devopsdays Nashville - propose

Call for proposals opens Wednesday, Jun 1, 2016.
Call for proposals closes Wednesday, Aug 31, 2016.
Selected proposals will be announced on Thursday, Sep 15, 2016.

Our CFP has now ended. Thank you to all those who submitted!

There are three ways to propose a session:
  1. A proposal for a talk/panel during the conference part : these are 30 minute slots that will have the full attention of all attendees, as everybody will be in that one room.
  2. An Ignite talk that will be presented during the Ignite sessions. These are 5 minutes slots with slides changing every 15 seconds (20 slides total) which are also presented to all attendees in one room
  3. Open Space session : even without a prepared presentation we welcome the discussion and interaction by having people propose a session on the fly during Open Space. Check the Open Space explanation for more information.

Our main criteria to make it to the top selection are:

  • original content: content not yet presented at other conferences, or a new angle to an existing problem
  • new presenters: people who are new to the space and have insightful stuff to say; we want to hear everybody’s voice
  • no vendor pitches: as much as we value vendors and sponsors, we just don’t think this is the right forum. You can demo at your table or during Open Space.

How to submit a proposal: Send an email to [[email protected] ] with the following information

  1. Proposal working title (can be changed later)
  2. Type (presentation, panel discussion, moderated general discussion, debate, etc.,ignite)
  3. Description or abstract

Rules:

  • Be specific… we aren’t mind readers (a description of about 20 lines is about right)
  • Detail is good… but not as important as explaining why your proposal would be interesting
  • Propose your own talk; don’t have someone else do it for you.
  • Nominations welcome… if you know someone who has content/experience relevant to the DevOps conversation, please point us in their direction!
  • Multiple proposals welcome… just follow the other rules

Choosing talks is part art, part science; here are some factors we consider when trying to assemble the best possible program for our local audience:

  • broad appeal: How will your talk play out in a room of people with a variety of backgrounds? Technical deep dives need more levels to provide value for the whole room, some of whom might not use your specific tool.
  • new local presenters: You are the only one who can tell your story. We are very interested in the challenges and successes being experienced in our local area. We are happy to provide guidance/coaching for new speakers upon request.
  • under-represented voices: We want to hear all voices, including those that may speak less frequently at similar events. Whether you’re in a field not typically thought of as a technology field, you’re in a large, traditional organization, or you’re the only person at your organization with your background, we are interested in your unique experience.
  • original content: We prefer talks not already presented at another event, especially another one in the local area or one available in recorded form.
  • no third-party submissions: If a PR firm or your marketing department is proposing the talk, you’ve already shown that as a speaker you’re distant from the process. This is a small community-driven event, and speakers need to be directly engaged with the organizers and attendees.
  • no vendor pitches: As much as we value vendors and sponsors, we are not going to accept a talk that appears to be a pitch for your product.

If your employer does not cover travel expenses you incur as a speaker at devopsdays Nashville, the conference can and will help; speakers receive free conference tickets and should not need to incur out-of-pocket travel expenses in order to participate.