Session Types and Descriptions

The STC Summit is the premier technical communication conference and is committed to delivering the highest quality tech comm education. Based on feedback from attendees, the conference committee has made some changes to the session formats for the 2017 Summit. We will no longer be offering progression, workshop, or lightning talks, but there are two new formats from which to choose, spotlight and training solution. The conference committee believes the 2017 session types will offer presenters and attendees the best opportunities to foster learning, open discussions, and present information for this industry leading conference.

The Summit offers several session types that provide formats to support different learning and presentation styles. Review these session types and select the format that matches your topic and presentation style.

Presentation (50 minutes)

A presentation can be a case study, research report, demonstration, or informational session about a primary topic of interest. The session may include a successful design approach, management effort, or technology implementation. You may also choose to demonstrate an application using real-world examples and scenarios. Your session must be informative and not a commercial or endorsement for a specific product. Be sure to include alternatives you considered and challenges you faced. Note: We are not accepting proposals with multi-presenters.

We will request a paper to include in the Summit Proceedings for all accepted presentations. The Society will provide a complimentary conference registration for a presentation session speaker.

Training Solution (50 minutes)

Training Solutions are a practical, solution-focused talk that is education, interactive, and audience-engaging. For example, the talk can highlight and demonstrate how to solve a problem and then give attendees an opportunity to participate or offer their own take or suggestions on the situation. Speakers should encourage and facilitate conversation and discussion with the audience (ask questions, propose a different approach, pose scenarios, etc.).

We will request a paper to include in the Summit Proceedings for all accepted presentations. The Society will provide a complimentary conference registration for a training solution session speaker.

Spotlight Talk (20 minutes)

Spotlight sessions are similar to TED talks; they should be timely, engaging, informative, and entertaining. These presentations that can inspirational or motivational, but the topic must be relevant to the profession or attendees in some way. Often there is a catching story or real-world examples that demonstrate or prove the speakers premise or message. Spotlight talks follow a single speaker, presentation style format and do not have a podium. Speakers are expected to talk in front of the crowd with a well-paced and well-rehearsed delivery.

During a 50-minute moderated session, 2 spotlight talks will be presented back-to-back (with complementary or contrasting topics that will be interesting to the audience). Each speaker will talk for 20 minutes and then there will be approximately 10 minutes at the end of the session for questions to both speakers. The moderator will introduce each speaker (basic contact info), quickly transition between talks, and then moderate audience questions (between the 2 speakers).

We will request a paper to include in the Summit Proceedings for all accepted spotlight talks. The Society will provide a discounted registration for a spotlight talk speaker.

Pre-conference Workshop (Half or Full Day)

Pre-conference workshops are for people seeking a more in-depth learning experience on a specific topic prior to the Summit education sessions. There are two workshop options: half-day or full-day. Half-day workshops are conducted in the morning or afternoon (before or after a lunch break). Full-day workshops are conducted in the morning and afternoon (with a break for lunch in between)

You are invited to submit proposals for tutorials (lecture and discussion for in-depth exploration of a topic with limited hands-on activity) or workshops (lecture and discussion with significant hands-on activities) about topics of interest targeted at a large number of our attendees.

The Society will provide a stipend and a complimentary conference registration for each pre-conference session.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Conference Committee (stcsummit at gmail dot com) for more information.