Sessionize.com - smart way to manage call for papers, speaker and agenda

The 2019 Call for Speakers as been re-opened for submissions OR revisions until July 31st! Before you head over to Sessionize and submit, we’d like to give you a bit of insight into what kind of sessions might work well for this years content:

What kinds of sessions are we looking for?

  • We are looking for engaging sessions that span our 4 tracks – a session could be a talk, an exercise, a game, a demonstration, or a tutorial. 
  • People attending the conference are looking for advice and insights that they can learn at the conference and then apply on their agile teams, so practical sessions are ideal.
  • Sessions that make learning on agile topics interactive and fun.

What kinds of sessions are we NOT looking for?

  • As Agile Midwest is a learning focused conference, we are not looking for “sales pitch” sessions that focus exclusively on a demo of for-sale tool, methodology, or framework – we do have vendor sponsorship packages available if you’d like to exhibit to demo a tool.
  • It is OK to provide a brief demonstration of a tool, but demos should support learning objectives agnostic of any specific tool or framework.
  • Sessions that are NOT supportive of the intent of our code of conduct to “Be Kind & Professional to All” – non-professional and/or disrespectful behavior & activities will not be tolerated.

What makes a great session at Agile Midwest?

  • Highly interactive and engaging content – hands on, real coding / configuration / testing, agile games for learning. 
  • Include practices & activities to reinforce learning objectives – have people work in groups/pairs, debrief activities, etc.
  • As our conference sessions are short, be sure to provide references and ways that people can learn more after your session at the conference.

Tips for creating a submission …..

  • Design your abstract to persuade people to attend. Suggest beginning with a startling statement or compelling question. Defining a problem statement and making a call to action can be an effective technique.
  • Consider providing a description of your presentation format, exercises or activities you intend to include.
  • Above all, ensure your abstract is well written and your ideas are clearly articulated.
  • Include timings, outlines, exercises, etc – anything that helps the review team understand your thinking behind the session and how you will manage it.
  • Provide learning outcomes of what people will take away

NEW for 2019 – Agile Midwest will host a pre-conference Women in Agile event on Tuesday afternoon, September 24, 2019.  A separate registration is required for this event – all are invited to attend.  The Women in Agile event will feature 45 minute sessions focused on Diversity & Inclusion as well as 12 minute sessions to highlight new voices & speakers in the agile community.

  • Diversity/Inclusion thru Agile (Women in Agile). For most of us our work lives revolve around the people we interact, engage and collaborate with to build products by following a certain process that help us organize and manage our work. In every area there is an impact from diversity. In this 45-minute session, Agilistas will share their knowledge/ideas/tips on topics that focus on diversity and inclusion.
  • Launching new Voices (Women in Agile).  A 12-minute lighting talk for Agilistas in the Midwest to experience something new by being first time conference speakers. Have a topic around people, process or product you are passionate about. Here is your opportunity to bring it to the world. For this track you have the opportunity mentored by a veteran conference speaker to help you prepare for your talk.