Speakers FAQ

This FAQ is based on the one created by the organisers of the Drupal Commerce Camp 2011. We thank them for their kindness and hard work.

Goal of this guide

This FAQ is a guide for registered speakers at DrupalCamp Leuven. It is intended to provide registered speakers with an understanding of what will be expected of this year’s speakers. We ask that anyone registered in presenting reads this FAQ to ensure that they fully understand the responsibilities that come with speaking at DrupalCamp Leuven

Session length

A session at the Drupalcamp Leuven lasts a total of 50 minutes. Q & A included. 10 minutes to change rooms have been foreseen. Please respect this to prevent an outburst of chaos and anarchy.

Do I get paid or compensated for presenting at DrupalCamp Leuven?

Short, blunt answer: No.

Long, nice answer: Speaking at Drupalcamp Leuven is a great way to gain exposure to a diverse audience of engaged Web professionals from all over the country and beyond. As DrupalCamp Leuven sessions will probably be recorded and made available online after the conference, the potential reach of your session is nearly unlimited. We will add it to your dedicated page on the DrupalCamp Leuven website. It will stay there for another 4,5 billion years. You'll have the opportunity to add a badge to your website with special graphics to let others know that you're speaking at Drupalcamp Leuven. Unfortunately we will not be able to compensate speakers for their contribution.

Which language should my presentation be in?

Presentations on Saturday and Sunday must be in English. Presenters should keep in mind that the DrupalCamp Leuven serves a multilingual public and attracts diverse people from a wide variety of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Speakers should avoid humor that occurs at the expense of any individual or group of individuals or that relies on stereotypes about culture, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. Speakers should strive to use professional language and avoid profanities.

Some tips for creating slides?

A key element of your DrupalCamp Leuven presentation is your slide preparation. The audience will base its evaluation of you and your subject matter partly on the appearance of your images. An attractive, legible, and organized presentation will reflect positively on the content, and therefore on you. Please review these basic guidelines to ensure that your Drupalcamp Leuven presentation is the best it can possibly be:

Timing

Find out how much time is allowed for your presentation. Plan your talk and the number of slides to allow for a relaxed pace. Think of what you would change if the presentation had to be shortened or lengthened. Practice your talk before the conference. Time yourself. Force yourself to slow down a little. A rushed presentation will create more stress for you and won't be compelling.

Legibility

The session rooms at DrupalCamp Leuven are large, and your presentation must be legible from the back row. If you can stand two meters away from your computer's monitor and easily read your slides, your text is large enough. To achieve this, limit each slide to eight lines of text or less and limit each line of text to 30 characters or less. Use a bold typeface, no smaller than 28 points, with generous line spacing. Use key words, so that your slides will be quick and easy to read. You want the audience to hear your presentation, while the slides accentuate the points to remember. Use standard fonts. That way your presentation will be truly portable. Incorporate only the essential parts of a diagram and simplify whenever possible. While it is tempting to include detail for the sake of accuracy, too much will make the slide difficult to read and become a distraction. Break up complex diagrams into sections if you can, so that each section can be made larger and therefore more legible.

Capitalization <- no pun intended

Avoid the use of ALL CAPITAL letters. Words written in ALL CAPS are harder to read and take up more space on the screen. Use bold face and italics for emphasis, or use a bright color such as yellow text when normal body text is white. Underlined text is not recommended.

Color and Contrast

Make good use of color and contrast. Dark backgrounds tend to be easier to view, especially with light text and graphics. Good background color choices are black, blue, maroon, or gradient dark colors. Good text colors are white or yellow. If you use a light background, use black or very dark text and graphics. Maintain consistency throughout your slides. Using the same background color, text size, text color, and uniform fonts throughout all the slides makes it easier for the audience to follow the flow of your ideas.

Where can I find good resources for preparing my presentation?