents, a hotspot ready, and one person who knows how to reconnect. A short outage then costs minutes instead of a morning.