Speaker Ready Guide Your guide to a smooth presentation experience.
4 Steps to Success
- Prepare your PowerPoint file before you arrive.
- Visit the Speaker Ready Desk early, once onsite.
- Review your presentation on the conference system
- Arrive at your session room 15 minutes early.
Before You Arrive
- Before you travel, please:
- Prepare your presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx) format only.
- Save your presentation using the following naming convention: Room Name–Day–Time–Last Name
Example: Cabot-June 24-10:00-Long - Bring a backup copy of your presentation on a USB drive.
When You Arrive Onsite
When you arrive onsite, please visit the Speaker Ready Desk as early as possible. It must be no later than one hour before your scheduled session start time. A workstation will be available so you can review your presentation on the conference system.
- Your slides open correctly.
- Fonts, images, animations, videos, and formatting appear as expected.
- Speaker Ready Desk staff can help if anything does not look right.
On Presentation Day
What to expect in the room:
Arrive at your session room at least 15 minutes before the session begins so you can meet the session chair and get comfortable with the room setup
- Your slides will already be loaded before your session begins.
- A conference-provided laptop will be available at the podium.
- Personal laptops will not be used during the session.
- Presenter View will be enabled so you can see your notes while presenting.
- Attendees will see only the projected presentation view, not your notes.
- Technical staff will confirm your presentation is available in the correct room before your session starts.
Help Every Attendee Follow Your Presentation
To make your slides more accessible
A few small choices can make your presentation easier for every attendee to see, hear, and understand.
- Use a minimum 20-point font whenever possible.
- Use high-contrast color combinations.
- Choose easy-to-read sans serif fonts such as Calibri or Arial.
- Include alt text or brief descriptions for images and graphics when appropriate.
- Use captions for video content when applicable.
- Verbally describe important images, graphs, charts, and other visual content during your presentation.
Need Help? Start Here
Where to go for help:
If something feels uncertain, the Speaker Ready Desk is the best place to get help before your session.
- Before your presentation: Visit the Speaker Ready Desk for uploads, file access, and basic troubleshooting.
- If your slides, videos, fonts, or animations may not display correctly: Stop by as early as possible so you have time to review your file.
- During your session: Check in with the technical staff assigned to your meeting room.
One Final Reminder
To help your session begin on time and avoid last-minute technical issues, all presentations must be submitted through the Speaker Ready Desk at least one hour before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Presentations should not be brought directly to the session room for loading immediately before a session.
Following this process gives staff time to confirm your file is ready and helps you focus on delivering your presentation.