We’re back with the Spotlight! This week we shine a spotlight on the 2011 Summit and its Call for Proposals. The Call for Proposals closes on 4 October, so we chatted with Alan Houser, conference manager, for his thoughts.
The Call for Proposals for the 2011 Summit opened recently and closes on 4 October. Tell us a bit about what you’re looking for?
STC Summit is the premier educational event for technical communicators and will provide a broad educational experience. The programming committee will choose approximately 65 sessions from the call for proposals, across eight tracks. The Summit programming will provide something for technical communicators of all skill levels and areas of interest.
What are the tracks for next year’s Summit?
We are accepting proposals in the following tracks for the Sacramento Summit:
- Usability and Accessibility
- Managing People, Projects, and Business
- Writing and Editing
- Design, Architecture, and Publishing
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Education and Training
- Professional Development
- Web Technologies
Note that there is no separate “Academic” track. We experimented with this change at the 2010 Summit in Dallas, with good results. The programming committee welcomes and encourages research-based proposals in each track.
Can you explain briefly the types of presentations you’re looking for (e.g., progression, workshop, etc.)?
There are seven session formats for the regular Summit:
The session formats are explained here. All sessions will be 60 minutes long. We are also accepting proposals for half-day preconference workshops and two-day preconference certificate sessions.
The presentation is the most popular format and is also the most competitive. The presenter shares his or her knowledge of a particular subject. Most full-session presenters will have substantial prior speaking experience and many are well-known leaders in their subject area.
The progression format is also popular. Progression presentations are more informal and will be 12-18 minutes long in Sacramento. Progressions are usually organized and submitted by SIG leaders. Contact the leader of your SIG if you wish to participate in a progression. Remember that although progression presentations are relatively short, they must be of high quality.
How’s it going so far? What do you have already?
With less than three weeks until the call for proposals closes, we have received nearly 40 proposals. This is about 1/4 of the number we expect to receive, but this is normal. In past years, we’ve received more than 2/3 of the proposals during the final few days that the call is open. Apparently people like to spend as much time as possible crafting their proposals.
What topics do you think are going to be hot topics?
Content strategy first appeared as a session topic in the 2010 Dallas Summit and will continue to be popular in Sacramento. Other popular topics include collaboration, social media, and Web 2.0. Management and soft-skills sessions are generally well attended. Best practices in any aspect of technical communication are always popular.
Anything that’s under-represented so far?
The Summit serves an audience with a wide range of skill and experience levels. Sometimes we get a number of advanced session proposals on a given topic, but no proposals for introductory sessions. If you are an expert on a particular topic, consider submitting proposals for “introductory” and “advanced” sessions. This will give the programming committee more flexibility when building the Summit program.
What tips can you give for people sending in proposals? What are the dos and don’ts?
Don’t be afraid to submit multiple proposals.
Be creative.
Past speaking experience is an important consideration for selecting Summit proposals. If you are not strong in this area, consider proposing into a progression.
What are the benefits of presenting at the Summit? What does it do for the presenter?
Full-session presenters receive a complimentary Summit registration and other presenters will receive a registration discount. But more importantly, presenting at a major conference is an invaluable life experience—both personally and professionally. You will have the thrill of sharing your knowledge and experience and the honor of being a recognized expert in your field. Many presenters also report tangible professional benefits—like ease of finding a job or increased stature (for full-time employees) or new business connections and contracts (for contractors and consultants).
Any final words of advice?
Remember that real people—your peers—will review each proposal. Pay attention to details and show enthusiasm for your topic in your proposal.
If your proposal is declined, please don’t take it personally. We receive far more high-quality proposals than we can fit on the Summit program.
I look forward to seeing each of you in Sacramento!