Suggestions for Speakers

Thank you for agreeing to share your expertise at our 14th annual conference, in Montreal, Quebec. This year's conference includes a French track for the first time and promises to attract an audience from a greater diversity of nations and languages.

Based on the formats of the most successful UPA presentations, we would like to suggest some practices for increasing presentation effectiveness. These ideas have come directly from attendees' ratings and remarks on session evaluations. While we acknowledge that many presenters are very experienced, we hope these suggestions will be of some help to all presenters, in optimizing presentations for the UPA audience.

To Do (see your acceptance letter for details):

Due April 15, 2005

• Audio Visual Form with Needs for Presentation
• Electronic Version of Materials
• Copyright Transfer Form if needed

Due June 3, 2005

• Register for the Conference - registration begins in February of 2005
• Reserve your sleeping room at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth (please use this link. It automagically puts in the conference code, so you get the discounted conference rate.

Speaker Suggestions:

1. Getting Organized
2. Slide Tips
3. Speaking Tips
4. Be Approachable at the Conference
5. Authors, Make Your Books Available

Getting Organized

Plan Interaction

• UPA attendees favor presentations where speakers ask questions of the audience
• Plan interactivity into your presentation in the form of practical exercises, Q&A or audience sharing of their relevant experiences and stories.
• Allow one-third of your overall time for sharing ideas, experiences, and issues, as a whole audience or in small groups.

Provide Handouts

• UPA will not provide printed proceedings this year. Please be sure that you bring sufficient handouts for everyone in your audience. This would be approximately 250 copies for more popular presentations, and 150 copies for others.

Slide Tips

Include a Presentation Overview Slide

Project an initial 'abstract' slide so attendees can read it as they enter your room. Include the following:

• Your name, professional affiliation
• Session title, as it appears in the program
• A goal statement of no more than 10-15 words that describes how your session content explores the conference theme and the topic of your track.

Keep Slides Short and Easy to Read

• No more than five bullets on each slide
• Use large text
• Use a text color that contrasts well with the slide background color, such as black on white, or yellow on black
• Type that is lighter than the background should be sans-serif
• Avoid "light" or "book" type weights

Speaking Tips

Speak Slowly, Simply and Clearly

• Make it easier for non-native English speakers to take meaningful notes and more fully understand all the content of your presentation.

Finish on Time

• Finish your talk on time or early. Respect the break times. Some presenters think they are doing a service by giving a longer talk, however, breaks are planned carefully, and attendees expect and want them on time.

Give Examples

• Pepper your own stories and examples throughout your presentation.
• Describe practical applications of your main points.

Summarize Main Points

• Reprise your goal statement at the end of your talk and link your closing remarks directly to it
• Plan time to close your presentation with a summary of your own main points that particularly reflect the goal statement that began your session (see #5 above) and including the most relevant and appropriate points, ideas and issues raised through audience participation

Use Slides as a Tool

• Use your slides as a visual tool, and to remind you of main points
• Do not read the text directly off your slides

Refer to Other Presentations

• Refer to points you heard during other presentations at UPA, when appropriate. This helps promote a community feeling at UPA.

Respect Other Usability Professionalss

• Of course it is fine to cite and disagree with others' work. However, it is not acceptable to denounce others' work when they are not there to respond.

Remind Attendees About Session Evaluations

• A volunteer will pass these out to attendees for you

Be Approachable at the Conference

• Many attendees want reference materials and contact information to follow up with presenters after the conference. Bring your business cards.
• At the conference, you will be given a "speaker" ribbon to attach to your nametag. Please wear it so attendees who were at your presentation can find you more easily and to discuss your talk with you.

Authors, Make Your Books Available

If you have written a book, it can be offered for sale at the conference bookshop. Specific information will be provided at www.upassoc.org about two months before the conference.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the UPA 2005 Conference Committee for additional information. You can find contact information at www.upassoc.org. Once again, thank you for presenting at UPA 2005.