Reactive Summit

This event has passed. View the upcoming Applications Events.

Virtual Speaker Guide

Welcome

We are excited to welcome you as a speaker for Reactive Summit 2022, taking place Tuesday, October 25. The event is happening in person at the Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Timing of sessions is subject to change.

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

Important Dates + Deadlines

  • Speakers Registration Deadline: Thursday, September 29. You should have received registration information in your speaker notification email. Please email cfp@linuxfoundation.org if you need this information sent to you again.
  • In-person Additional AV Request Deadline: Tuesday, October 11
  • Virtual Speaker Pre-recorded Session Due: Tuesday, October 18
  • Upload Presentation Slides to Sched: Friday, October 21
  • Event Date: Tuesday, October 25
  • Timezone: Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), UTC-4

Registration

Your registration serves as confirmation that you will be speaking and you will need to register by Tuesday, September 29.

If you do plan on attending in person, please be aware that anyone coming on site must be vaccinated against COVID-19, and you can review that information on our Health & Safety page.

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 September 29, 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.

Virtual Platform

We will be using the virtual platform Accelevents which will allow speakers to deliver content by pre-recorded talk. Accelevents 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. 

Schedule & Uploading a Bio/Photo

The schedule will be announced on Thursday, September 15, and posted on our website using sched.com. You will receive an email directly from sched.com asking you to create your account; please make sure to upload your bio and photo.

  • Reminder – If you have a conflict with the timing of your talk or find that it conflicts with the content of another session; or are having problems uploading your bio and photo, please contact cfp@linuxfoundation.org.

Presentation Templates

The schedule will be announced on Thursday, September 15, and posted on our website using sched.com. You will receive an email directly from sched.com asking you to create your account; please make sure to upload your bio and photo.

  • Reminder – If you have a conflict with the timing of your talk or find that it conflicts with the content of another session; or are having problems uploading your bio and photo, please contact cfp@linuxfoundation.org.

Pre-recording Details

Virtual speakers will pre-record their talk, which will be played through the event platform, Accelevents. All pre-recorded talks are due by Tuesday, October 18.

NOTE: There is an official Powerpoint Template you can use for your presentation but please note, it is not required.

  • Some suggested tools to use for recording are Quicktime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, a screen recorder, or something similar. The recording should show your slides/screen as well as you presenting using a picture-in-picture style format. 
  • Ensure you have stable internet access.  A hardwired connection is preferable for your recording.  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.

We have multiple options for uploading your pre-recorded presentation:

Virtual Speaker Q&A

We ask that all virtual speakers be available during their online session to take questions via the session chat box.

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. Do use a ring light or other lighting source placed in front of you. Natural lighting is best.
  • 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 so.
  • Timer – have a clock to keep track of the time you have remaining. 

Source: 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.

Source: https://www.inxpo.com/assets/pdfs/litepapers/How-To-Be-An-Engaging-Speaker.pdf

Additional Resources

Promote Your Talk

We appreciate you spreading the word about #reactiverummit and your session – please find some sample tweets below to share on your social channels!

  • Proud to be chosen as a speaker for #reactivesummit– visit “link to your session” to add my talk to your schedule!
  • Thrilled to announce I’ll be presenting at #reactivesummit! Visit https://bit.ly/3BD0Z2f to see the full schedule 👍
  • Can’t wait to speak at #reactivesummit – visit https://bit.ly/3BD0Z2f to check out the full lineup!

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.

Sponsors

Platinum

Partner