UXcampAMS would not be possible without our sponsors, and you, the content creators and community. This is your chance to pitch your ideas, views and thoughts and run a session based on a UX topic of your choice. If you are considering running a session, then read on to gain more insight into the day and some tips for presenting.
The opportunity to share your knowledge, vision and perspectives.
Take the opportunity to discuss, explore, validate and build on your ideas with an engaged audience of like-minded professionals. In addition, showcasing your talents can be a great way build up your network, enhance your professional credentials.
What should I talk about?
You’ve probably got loads of ideas for great sessions, but in case you need any inspiration, you may wish to consider the following:
- Are there UX topics that are not, in your opinion, receiving enough attention?
- Have you worked on an interesting product or project? What insights can you share?
- Have you performed some UX research with interesting results? What were they and what did you learn?
- Are you currently working on a challenging assignment and would like thoughts and ideas from colleagues?
- Have you recently tried new techniques with great/disastrous/surprising outcomes?
- Looking for work? Showcase your talents!
What should I expect on the day?
The day starts with the “Madness Session” which is due to begin at around 9:30. During this session we will start by asking anybody who would like to present to fill in a Session card with some basic details on it. Once all sessions cards are complete, you will be invited onto the stage to give a 30 second pitch on your topic. The audience will vote for sessions and we will create the day’s agenda during as the Madness Session progresses, assigning time slots and rooms. Remember, your pitch is your first chance to make an impression, try and inject energy and passion into the delivery to give people a glimpse of what to expect in the session.
We expect to have time and space for up to 30 sessions, spread across six rooms. Each session will last no more than 45 minutes. We would advise that you should plan 30 minutes for the main part of your session and 15 minutes for questions and discussion.
OK, I’m in. What do I do now?
So, you’ve decided that you want to lead a session. Congratulations. You’re Awesome.
Below you’ll find some tips to help you prepare for the day.
Make sure that you have a ticket - The BarCamp format revolves around everyone being a participant. There are no keynote sessions or pre-arranged speakers. There is no agenda before the day itself. The event comes to life on the day itself. So if you’d like to attend and present, make sure that you have a ticket. If you don’t have a ticket already, head on over to our tickets page and grab one. If all the tickets have all been snapped up, please join the waiting list to find out if and when more will become available.
Arrive On Time - As a potential presenter, it’s crucial that you arrive on time to ensure that you are available to complete your session card and pitch in the Madness Session.
Teamwork makes the Dream Work - Leading a session for 45 minutes can be hard work. Why not share the workload? Presentations can be collaborative so if you want to run a session, but would rather have like-minded colleagues or peers to bounce off, then why not team up? Just remember you will all need a ticket!
Pick the Right Format - At UXcamp, it’s up to you how you want to run your session. However, we encourage you to consider the best way to deliver your content. For example:
- if you are looking for a range of professional opinions and would like to gather feedback, then consider a discussion type format.
- If you would like to inform and educate on methods, tools and techniques, consider a workshop.
- If you have a story to tell, the maybe a presentation is best.
Try and plan your session in a way that maximises the benefit for both you and your audience and gets the plaudits rolling in after the session.
Be Prepared - For the pitch, make sure that you can “sell” your session in 30 seconds. Focus on your core message and think what will appeal to your desired audience.
For the session, pay attention to the structure. Ensure it has a good introduction, some key learning points and a natural end point. Define a couple of key take aways and make sure that you wrap up with these.
You don’t have to have all the answers - UXcamp thrives on variety. We welcome presentations, workshops and discussions on all manner of UX related topics. Sessions do not have to be one presenter sharing ideas and opinions. If you have a loose topic that you would like to explore, garner opinion on or work through with peers, then why not pitch a discussion session?
Be open to new ideas and perspectives - The great thing about assembling so many talented and smart individuals in one place is that we can all learn from each other. Whether leading a session or attending a session, there will be plenty of “light bulb” moments and opportunities to build on, discuss and explore these further. Embrace it!
Bring what you Need - If you will be presenting slides, then please make sure you bring your laptop and presentation with you. Meeting spaces will be equipped with either a TV or projector. A number of the spaces also have large whiteboards. If you need any additional materials such as Post it Notes or Flip Charts, please bring these with you.
Don’t let language be a barrier - UXcampAMS has attendees coming from across Europe and beyond. Therefore, sessions should be held in English. That being said, the majority of attendees are not native English speakers, so don’t worry about delivering sessions in the “Queen’s English”. We’re UX’ers, not Oxford English majors!
Shameless Self Promotion - If you are planning to run a session, let the world know. Use Social Media to notify your followers and contacts. Maybe they’d like to come along too! Don’t forget to use the hashtag #UXcampAMS16. This helps build anticipation to the event, gives attendees an early insight into some of the sessions…….and it also makes it difficult for you to back out at the last minute
A final note
Very few of us are natural public speakers. Presenting can be daunting. If you’d like to present, but are thinking that nerves may get the better of you, just remember that you’ll be among like minded people who attend sessions because they are interested in the topics presented and are keen to listen to the insights of passionate and knowledgeable speakers. Speak with attendees and organisers before the madness session and keep the above tips in mind and you’ll be all set to deliver a killer pitch and session.
