Howdy!
As previously referenced, the Where 2.0 2011 is now open. I hope you
can all make it. If you don't know what I am talking about go to ->
http://where2conf.com/where2011
The first day of the conference will be workshops. The second and third
days will have keynotes in the morning and breakout sessions in the afternoon.
The tracks this year are going to be Location, Mobile and Social. It's going to
4/19-21 in the Santa Clara Convention Center. I hope that there's a WhereCamp
on one of the adjoining weekends.
During the CFP process we're going to be looking for talks, product
launches (which i know are *really* far off right now) and games. You can
submit a talk now: http://where2conf.com/where2011/public/cfp/127 It will be
open until 10/25. I can be contacted via [email protected] after that date, but
the competition increases as we fill up the slots.
Here's a non-exhaustive list of the types of things that we'll be
looking for.
HTML5 - A location app needs a map. The release of Javascript mapping
frameworks Polymaps and Cartagen prove that modern browsers and HTML5 can
duplicate Flash and that geo apps can be built. Is this the next killer tech?
Data Collections - Mobile apps are not just about "check-ins," they're about
users and data. With more users comes more realtime data, and with more data
comes the ability to get even more users via better services.
Users vs. Features - Location apps are often so powerful that users don't
always understand what's being done with their data. Services have to protect
their users. Who is doing it successfully and what are the cautionary tales?
Public vs. Private - Geodata is often a fact. This house is here. This person
was there at this time. But just because it's a fact doesn't mean it should be
public—or does it?
Ads vs. Subscriptions - Location apps need to make money and the business model
debate continues to rage about the best way to go about it.
Interfaces - Augmented reality is the interface du jour and there is always a
2D vs. 3D debate.
Future of Mapping - Maps are the heart of Where 2.0. There are new imagery,
recording, and collection technologies that will change maps in the coming
years.
Government & Humanitarian - Location, mobile, and social technologies are being
used to save lives and open governments around the world. Look no further than
the use of Ushahidi in Haiti to see a successful example.
cheers!
brady
PS - here are some tips on writing your proposal
Successful proposals will
Tell a unique story. What lessons can only you share? What insights are you
uniquely qualified to explain? We’re interested in your experience far more
than your credentials. If you speak at a lot of events, be sure to note why
this presentation is different. Warmed-over talks from the conference circuit
are less likely to be appealing. The conference has a limited number of slots,
and if attendees can see the same talk somewhere else, why should they come see
you at this one?
Be authentic. Your peers need real-world scenarios they can use. Please submit
original presentation ideas that focus on knowledge transfer, and engaging and
relevant examples.
Present something relevant. If you’re presenting a new way to do something that
others have been doing for a decade or more, you need an angle on it that’s
fresh or an explanation for why it’s important now. The hot things are hot, the
cold things are cold, but there are interesting problems in almost everything.
One of your challenges as a proposer is to demonstrate that you understand that
attendees might need an extra reason to pay attention to something that they
might otherwise think of as “settled”.
Provide a clear description of what attendees will learn. Whether your proposed
session seeks to explain an emerging trend or teach a critical skill, you must
provide a direct, concise description of what attendees will learn. If your
presentation is about something truly ground-breaking, earth-shattering, and
new, it will be helpful to the reviewers if you describe it in terms of things
that attendees might already know of.
Be thorough. If you are proposing a panel tell us who else would be on it. If
you are going to have a release let us know. If you feel this is something that
hasn’t been covered at Where 2.0 before let us know. The more we know about
what you plan to present and why it matters, the better.
Keep the audience in mind. Our audience is technical, professional, and already
pretty smart.
Clearly identify the level of the talk. Is your talk for beginners to the
topic, or for gurus? What knowledge should people have when they come to the
presentation?
Be free of marketing pitches. Focus on lessons learned and NOT the benefits of
your product or service. Product pitches are automatic rejects. Lessons learned
from building or running your product, however, can be invaluable. And don’t
assume that your company’s name buys you cred. If you’re talking about
something important that you have specific knowledge of because of what your
company does, spell that out in the description.
Skip the jargon. The more buzzwords you use, the less we think you have
something interesting to say.
Limit the scope of the talk. You won’t be able to cover everything about Widget
Framework XYZ in the allotted amount of time. Instead, pick a useful aspect, or
a particular technique, or walk through a simple program.
Include people we don’t see often enough at tech conferences. Does your
presentation have the participation of a woman, person of color, or member of
another group often underrepresented at tech conferences? Diversity is one of
the factors we seriously consider when reviewing proposals as we seek to
broaden our speaker roster.
Come from the presenter. The vast majority of proposals we accept are submitted
by the presenters themselves, not by PR firms. If you’re a PR person, improve
your chances by working closely with the presenter(s) to write a jargon-free
proposal that’s got clear value for attendees.
Have a simple and straightforward title. Fancy and clever titles or
descriptions make it harder for people (reviewers and attendees) to figure out
what you’re really talking about.
Brady Forrest
206.428.7666
[email protected]
http://twitter.com/brady
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