Abstract¶

The abstract is published in the conference schedule. It should be publication ready, although it might be edited for brevity and consistency by the conference staff.

Include a brief story, typically two to four paragraphs, describing your personal work experience with the topic. Write to appeal to our audience of documentarians. We work hard to include talks that are well suited to our audience.

Include a list of takeaways that our audience can learn from your talk, such as:

• Lessons the audience can apply in their own work

• Ideas the audience should research further

• Spoilers that provide details about the talk

Avoid walls of text. We recommend that you limit your abstract to a maximum of 300 words.

Who and Why¶

Use this section to show the selection committee that you understand and empathize with your audience. Help them think: “Oh yes, this talk could help me when I do X in my work!”

Answer the questions:

• Who is this talk for?

• Why is this helpful, applicable, important, etc.?

Our audience creates documentation primarily for software. Given the variety of tools used for software documentation, we rarely accept talks that focus on a specific software tool or set of tools. If a talk does include tools, you should also discuss the wider context, applications, and implications of implementing the tools.

Our audience goes beyond the technical writing community. Here’s a typical demographic distribution of people who attend our conferences:

• Technical Writers (60%)

• Developers (10%)

• Support Staff (10%)

• Managers (10%)

• Community Contributors, Enthusiasts & Other Folks (10%)

Other Information¶

Based on your background, use this section to describe your qualifications to the selection committee, especially including community activities.