Welcome!
We are excited to welcome you as a speaker for Open Source Days 2020, happening virtually Wednesday, August 19 – Thursday, August 20. Sessions will take place during Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), UTC -7. The event will be hosted on Zoom, which allows speakers to deliver content live and interact with attendees via text chat during Q&A. The platform is web-based and HTML 5, but downloading the desktop application is recommended.
Please click through the tabs on this page to access information.
Deadlines
Speaker Registration Deadline: Friday, August 7. Please register and use the access code OSDSPK20.
Slide Due Date: Friday, August 14, 2020
Event Dates: Wednesday, August 19 – Thursday, August 20
Schedule
The schedule has been posted on our website using Sched.com. Speakers are asked to arrive 15 minutes early to the session for an AV check and to setup their slides.
If you would like to make updates to your speaker profile on Sched.com (biography, headshot, titles), send updates directly to dgiles@linuxfoundation.org or log on to Sched.com and you can edit your profile.
Session Information
Attendees will be able to interact with you via Q&A and chat throughout the presentation. A designated moderator, outside of the speaker, should be available to monitor the chat and Q&A section throughout the presentation. Please email Deb Giles, dgiles@linuxfoundation.org, with this person’s name and email address to be added with moderator access to the Zoom webinar.
Additionally, you should leave time for live Q&A after your presentation. Please plan your content accordingly to accommodate time for this.
Presentation Template
An optional PowerPoint template is available for your use but is not required. Slides will be due on Friday, August 14.
Session Recording
All sessions will be recorded and posted to the ASWF YouTube within a week of the event.
Inclusive Speaker Orientation Online Course
The Linux Foundation, in collaboration with the National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT), has created an online course designed to teach the viewer about inclusion, diversity, and unconscious bias. We highly recommend all of our speakers watch the course to learn tips/tools to use when speaking to encourage inclusivity in presentations and messaging.
Code of Conduct
Please read and abide by our code of conduct, which can be found here. We ask that speakers especially review this code of conduct and are inclusive in the words and images used during their presentation.
Tips & Tricks
Playing Videos Content
If you plan to play any videos or pre-recorded content, you will need to share your screen and play the video through your screen. Zoom will be set up to pick-up your computers audio for any sound that comes with the recording.
Technical Tips for Virtual Presentations
- Audio – as counterintuitive as it may sound, the single most important factor in a good video, is the audio quality.
- Eliminate ambient noise – close the doors and windows. You’d be surprised how much environmental noise gets picked up.
- Lighting – do not put lights overhead and don’t put any lights or windows behind you as they will alter the light levels in your videos and create shadows.
- Background – don’t be afraid to show your natural environment – bookcases, plants, paintings – as long as they are not too distracting.
- Framing – place yourself slightly off-center to the left or right rather than directly in the middle of the frame.
- Camera height – the lens should either be directly level or pointing ever so slightly downwards towards your face.
- Stand – we recommend you stand during your presentation to help project your voice and improve your posture. However, if you’re more comfortable sitting, then please do.
- Timer – have a clock to keep track of the time you have remaining.
From: https://www.greatspeech.co/video-presentations/
Lighting, Webcam and Microphone Best Practices
Best Practices for Lighting
- For best results, use natural light and supplement with additional light as needed.
- Keep natural light in front of you to avoid shadows. A bright window behind you can make you appear as a dark silhouette.
- Interior rooms with no natural light source may require additional targeted lighting, such as a ring light, to brighten the speaker’s face.
Best Practices for Webcams
- To ensure the speaker is looking directly at the audience, place the webcam at eye level.
- Avoid distracting backgrounds by checking the surroundings behind you to make sure there are no distracting colors or movement.
- Presenters should use chairs that are adjustable for height but do not swivel. Swiveling on camera creates a poor attendee experience and can be distracting.
Best Practices for Microphones
- Use external microphones whenever available, as microphones built into computers and cameras often have lower quality.
- An external microphone allows the speaker to place it in the optimal location for sound.
- Place the microphone close to the speaker’s mouth, but not in the camera view.
- Test audio levels in advance.
- Manage noise by turning off fans, phones, or speakers and keep ambient noise to a minimum.
- Do not touch the microphone while unmuted.
Dress Code
- There is no dress code for presentations, and we encourage you to be comfortable. That said, you must be aware that the Code of Conduct applies to this space, both in terms of what you show on camera and what you say. We ask that you be tasteful and considerate in choosing your clothing and surroundings. Keep in mind that we are a global community. Please refrain from wearing shirts with global brand logos that are not your own. Solid colors (not white) also work best instead of prints.
Tips to Keep your Virtual Audience Engaged
- Learn the Content: Familiarity with the content allows a speaker to focus on presenting, rather than trying to remember the points to make. To minimize worry about forgetting elements of the presentation, include notes in your presentation file and have a printout of your script or talking points.
- Practice Makes Perfect: Speakers should practice their content delivery in the environment in which they will deliver it, such as in front of a computer. Presenting alone to a computer can be awkward at first. To make speakers more comfortable, ask colleagues, roommates, or family to sit in front so they can present to familiar faces.
- Understand the Tools: Speakers should understand and utilize the content options available to them, to maximize the effectiveness of the presentation technology. It’s important to know the basic functions of the software, e.g. how to advance slides, manage Q&A or chats, before the presentation.
- Speak Up: Check audio levels before presenting, but also make sure to breathe at regular intervals to speak audibly and clearly. Maintaining a clear, even tone throughout the presentation will allow the audience to hear it without adjusting their volume settings.
- Look at Your Camera: If presenting via video, remember, the webcam is your link to your audience. Make eye contact with the camera so it appears to the audience that you are speaking directly to them.
- Don’t Fear Mistakes: Humans make mistakes, even during presentations. Realize that flubs happen and they won’t derail your presentation – unless you let them. Just keep going in your planned presentation and remember, the audience is forgiving.
- Be Prepared: During the presentation, have a glass of water nearby to sip as needed. Also, keep handy a printout of your slides or notes in case you need to refer to them.
From: https://www.inxpo.com/assets/pdfs/litepapers/How-To-Be-An-Engaging-Speaker.pdf
Additional Resources
Best Gear for Online Meetings Webcams, lights, mics, tripods and more.
19 Video Presentation Tips To help you give a great presentation (even if you hate the way you look on camera).
9 Tips for Giving Engaging Virtual Presentations This article gives 9 tips and within each tip has folks from the tech world giving their advice in a fun/relatable way.
PACE Acronym for Virtual Presentations
Checklist for Speakers – This article provides checklists applicable for speakers that are live streaming.
Contact Us
If you have any other platform, speaker, or schedule-related questions, please contact us at events@awsf.io.