How an event works in detail

When you arrive, you receive a physical event badge with a color and a number, such as “Blue 4.” The badge is used to identify you within the event and helps other participants find you during the conversation rounds. You do not need to put your name on the badge or create a participant profile. You decide what personal information to share during your conversations.

Once you are settled, you open the event web app in your phone’s browser. You enter the event code and select the color and number shown on your badge. Then you choose the interests, hobbies, and other topics you are open to discussing with other participants.

The questionnaire begins with broader areas of interest and then shows more specific choices connected to the areas you selected. For example, if you choose Movies and TV shows, you may then be asked which genres you enjoy, such as Comedy, Science Fiction, or Documentaries.

You only see follow-up questions related to your earlier selections. The more specific choices help identify possible starting points for conversations.

After everyone submits their selections, the web app compares the responses to identify shared interests. It uses those results to help organize the conversation rounds and select possible starting points for each conversation.

When a round begins, the web app shows you where to go and whom to meet. The screen displays a conversation station, such as Table 3, and the badge or badges of the other participants, such as Green 6. You go to that station and look for the matching badge or badges.

Everyone involved receives corresponding instructions at the same time. You do not have to choose someone in the room and approach them without knowing whether they are expecting you.

The web app also provides a starting point for the conversation. If the participants in the round share a specific interest, the screen shows that shared topic and a related discussion question. For example, if the people in the conversation selected Science Fiction and Comedy, the question might ask which titles have stood out to them recently.

If there is no detailed shared interest to use for that round, the screen shows a broader discussion question instead. For example: “What is something you discovered by accident recently and now recommend to other people?”

The screen shows only information relevant to the current conversation. Other participants do not see the rest of your topic selections or your full questionnaire responses.

Once everyone has found one another and seen the starting point, the rest is a normal conversation between the participants. The topic or question is there to help the conversation begin, not to act as a script. The conversation can move to other subjects as it develops.

Each conversation usually lasts about 10 to 15 minutes, with a countdown timer visible in the web app. When the time is up, the round ends for everyone at the same time.

Because everyone moves on together, you do not have to decide when to end the conversation yourself. The web app then shows your instructions for the next round, and you repeat the process with different participants.

After the final conversation, the organized part of the event ends. The web app does not exchange contact information or provide a way to contact other participants afterward. You can continue talking and exchange contact information directly with someone you would like to stay in touch with.