Start Alphabetical Seating Board from the real decision
Alphabetical seating boards win when the main job is helping many guests find themselves quickly without crowding a single helper or host. When the plan starts from how people will read, move, or decide, the rest of the design becomes easier to defend.
Tie revisions to one working source
The naming convention has to be frozen early enough that sorting, print proofing, and on-site setup all use the same alphabet rule. That removes the usual drift between the planning file, the printed artifact, and the last instructions given to staff.
Finish with a version the room can execute
The final board should make the sorting rule obvious, especially for prefixes, compound surnames, and language-specific characters. They create a predictable reading rhythm, shorten queue time, and remove the awkward pause that happens when guests do not know whether to search by person or by table.