There is no such thing as a scarcity of technical occasions corresponding to conferences, meetups, trainings, hackathons, and so forth. These occasions are a good way to be taught new issues, join with folks, and share information with others. One of the priceless and thrilling methods to share information is by giving a technical presentation.
At this time, we’ll have a look at learn how to submit a technical presentation for an occasion and get some private suggestions from me, as nicely. Although we’ll particularly gear the knowledge for the NODES 2024 name for proposals, practically the whole lot mentioned might be utilized to different technical occasions and talking engagements.
Let’s get began!
Occasion Analysis
It doesn’t matter what occasion you have an interest in, do your analysis! Discover out concerning the occasion, their targets, the viewers, and the kinds of shows they’re searching for. This info will assist you to determine if the occasion is an efficient match, in addition to assist you to tailor your submission to the attendees.
NODES 2024 is dedicated to technical shows associated to graph information and applied sciences, with a particular concentrate on group tales and views. The viewers will probably be searching for content material to encourage concepts, discover ways to do/construct one thing, collect ideas and methods, and add expertise to their toolbelt for enterprise or private tasks. Builders, information scientists, and different technical professionals are the core viewers.
NODES 2024 Promo
Now let’s determine whether or not to talk.
Audio system Needed!
Deciding to submit a presentation to an occasion is a dedication. It may be intimidating to place your self on the market and share your information with others, plus the time and effort it takes to construct and polish your content material. Nevertheless it can be a rewarding and invigorating expertise. I all the time remind myself that my expertise and studying journey is exclusive and might hopefully encourage or assist another person. Everybody can contribute worth to a dialog!
As a speaker, you’ll have the chance to share your experience, join with others, and be taught from the group. Sure, a speaker can (and will) be taught from attendees. Understanding what issues others are fixing or the place gaps are can assist you be taught extra about your subject, plus enhance your future content material. 🙂
NODES 2024 will probably be digital, so no journey or logistics are required. The occasion will probably be held over 24 hours, and periods will probably be recorded and obtainable for attendees to look at on-demand after the occasion. So you’ll have the chance to achieve a worldwide viewers, in addition to promote or present proof to your efforts!
So, if you’re fascinated with submitting a presentation to an occasion, go for it! And if in case you have determined to submit, congratulate your self on being brave and taking step one. In the event you’re nonetheless on the fence, take a while to consider it and take into account reaching out to the occasion organizers or different audio system for recommendation. I am all the time comfortable to speak about talking and assist others get began!
Deciding on a Subject
Selecting a subject to your presentation might be difficult. You wish to choose one thing that you’re enthusiastic about, that you’ve expertise with, or wish to study. Attempt to choose belongings you like or love. That enthusiasm will come by way of in your presentation and assist preserve you motivated as you put together. In the event you’re within the subject, it is possible that another person will probably be, too.
What tasks or applied sciences are you presently engaged on? What issues have you ever solved or are attempting to unravel? What instruments or methods have you ever discovered useful? What do you would like you knew once you began working with a know-how? What errors do you wish to assist others keep away from or be taught out of your expertise?
For NODES 2024, the occasion is targeted on graph information and applied sciences to work together with graphs. Listed here are some subject concepts to get you began:
- How graphs resolve a selected drawback (broad or slim)
- How one can construct purposes that work together with a graph
- How graphs combine with AI/GenAI
- Errors or pitfalls to keep away from with graph databases, instruments, use circumstances, and extra
- How one can work together with or get information into or out of a graph database
- Working with graphs in a bigger system or structure (together with enhancing operations)
This checklist may proceed on, however hopefully, these give some good beginning factors. After getting a subject in thoughts, it is time to write a session summary and submit it!
Session Summary and Submission
The session summary is a brief description of your presentation that will probably be used to advertise your session to attendees. It needs to be clear, temporary, and attention-grabbing. It ought to give attendees an concept of what to anticipate out of your presentation and why they need to attend.
There are some things I all the time search for after I’m on a program committee selecting periods for an occasion.
Title
Goal for a descriptive phrase that offers attendees an concept of what your presentation is about. When you have a intelligent or catchy title, that is all the time a plus (however not required), and ensure it nonetheless states your subject.
Summary
That is the core of your submission. It ought to element what you’ll cowl in your presentation, corresponding to the issue you’re fixing, what features of a know-how are concerned, what instruments may very well be used, and what attendees will be taught.
Notes for the Committee
Embrace any further info for the committee right here. This may very well be particular necessities or why your content material is an efficient match for the occasion. I like to incorporate why I felt my subject is vital and/or how my expertise may assist others. Hold this half temporary, however it might assist differentiate when there are a number of periods with comparable subjects.
Bio
For a bio about your self, preserve it quick, however be sure you define your expertise and specialties. When you have content material or socials, spotlight 1-2 accounts in order that attendees or program committee members can be taught a bit about you.
There are additionally a couple of different issues to remember when writing your summary.
Viewers
Who’s your presentation for? What’s their stage of expertise? What is going to they acquire from attending your session? Select wording and applied sciences that resonate along with your viewers to assist readers join along with your content material.
Format/Size
Will your presentation be a chat, a demo, a workshop, a panel, or one thing else? Are you giving a demo or stay coding? Generally you choose a format on the submission kind, however you may as well point out sub-formats with phrases like stay demo, hands-on, interactive dialogue, and so on.
I additionally suggest writing your summary in a textual content editor or phrase processor first. This manner, you may simply examine for spelling/grammar errors, and it can save you your work to reuse or reference later. Editors additionally usually embrace work/character counting instruments to assist observe size. After getting your summary written, you may copy and paste it into the submission kind.
Ideas and Tips
There are some things that may assist make your summary stand out and improve your possibilities of being chosen. On the flip aspect, there are some things to keep away from that may harm your possibilities.
Be Descriptive + Transient
Present sufficient particulars inside 1-3 paragraphs so this system committee and attendees get a transparent image of what you’ll current. In the event you use jargon or acronyms, clarify them. Even when attendees to your session are accustomed to them, this system committee will not be, and that may make them really feel much less assured accepting a session. You may all the time clarify acronyms within the notes part if you happen to’re not sure.
Be Inviting
You do not want fancy or fluent language, however a real ardour or curiosity in your subject can go a good distance. In case you are enthusiastic about your subject, it can present in your summary and presentation.
Be Sincere
Builders (particularly) do not wish to be misled. Keep away from hiding adverse features and gross sales or advertising techniques. Honesty and authenticity construct respect.
There are additionally some issues to keep away from with regards to summary submissions.
Minimal Effort
Individuals can inform when you do not care. One-line abstracts and naked minimal particulars can inform readers that you do not care concerning the subject or serving to others be taught. It is okay to be temporary, however be certain to offer sufficient info to be useful.
In It for Me
Attendees are giving up their time and focus to attend your session, occasion organizers are pouring time and cash into the occasion, and corporations are sponsoring the occasion or workers. They deserve priceless content material in return. It is not concerning the speaker, it is concerning the attendee. Audio system are solely priceless if they’ve an viewers.
Do not trigger readers to be like Picard and Riker right here. 😉
For NODES 2024, all of this stuff apply, however there are a few further issues to remember. The occasion is targeted on graph information and applied sciences to work together with graphs. Make sure to point out how graphs are concerned in your subject (I’ve seen abstracts that do not point out them in any respect!).
Additionally, NODES is supposed to showcase group tales and real-world makes use of, so be sure you embrace your sincere, distinctive expertise or perspective in your summary. Classes are geared for technical audiences, so attempt to embrace features corresponding to structure, demos, code, instruments, options, and so forth. Even if you happen to do not write stay code, you may nonetheless present code snippets or software screenshots to assist illustrate your factors.
Wrapping Up!
At this time, we walked by way of learn how to submit a technical presentation for an occasion. We mentioned doing all of your analysis, deciding on a subject, writing a session summary, and making ready to your presentation. We additionally coated some ideas and methods for writing a priceless summary that can hopefully improve your possibilities of being chosen.
In case you are inquisitive about submitting a presentation to NODES 2024, the decision for proposals is open till June 15, 2024. Yow will discover extra info and submit your presentation right here.
Comfortable coding and finest needs in your submissions!