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Debrief, Running of Speaker Preparation & Presentation Management

Contact: Vincent Gerald Mitts (Louisiana State University, Center for Advanced Microstructures & Devices)

Main Content

Presentation Management is broken down into four areas of interest:

1. Setup and Testing
2. SPMS
3. Speaker Prep Room
4. Good Communication

1. Setup & Testing (Laptops, Network, Presentation Software, Stages and Screens)

Advanced preparation and testing helps identify problems or potential problems before the conference begins

Laptops

Identical hardware & software configurations need to be used for both the Speaker Prep Room and the Auditoriums. This helps to ensure that problems fixed in the Speaker Prep Room will successfully carry over into the auditorium.

Normally, a clean install of the Microsoft Windows operating system is preferred, removing any unnecessary software, which helps eliminate problems with conflicting software.

All Windows Updates and Application updates need to be properly installed

Network

Bandwidth - needs to handle the simultaneous transfer of large files without problems, particularly between the Speaker Prep room and the auditoriums.

Segmentation or VLANS - Normally the Speaker Prep room and the Auditoriums need to be on the same segmented network from the rest of the network. This helps improve security and network performance.

Network shares - Windows network shares are used as the default means to push presentations from the Speaker Ready room to the Auditoriums

Dropbox was used with LAN Sync feature as a work around at IPAC'16 with success

• NOTE: All presentations can ONLY enter the auditoriums through the Speaker Prep room
• No USB drives will be accepted by those managing laptops in the auditoriums

Presentation Software

Microsoft PowerPoint (currently 2016) and Adobe Acrobat Standard (currently XI or DC)

The most current versions of software are to be used in the Speaker Prep Room and Auditoriums to support the newest features and to best ensure backward compatibility

Windows and Mac support provided

All Windows Updates and Application updates need to be properly installed

Auditorium Stages

Things to consider:

• Confidence monitors
• Timers
• Wireless mouse on podium with speaker
• Laser Pointers
• Stage Microphones
• Wireless lavaliere microphones
• Backup batteries
• DSAN.com (Presentation Products Catalog)

Auditorium Screens

Screen Aspect Ratios:
Standard (4:3)
Wide Screen (16:9)

NOTE: starting with PowerPoint 2016, the new default screen aspect ratio is for Wide Screen (16:9) format

2. SPMS

• Provides Official Speaker List for the conference
• Used inside the Speaker Prep room for the uploading and downloading of all talks and any accompanying audio or video files
• Provides up-to-date internal email database which can be used to communicate with speakers when necessary

3. Speaker Prep Room

Presentations are checked to make sure they are compatible with the hardware and software being used at the conference site

PowerPoint Compatible Formats
(Applies To: PowerPoint 2016 PowerPoint 2013 PowerPoint 2010)

Compatible Video Formats (Adobe Acrobat XI Pro, Acrobat X Pro)

Tracking Speakers

• A database is used to keep track of all the talks that have been checked for each day of the conference
• Delayed or missing talks can be identified and an attempt to notify and remind the speaker can be made through SPMS e-mail
• Presenters are tracked by Day, Time and Auditorium
• Presentations are identified by type: Windows or Mac
• Special need cases are identified for multimedia files
• Talks that have been uploaded to SPMS are tracked as to whether or not they have been tested
• Speakers are identified as to whether or not they have come into the Speaker Prep room to verify presentation
• All talks need to be uploaded to SPMS a day before they are assigned to be delivered
• Any last minute changes to talks can ONLY be made in the Speaker Prep room up until the session starts

4. Good Communication

Crucial for the prevention of potential problems or to quickly resolve problems as they occur. This helps enable the smooth operational flow of the conference.

Good Communication is Required...

With Speakers - SPMS can be used as the means to communicate through email with presenters when necessary

Within the Speaker Prep Room - Internal database is used for tracking so that all those working in Speaker Prep can follow in real-time the work their co-workers have already completed.

With those Managing Laptops in the Auditoriums - A README file can accompany a presentation in a separate folder providing instructions or information concerning a talk

* Talks being pushed out to the auditoriums need to remain closed until the session starts. This allows for last minute changes to be made in the Speaker Prep room before the session begins. Therefore, there needs to be an easy way to communicate with those managing the laptops in the auditoriums in case matters such as this require attention.

Summary

1. Setup & Testing - a necessity to resolve problems before the conference begins
2. SPMS - important resource that is heavily relied upon for Presentation Management
3. Speaker Prep Room - using applied experience in making sure presentations are compatible with the equipment and software being used at the conference site
4. Good Communication - critical for the prevention of potential problems and for the quick resolve of problems as they occur

References

Video and Audio File Formats Supported in PowerPoint - (Applies To: PowerPoint 2016 PowerPoint 2013 PowerPoint 2010)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Video-and-audio-file-formats-supported-in-PowerPoint-D8B12450-26DB-4C7B-A5C1-593D3418FB59

Add and Play a Video in a Presentation - (Applies To: PowerPoint 2016 PowerPoint 2013 PowerPoint 2010 PowerPoint 2007)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Add-and-play-a-video-in-a-presentation-f3fcbd3e-5f86-4320-8aea-31bff480ed02

Add Audio to PowerPoint Presentation - (Applies To: PowerPoint 2016 PowerPoint 2013 PowerPoint 2010 PowerPoint 2007)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Add-audio-to-your-PowerPoint-presentation-c3b2a9fd-2547-41d9-9182-3dfaa58f1316?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US

Supported file formats in Acrobat and Reader
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/supported-file-formats-acrobat-reader.html

DSAN.com - Presentation Products Catalog
http://dsan.com/