Guest post by Chris Hester, Conference Chair
I don’t know what to propose. I don’t have much speaking experience. I don’t have time to write a proposal.
Sound familiar? Don’t let these thoughts keep you from submitting a proposal for STC’s 2014 Technical Communication Summit. Speaking at the Summit is a great way to further your professional development by building presentation and communication skills, as you will have the opportunity to develop and share your unique ideas. And in return, Summit attendees gain the benefit of your expertise. Whether you’re researching industry trends, tackling a challenging project, or managing the professional development of others, we want to hear from you. We’re accepting proposals on all topics related to technical communication, user experience, management, content lifecycle, design, and the like.
I don’t know what to propose.
A presentation proposal is like any other project: plan before you propose. Brainstorm a bit. Review the content tracks and the list of suggested topics, and browse the program from 2013. What’s missing from our line-up or suggestions? What have you read lately? What gets you fired up? Talk to your coworkers, or run your idea past a member of the Summit’s Program Team for feedback. As you think about topics, consider formats. A presentation can be a case study, demonstration, or informational session, whereas a workshop gives you the opportunity to lead an interactive learning session for participants.
I don’t have much speaking experience.
That’s okay! Select a session type that fits with your expertise, topic, and comfort level. New speakers often submit progressions as a way to gain experience, as these are shorter sessions presented multiple times in small groups. This year, progressions will be offered in a standard 45-minute session, which means a speaker will share the same material as two 20-minute presentations. A good rule of thumb for a session like this is to allow ten minutes for the presentation itself and ten minutes for discussion.
I don’t have time to write a proposal.
Pulling together a proposal does take time, and a thoughtful, well-written proposal will help the Program Team understand you, your topic, and why your session should be selected.
We’ve redesigned the online submission form so it’s much easier to submit your proposal. With the new form, you can focus on developing the most important information: title, type, description, and presentation plan. This helps the Program Team, which thinks about the following when selecting sessions:
- How well does the presentation fit the audience and the program?
- Is it clear how the presenter will guide the audience through the session?
- Does the presentation make the reviewer want to learn more about the topic?
Summit attendees want to learn new perspectives on core knowledge areas, current techniques and technologies, and material they can quickly apply and try. You have a great idea; let’s hear it from you!
The deadline for submitting a proposal for the 2014 Summit is Monday, 16 September, at 5:00 PM EDT (GMT-4). All proposals must be submitted through the online submission system. See the Call for Proposals page on the Summit website for full details.