Since this is will be our first time exhibiting at DIA, we reached out to our friends and colleagues at various Sponsors, CROs, and other trial stakeholders for a little advice on how to ensure we would be ready. Here’s what they shared.
1. Wear comfortable shoes and if your activities for the day require nicer footwear, bring comfortable shoes along anyway. If necessary, the convention first aid room always has blister band aids.
2. Bring a water bottle. There are multiple fill-up spots and staying hydrated is the way to go.
3. Share power with your peers. Bring a multi-device charging plug and share power-up spots whenever possible.
4. Try to set aside a little time before the end of each day to reflect and summarize your notes, discussions, and experiences. The days are fast and full and taking a few minutes can help make sure more of that information makes the trip home and positively impacts your work.
5. Set daily goals. For example, I will attend two sessions, demo 3 new platforms, and talk to 2 new service providers. The volume of sessions and sheer size of the exhibition hall can make it hard to feel productive. A plan and goals to keep the day on track can be helpful.