Speaker Center

Preparing for your session

What should I know about the audience for Guild events?

Most attendees are training professionals looking for practical information they can use when they return to work. Here’s what they tend to look for:

  • Presenters who are conversational, to-the-point, and focused on their needs
  • Sessions targeting more practical applications than theory
  • Examples and demonstrations of the concepts, tools, and techniques being shared

What do I need to do before creating my presentation?

The description is critical. It’s one of the main ways that people decide which session to attend. You’ll want to make sure the session you create fully matches the details of the description we have posted.

Be sure to review your session description. This can serve as a refresher on the talking points you’ve committed to, and you can ensure that the description still matches your goals for the session after any edits that have been made to align the description with Guild standards.

Want to request a minor edit to your description to increase it’s accuracy, such as an additional tool to be shared or revised details about case study results?

  1. Copy and paste your session description from the website to a Word document.
  2. Turn on “track changes” and make your edits.
  3. Send the edited Word file to [email protected].

Major edits that alter the theme or goal of your session cannot be made. If you have questions feel free to reach out to the programming team at [email protected].

How should I format my materials?

Please submit your presentation deck as a PDF file. We will add an event cover page to all session materials.

To increase accessibility and usability, we encourage you to follow these guidelines when preparing your slide decks and other session materials:

  • Use large, clear fonts (preferably sans-serif)
  • Use white space; do not cram too much text on a slide
  • Use inclusive language: Avoid jargon, stereotypes, and overly complex language
  • Be mindful of attendees who may not be fully fluent in English and/or are from other countries and cultures; avoid cultural references and assumptions
  • Use examples that are diverse and inclusive
  • Spell out acronyms on first use
  • Include alt-text descriptions of images and charts in materials that will be shared electronically (handouts, slide deck, resources).
  • Ensure that images are inclusive and representative of your audience.
  • Ensure that captioning for your slide deck is turned on (PowerPoint and Google Slides, among others, support this); you can build this into your template.
  • Follow color contrast guidelines; use a tool, such as WebAIM’s contrast checker, to verify.
  • Use an accessibility checker before finalizing your materials —Microsoft products have one built in — and address issues found.

We will not proofread your materials; please check your presentation deck for readability and spelling/grammar errors.

Note: The file size for your session materials should not exceed 10MB. If one or more of your files is larger than 10MB, please compress the PDF file or divide your resources into multiple smaller files.

What kind of presentation do people expect?

People prefer sessions that go beyond a passive lecture. We recommend presenters add thoughtful interactivity and audience participation to their talk. This can happen in a number of ways, including audience questions, discussions, exercises, working through case studies in small groups, polls, and games.

Be creative, use your imagination, and make your session one that YOU would want to attend!

Should I create additional resources?

While not required, you might also want to consider creating practical resource materials for your audience to enhance their experience and help them use your content when they return back to work. These materials can be for use during the presentation or for attendees to review afterward.

Examples:

  • A short summary of the key points from your presentation
  • Checklists and/or action plans
  • Job aids or tools
  • A list of recommended websites, articles, books, media, and more on your topic

NOTE: Your session presentation and any supplemental materials should not include promotional material of any kind.

I’m doing a BYOD session. Is there anything else I need to keep in mind?

People attending your session will decide what to bring based on the “Technology required” section of your description, so be sure this information covers everything they need.

We tend to notice that pre-work for sessions isn’t consistently done. Because of this, we recommend pre-work not be a required component of your BYOD session.

Finally, since people are learning a new skill, tool, or approach in your session, it can be helpful to provide resources for continuing to practice those skills after they leave.

Laptops will not be provided so remember to bring your own, as well as your peripherals (dongles) to convert connection. HDMI is the default.

How many people can I expect at my session?

Attendance can range widely depending on the interests of the attendees. About a month before the event, we survey the registered attendees to find out which sessions they think they’ll attend. We use this information to identify the best room size for the session. Please note that this is an inexact science as people are not required to attend what they identified.

I have additional questions. Who should I reach out to?

We want your session to be a success and will help you in any way we can. If you need any additional assistance getting ready for your talk, feel free to reach out to a member of the programming team by emailing [email protected].