When a client makes an enquiry into hiring one of the QEII Centre’s 32 flexible event spaces, our team will take time to find out their requirements and suggest the one, or ones most suited to their needs.

Unsurprisingly, for every potential event, suggestions of suitable spaces will be determined by the number of delegates expected to attend and the type of event being held.

Squeezing 300 people into a traditional meeting room for a conference or booking out a conference theatre for 12 delegates attending a board meeting are extreme examples of nonsensical space selection.

Nevertheless, the success of a meeting or event can often hinge on it being held in exactly the right space and that includes it being the perfect size.

This is certainly true for those looking to hire a room for training and development purposes. According to a survey QEII undertook with 500 people responsible for delivering training at other venues, their biggest frustration was when they turned up to find their room was too big or too small for their purposes.

When asked ‘what frustrates you most about venues you choose for training?’ 40% stated room size. Bad lighting and wrong set-up were the next biggest frustrations – both chosen by 33% of respondents.

Events with the purpose of training people evidently rely on several elements to make them a success. As our survey found, the factors considered important in creating the perfect training environment were access to fresh air (33%), a room with an inspiring view (30%) and others such as being able to adjust the room’s temperature and exposure to natural light.

The time of a training session and type of refreshments delegates are offered also contribute to successful learning, but ultimately the room has to be the right size for everything else to go to plan.

Therefore, when it comes to finding the right space conducive to training and education, size really does matter.