Overview
We are excited to welcome you as a speaker for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe Virtual 2021 which will take place virtually, Tuesday, May 4 – Friday, May 7, beginning each day at 9:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST), (UTC +2.00). The information provided below is intended to provide further details and answer questions about the virtual event platform, MeetingPlay.
We also recommend you view the speaker training video, which will provide an in-depth look at the platform and tools available within your session.
If you have general questions about the event, or would like virtual presentation tips, please refer to the Speaker Guide or the Web Presenting: Gear Tips + Enhancing Your Remote Studio document. If you have a question about the platform that is not included below, please contact us to let us know.
Please note: The bulk of the information is geared towards non-Keynote speakers. If you are a Keynote speaker, the information may still be helpful but please note a few items like pre-recorded videos and live Q&A are not relevant to you.
Platform + Specifications
What platform is being used?
We are using a virtual event platform called MeetingPlay that will allow speakers to deliver content via pre-recorded talks and join live for Q&A text chat with attendees. The platform is web-based with HTML5 and will be easy for everyone to access and use.
What does the platform offer?
The MeetingPlay platform is allowing us to create an immersive experience for attendees, with educational sessions that offer speaker and attendee Q&A and interaction, attendee collaboration & networking through topical chat rooms, and 1:1 and group chats and a sponsor and tech showcase that offers 3D booths where attendees can view demos, download resources, check out job openings, and speak directly with booth reps.
How do I make sure I can access the platform?
- Ensure you are using Google Chrome
- MeetingPlay recommends that you use a personal laptop or desktop computer for your session and that you sign out of any applications that could take up bandwidth (VPN, Zoom, etc.)
- For any issues, refer to the MeetingPlay FAQ page
How long will talks be available on the platform?
All talks will be available on MeetingPlay for viewing until a yet-to-be-determined time, and we will also be moving them to YouTube so anyone, anywhere, can view them as well.
Session Delivery & General Information
What options do I have to deliver my talk?
Is live Q&A required either way?
All speakers will be required to be present during their session at the event for live Q&A with attendees. Please make time at the end of your presentation for Q&A. Example: If your session is 35-minutes in duration, please only record a 20–25 minute presentation so that the last 10–15 minutes can be used for Q&A. If you cannot participate in Q&A, please let us know immediately.
Note: The inability to participate in live Q&A will not affect your presentation acceptance in the conference. We can still play your recorded content.
I want to interact more with attendees than a pre-recorded session allows. Is it possible to deliver my talk in another way?
Unfortunately, we are only allowing sessions to be delivered via pre-recording and are not allowing any sessions to present live.
I am scheduled for a 35-minute session, do I need to use all of that time?
No, you aren’t required to speak for the full 35-minutes and we actually recommend planning to speak for about 20–25 minutes, and leaving at least 10 minutes for questions. We find that 20–25 minutes is perfect in keeping attendees attention.
My session time doesn’t work due to my location. Can I move my session?
Please contact us and we will try to accommodate your request to the best of our ability. Change requests must be made no later than April 1, 2021. Please note that if you are unable to participate in live Q&A due to time zone issues, we can still show your recorded presentation.
How do I get access to my session for live Q&A?
To find your session, click the magnifying glass on the left side of the navigation pane in the MeetingPlay dashboard and type your session name in the search box (this is the easiest and fastest way to find it.) From there, you will be able to click into the session and we recommend you save it for easy access.
Be there 30 minutes before your session, and after the pre-recorded video plays, you will be able to “View Admin Tools” and mark yourself as available, and allow the platform to access your video and audio.
Live Q&A
What is the live Q&A? Why is it important?
We recommend that speakers leave at least 10–15 minutes of their allotted session time to answer questions from attendees which makes the event more interactive and seem less like a webinar. Speakers will be able to join their session and answer questions via video, audio, or the text chat function.
Additionally, we are asking speakers to continue conversations with their session’s designated Slack channel after their session concludes to answer any remaining questions and increase engagement with attendees.
How does the live Q&A work?
As a speaker, you can read the questions in the Q&A Box, prioritize them, and either answer them via text during the pre-recorded session playback or answer them via voice after your live presentation.
I am pre-recording, do I need to participate in the live chat?
Yes. Live Q&A is required as this will provide added value to the audience and create more of an ‘event’ vs a webinar. Please note that your allotted session time should include Q&A and you will be able to answer questions via audio, video, or the live text chat. If you are unable to participate in live Q&A due to time zone constraints, please let us know as soon as possible.
Should I read the questions out loud?
Yes. We recommend that before you answer, you read the question out loud so the audience clearly knows what the question is that you are answering, which is especially useful once the session video is uploaded to YouTube.
Will attendees see the questions I am receiving?
Yes, attendees will be able to see them and additionally, will be able to add their “vote” to the question, which will push the question to the top. Again, we recommend you read the question so that attendees know what question you are answering.
I am unable to participate in a live Q&A session, what do I need to do?
While we recommend you join the live Q&A portion of the event, your session will not be canceled in the instance you cannot participate in Q&A. Contact us immediately to let us know if you cannot participate.
