Talk selection for a conference is a delicate process that requires attention to detail and objectivity, aiming to promote the most suitable proposals received from community members.
The committee consists of several professionals who have volunteered their time to create a high-level agenda.
Let’s look at the main criteria guiding the committee in their selection:
- Speaker Experience and Expertise (0-5): based on previous performances and known expertise. If the speaker is unknown, the score remains neutral
- Content Relevance and Quality (0-5): content must be relevant to the selected categories and of excellent quality. If there are inconsistencies between the title and abstract versus categorization, or if the content lacks quality, this score becomes insufficient
- Originality and Innovation (0-5): While some talks are timeless classics, Codemotion aims for originality and exclusivity. It’s essential to propose new content rather than repeating what has been presented elsewhere
The weighted average of these scores determines the proposal’s final rating, which is then collectively discussed by the committee for final selection.
Let’s dive deeper into how we evaluate content quality.
Title: The First Impression
The title is the proposal’s business card. During evaluation, we consider three fundamental aspects:
- Appeal: It should capture attention and spark curiosity among potential attendees
- Clarity: It must accurately reflect the presentation’s content
- Relevance: It should align with the conference’s theme and objectives
Abstract: The Heart of the Proposal
The abstract represents the presentation’s synthesis and must effectively communicate:
- Clear Objectives: What are the specific goals and questions to be addressed
- Effective Summary: In 150-250 words, provide a complete but concise overview
- Relevance: Why this talk matters to the community
Language and Neutrality
Communication must remain professional and objective:
- Neutral Tone: Avoid overly promotional or subjective proposals
- Inclusivity: Language should be respectful and accessible to all
- Technical Precision: Technical terms should be used properly, without excess
A Good Example
Title: “Integrating Security into the DevOps Pipeline: The Evolution towards DevSecOps”
Abstract: “With the growing adoption of DevOps practices to optimize software development, integrating security into these processes has become essential. This presentation explores the transition from traditional DevOps to DevSecOps, highlighting the importance of embedding security measures throughout the software development lifecycle. Through case studies and practical insights, we will provide the necessary tools to effectively implement DevSecOps principles, ensuring robust security without compromising agility.”
Categories: DevOps, Software Architecture, Cloud
Why it works:
- The title is engaging yet precise
- The abstract clearly defines objectives and benefits
- The language is professional and objective
- The talk clearly addresses DevOps/DevSecOps
- It covers architectural aspects of the development pipeline
- DevSecOps implementations are often closely tied to cloud
An Example to Avoid
Title: “DevOps is Dead: Why You Should Care About Security”
Abstract: “In today’s world, everyone knows how important security is. If you’re still doing DevOps without thinking about security, you’ll probably fail. This talk will show you why you need to switch to DevSecOps right now. You’ll see incredible tools that everyone should use to stay relevant. Don’t miss this unique opportunity!”
Categories: DevOps, Inspirational, Emerging Technologies
Why it doesn’t work:
- The title is sensationalist and unprofessional
- The abstract is vague and overly promotional
- Lacks concrete content and uses inappropriate language
- Though it mentions DevOps, it does so superficially
- The sensationalist tone tries to position it as “inspirational” without substance
- The “Emerging Technologies” label seems used only to appear trendy, without real justification
The quality of talks is fundamental to a conference’s success. Through these criteria, our committee is committed to selecting content that can truly enrich the tech community.
We invite all speakers, present and future, to consider these criteria when preparing their proposals: an engaging and precise title, well-structured and relevant abstract, and correct categorization significantly increase the chances of being selected and contributing to the event’s success.
