Speaker Guide

We are excited to welcome you as a speaker for GitOpsCon Europe 2023, which will take place virtually Tuesday, 5 December – Wednesday, 6 December.

This is your official event speaker guide. Please bookmark this page for easy reference. If you have any questions, please email speakers@cncf.io.

Please click through the tabs on this page to access information.

• Schedule Announcement: Wednesday, 1 November
• Speaker Registration Deadline: Wednesday, 15 November
• Additional AV Needs Deadline: Friday, 17 November
• Pre-Recorded Video Deadline: Wednesday, 29 November, 11:59 PM CET
• Upload PDF of Slides to Sched.com Deadline: Friday, 1 December
• Event Dates: Tuesday, 5 December – Wednesday, 6 December

To confirm your participation and secure your speaking slot, it’s important to complete your registration by Wednesday, 15 November, using the details you received in your notification email. If you require this information again, please reach out to speakers@cncf.io. Failure to register by the deadline may result in your slot being given to someone on our waitlist.

Complimentary registration is also extended to co-speakers or panelists from the original CFP submission.

The schedule will be announced on Wednesday, 1 November, and posted on our website using sched.com. You will receive an email directly from sched.com asking you to create your account; please be sure your preferred bio and photo is uploaded.

Reminder: All sessions are 20 minutes in duration, and lightning talks are 10 minutes in duration. If you have a conflict with the timing of your talk, find that it conflicts with the content of another talk, or are having problems uploading your bio and photo, please contact speakers@cncf.io.

Please note the following technical requirements:

• All presentations must be pre-recorded and uploaded to this folder by Wednesday, 29 November, 11:59 PM CET (UTC +1)
  • Videos must be submitted to us in .mp4 format. This can be achieved by using any virtual video conference software that allows you to download the video, but we often see pre-records from speakers coming from Zoom. If you use Zoom, be sure to record in HD.
  • Slides should be formatted to 16:9 for optimal viewing
  • Please read through the best practices section before recording
• Platform: We will be using the virtual platform Accel for this event. More information about the platform and how to use it will be shared in the coming weeks.
• Q&A: Please ensure you are available during the time of your session as we may have an opportunity for you to communicate with the audience via chat to answer questions. More information on this is forthcoming.
• If you require any additional AV, please email speakers@cncf.io with those needs by Friday, 17 November. The Linux Foundation will make every effort to accommodate other AV needs; however, final approval for additional AV requests will be made case-by-case.

All speakers must also upload their final presentation slides by Friday, 1 December. In addition to providing a hard copy for accessibility purposes, we find that adding the presentations before the event helps to drive interest in attending the session.

To upload slides, follow these instructions (guide with screenshots):

• Log into your GitOpsCon Europe speaker profile through Sched.com or via the mobile site
• Go to your session within Sched
• Click on Session tools to the right of the session title
• Underneath the session title, select Add Presentation
• Upload your pdf document (note: there is a 50MB size limit)
• The presentation will automatically save to your session

An optional PowerPoint template is available to download for your use but is not required. 

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.

Webcams & Cameras

• Remember that 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.
• Place the webcam at eye level. The lens should either be directly level or pointing slightly downwards toward the face. Center the face and shoulders in the frame.
• Don’t be afraid to show your natural environment – bookcases, plants, paintings – as long as they are not too distracting. Avoid bright colors and anything that moves in your background.
• 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.

Microphones & Audio

• 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.
• 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.
• Manage ambient noise by closing doors and windows as well as turning off fans, phones, or speakers.
• 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.

Additional Tips

• 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.
• 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.
• Use a Timer: Have a clock to keep track of the time you have remaining.
• Ensure you have stable internet access: Hardwired connection is preferable. If a hardwired connection is not available, turn devices off that will affect your connectivity during your presentation, and make sure that anyone in the house is not on devices and/or consuming bandwidth.

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.

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 presentation.

If you have any other questions, please contact us at speakers@cncf.io.