As part of our new series on Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in research software, we have published a new guide, Inclusive Event Planning from Start to Finish, written by Laura Crawford.
Aimed at event organisers, workshop leads, programme committees and community organisers working in research software, the guide offers practical steps for planning accessible and inclusive events. The guide is now available in our library of resources on this website.
It builds on existing accessibility resources, including the Zero Project Conference Accessibility Guide and the Software Sustainability Institute’s Event Organisation Guide, while focusing on the additional considerations that often arise in research software events.
These events frequently include technical talks, live coding, shared repositories, demonstrations and follow-up collaboration. The guide highlights how inclusion can be considered at each stage, from designing clearer and more accessible calls for proposals to supporting fair hybrid and remote participation.
It also sets out practical ways to make technical talks and materials more accessible, and to ensure that collaboration remains inclusive after the event has ended.
The guide is designed to help organisers use general accessibility guidance as a starting point while addressing the specific needs of research software communities.