Welcome
We are excited to welcome you as a speaker for Open Source Summit + Embedded Linux Conference + OSPOCon, taking place the week of September 27. These events are happening both in-person at the Hyatt Regency Seattle in Seattle, Washington, and virtually via the MeetingPlay virtual platform.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Timing of sessions is subject to change through Friday, August 20 due to schedule changes that will be made as speakers finalize whether speaking in person or virtually.
Please click through the tabs on this page to access information.
Registration
Your registration serves as confirmation that you will be speaking and you will need to register as either an in-person OR virtual speaker by Friday, August 13, 2021. If you have a co-speaker or panelists, please confirm with them before registering as everyone will need to register in the same way (i.e., you cannot present in-person with a co-speaker who can only speak virtually).
NOTE: Once you register as an in-person or virtual speaker, this will be final and you will not be able to switch.
You should have received registration details in your acceptance email. If you need this information sent to you again, please contact cfp@linuxfoundation.org. If you are not registered by August 13, there is a possibility that your speaking slot will be replaced by one on our waiting list so please do so promptly.
All speakers receive complimentary registration and any co-speakers or panelists can register using the same details provided above. If, after your talk is accepted, you add a speaker that was not included in your initial submission, that/those speaker(s) will not receive complimentary registration, but will receive a 40% discount off the prevailing registration rate. Please contact cfp@linuxfoundation.org for details.
Schedule, Timing + Speaker Profiles
The schedule will be announced Thursday, July 22, and will be posted on our website using sched.com.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Timing of sessions is subject to change through Friday, August 20 due to schedule changes that will be made as speakers finalize whether speaking in person or virtually.
Presentation Templates
An optional PowerPoint template or OpenDocument template is available to download for your use but is not required.
Platform & Specifications
We will be using the virtual platform MeetingPlay that will allow speakers to deliver content by pre-recorded talk. MeetingPlay is a virtual venue with multiple interactive areas that allow attendees to move in and out of rooms just like an in-person event, enjoy speaker content, and make personal connections.
Pre-recording Information
Virtual speakers will pre-record their talk, which will be played through the event platform, and will then participate in Q+A at a pre-scheduled time (with more details will follow).
We have multiple options for uploading your pre-recorded presentation:
Virtual Speaker Q&A
As with physical events, interaction is essential to the success of hybrid events & we are asking every virtual presenter to be available during their session for live Q&A via text chat in the topic-specific Slack channel. This will provide added value to the audience & create more of an ‘event’ experience.
When your scheduled session begins, please join the Slack workspace channel that matches with the track your session is in (ex: Join the #LinuxSystems channel if you spoke in the Linux Systems track). Let attendees in the channel know your name and the talk you are giving and open the floor for questions (ex: Hi, I’m Terry Smith and my talk called “RT Linux for Beginners” just started and I am here to answer questions you might have). You can answer questions for the duration of your session, and up to 15 minutes afterwards.
If you cannot join for Q+A, please email cfp@linuxfoundation.org so that we can update our records accordingly and let any attendees with questions know to contact you via the MeetingPlay platform.
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.
Source: https://www.inxpo.com/assets/pdfs/litepapers/How-To-Be-An-Engaging-Speaker.pdf
Additional Resources
- Web Presenting: Gear Tips + Enhancing Your Remote Studio
- 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.
Inclusive Speaker Orientation Online Course
In collaboration with the National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT), the Linux Foundation 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. Our code of conduct is strictly enforced. We ask that speakers especially review this code of conduct and are careful to be inclusive in the words and images used during their presentations.
Contact Us
If you have any other platform, speaker, or schedule-related questions, please contact us at cfp@linuxfoundation.org.
