Fast Abstracts Archives . .

FastAbstracts


WHAT IS a
FastAbstract

The History

Archives of
FastAbstracts

ISSRE 2003
ISSRE 2002
ISSRE 2001
ISSRE 2000
ISSRE 1999
ISSRE 1998
FTCS 1999
FTCS 1998

ISSRE Fastabstracts Speaker Info

 

Dear FastAbstract Author:

FastAbstracts have picked up at several conferences, and attract a lot of submissions as also the audience. I first introduced this at FTCS-28 and over the past several times it has been run, enhanced the process and tried to capture the nuggets to make it a good session both for the speakers and the audience. Here are a few tips:

  • You get 7.5 minutes - which is a LOT of time. Experts in communication will tell you it is the ideal time to maximize attention span. The key is to learn how to use it well.
  • Provide background material only enough to set the stage - (1 minute)
  • Focus on the key result, finding, learning, or issue. (4 minutes)
  • Do not get caught into so much detail that the essence is lost.
  • Provide a vision of where you plan to go - and where to find pointers.(30 seconds)
  • Allow time for atlease one question. This engages the audience and clarifies issues that you may not have touched upon or considered. (2 mins)
  • Practice, practice, practice. If you are an experienced conference speaker used to giving 30 minute talks or an instructor who teaches hour long classes, you may have a lot of speaking skills, but may not have similar experience in delivering an effective short talks. So, practice.

How you use foils are critical. A common mistake I see committed is speaker trying to flip through too much material, like 6 to 10 foils. It looses the audience and the message.

At the same time I have seen speakers who have but two foils: One picture foil illustrating the domain and clearly showing their concpet and contribution. Followed with a data chart that has a graph completely astounding the audience by the impact of their result. All this in less than 5 minutes, using the remaining time to entertain a couple insightful questions and comments.

So, prepare, rehearese or even dry run your talk with colleagues. It pays.

Procedure at the conference:

Please note the speaking order (same as the web page, and the printed proceedings) and be ready for your turn.

The session chair (I or someone else) will only announce the title of the FastAbstract. We will do no introduction.

You then have max of 6 minutes to speak. Use it well. At the 5th minute you will get a 1 minute sign.

At the 6th minute, you will be interrupted to open it to questions. As the question and answers continue the next speaker should be walking up towards the front of the auditorium.

 

Well done on your FastAbstract submission. Now pull of a dynamite talk a the conferece. See you at ISSRE, in Boca.

 

Ram Chillarege, October 8, 1999