A run-of-show is more than a schedule. It’s the spine of your event—the invisible structure that holds everything together while presenters speak, facilitators lead, and participants engage.

In virtual and hybrid settings, that structure is even more important. Transitions happen across tools, people rely on timing to stay coordinated, and the margin for error shrinks. If someone drops off, mistimes a cue, or misses a breakout—your run-of-show is what helps you recover fast.

Whether you're managing a 90-minute workshop or a two-day summit, a well-structured run-of-show keeps everyone aligned and reduces the guesswork for everyone behind the scenes.

Here’s how to build one that works in the real world—especially when that world is full of Wi-Fi, slides, speakers, platforms, and people.

What a Good Run-of-Show Actually Does

A good run-of-show should:

• Keep the production team, speakers, and facilitators on the same page
• Clarify what’s happening when—and who’s responsible
• Include key cues for platform actions (polls, breakouts, video rolls)
• Serve as your single source of truth throughout the event

It’s not just a timeline. It’s a coordination tool.

Key Elements to Include

Time blocks and durations
Each segment should have a clear start time and length. Don’t just list what’s happening—show when it’s happening and how long it should take.

Roles and responsibilities
Who’s doing what? Be explicit. List who’s speaking, who’s screen-sharing, who’s launching a poll, and who’s giving time cues.

Platform actions
Note where transitions happen: when to open a breakout, when to spotlight a speaker, when to start screen-sharing. These are the details that keep a session smooth.

Content and links
Add speaker decks, activity boards, or prepped videos as links or file names. If someone needs to share something, make it findable at a glance.

Contingency notes
Add backup options for high-risk segments—what to do if a speaker drops out or an activity doesn’t load.

How to Make It Actually Work in Practice

A run-of-show doesn’t help if it’s buried in a spreadsheet or full of vague notes. It needs to be accessible, readable, and usable—under pressure.

Here are some tips:

• Use a table or grid format with clear columns (Time, Duration, Segment, Speaker/Owner, Platform Actions, Notes)
• Keep it short and scannable—avoid long blocks of text
• Colour-code roles or actions if needed (especially helpful in rehearsals)
• Share a “presentation version” for speakers and a more detailed “producer version” for the team
• Update live as plans shift—ideally in a shared, cloud-based doc

SmartLab Tip: You can link your run-of-show directly into your SmartLab session so producers and facilitators can access it live. You can also build run sheets into a backstage producer board or session dashboard.

If It’s in the Run-of-Show, It Gets Done

In virtual and hybrid production, nothing is too small to plan for. The smoothest sessions often look effortless because every moment was mapped, tested, and timed behind the scenes.

Your run-of-show won’t guarantee perfection. But it will give you the structure to adapt with confidence, recover from glitches, and deliver an experience that feels seamless on the surface—because the prep ran deep.

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