PLANS Author Resource Center

Presentation Instructions

Presentation Timing

Please refer to the online program for the presentation order of papers in your session. Following peer review, the program will show the starting time of each presentation. Session chairs will strictly adhere to the presentation schedule. This enables conference attendees to schedule the presentations they wish to hear. Each presenter will have 20 minutes plus a few moments for questions at the discretion of the session chair. A timing system will operate in your session room as follows:

• The screen will be green at the beginning of the presentation time and will remain on for 15 minutes. 
• The screen will turn yellow when five minutes remain. 
• The screen will turn red indicating that your presentation time has ended; please return the floor to the session chair.

You can check the timing of your presentation as well as the quality of your visuals simply by presenting your talk to your colleagues. You should not expect to present your entire paper during your presentation. Remember, your goal is to motivate the audience to read your paper.

Your biography counts against your presentation time - be brief. Session chairs start each presentation with speaker introduction at the time specified in the onsite program, reading aloud the biographic introduction supplied by the author. The time it takes for the session chair to introduce the author, using the supplied biography, shall be included as part of the speaker’s allotted presentation time. Session chairs retain the right to edit any biography during the introduction.

Audio-Visual Aids

Conference participants regard the quality of your visuals as an indication of your level of preparation and professionalism. Remember that the quality of your visual aides is a reflection on you and the company/agency you represent.

Consider the Following When Preparing Your Presentation Slides

Conference participants regard the quality of your visuals as an indication of your level of preparation and professionalism. You are encouraged to use the following guidelines:

• Limit the number of your slides
  The average speaker takes 2-3 minutes per slide. Remember your Session Chair will also introduce you based on the biography you provided in the ION Abstract Management Portal (AMP) when you submitted your abstract. The reading of this biography is included in your 20 minutes of presentation time.
• What your audience wants to know
  Effective presentations start with the main point/assertion; describe the approach including basic technical concepts that underpin your solution; highlight innovations; outline the test results or findings; and then summarize the work.
• Don’t assume your audience members are experts
  There will be a few experts, but the majority of attendees will be there to learn. Provide necessary background information.
• Keep visuals simple and neat
  • Charts and Graphics: Prepare your charts and graphs with large, legible text. Your presentation will be viewed from an average distance of approximately 30–40 feet.
  • Screen Ratio: ION computers and projectors default to a 16:9 aspect ratio. To maximize use of screen space, please use a widescreen format; using a 4:3 aspect ratio will result in blank screen space.
  • Using Equations: If your presentation includes equations or special symbols, include these as images rather than text.
  • Embedding Fonts: If your presentation incorporates unique fonts or unusual symbols, embed the fonts in your PowerPoint or Acrobat file. Failure to do so may cause the fonts to display incorrectly at the meeting. If you plan to use the conference laptop, embed fonts into your presentation files before saving the file to your USB drive.
  • To embed fonts in PowerPoint: Click the Microsoft Office Button > SAVE AS > TOOLS > SAVE OPTIONS > Select the checkbox “Embed fonts in the file” > OK.
• Practice
  You are encouraged to check the timing of your presentation, as well as the quality of your visuals, by presenting to your colleagues.

Session Setup and Equipment Provided

IEEE and ION will provide the following audio-visual equipment in each session for your use:

• Projector 
• PC/Windows computer 
• Wireless Lapel Microphone 
• Laser Pointer and Presentation Remote 
• Hand-Held Microphone (for audience questions)
• PowerPoint 2016

A Windows computer and projector will be in each session room. The computer will accept CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and USB drives. USB drives should be unencrypted and should not require installation of software on the conference laptop. Use of other media formats may not be supported by the computer and is at your risk. Copy your presentation to the computer’s desktop before your session begins.

When Creating Your Presentation

If your presentation incorporates unique fonts or unusual symbols, be sure to embed the fonts in your PowerPoint or Acrobat file. Failure to do so may cause the fonts to display incorrectly at the meeting. 

To embed fonts in PowerPoint: Click the Microsoft Office Button > SAVE AS ... > TOOLS > SAVE OPTIONS > Select the checkbox “Embed fonts in the file” > OK.

If your presentation incorporates equations, you may wish to import the equations to PowerPoint as captured image files. This allows the equations to display correctly on most computers without any special fonts or equation editing software installed.

Using Your Own Laptop

You may connect your own laptop directly to the provided LCD projector.  You should plan on providing YOUR OWN COMPUTER if any of the following apply to your presentation:

• Presentation is not in PowerPoint or Acrobat compatible format. 
• Your presentation includes multimedia content (video clips, MPEGs, DVD, etc.). 
• You will be demonstrating proprietary software or an application.

If you opt to use your own laptop, instead of the provided PC, you may connect to the ION projector.

Be sure to bring any necessary cables or adapters required to connect your laptop to an HDMI projector (i.e., many computers, including MacBooks, require an HDMI adapter).

What to Do When you Arrive at the Meeting

• Upload your final paper to the Abstract Management Portal. You can do this from your own computer or from the Author Upload Station provided near the conference registration desk. 
• Test your presentation on the ION computer located near the registration desk.  Presentation files display in various ways on different computers.  ION provides a “test” computer so you can check fonts, graphics and multimedia content.  Test your presentation before you find yourself standing in front of dozens of industry colleagues!

Testing Your Presentation at the Conference

A computer will be available in the registration area beginning Monday morning, and will be available throughout the conference during registration hours. We encourage you to check your electronic media one day prior to your presentation. 

It is strongly recommended that you bring two electronic copies of your presentation (on multiple media types, different file types, etc.). ION staff will attempt to assist you if you experience any technical difficulties, but equipment does fail and it is often not possible to instantaneously correct all problems. Due to the time constraint of the technical program, if equipment fails for any reason your presentation time will not be rescheduled or extended. To avoid the loss of any presentation time you need to be prepared with a back up.

If you have any additional equipment needs or questions please contact Rick Buongiovanni by email at rbuongi@ion.org.

On the Day of your Presentation

• Check in with your session chair at the Speakers' Breakfast (held on the morning of your presentation).  Attending the Speakers' Breakfast is required to preserve your scheduled presentation time (see "Mandatory Speakers' Breakfast", below).
• Copy your presentation to the desktop of the conference computer in your session room before the session begins. Copying your files onto the computer before the session begins allows for a smooth, fast transition between presentations.

Mandatory Speakers' Breakfast

You are required to attend a Speakers' Breakfast on the morning of your presentation.  The Speakers' Breakfast is for all authors scheduled to present that day.  The Speakers’ Breakfast will be held from 7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. (Tuesday - Thursday). If you have not submitted your biography (30 words) through the Abstract Management Portal, provide it to your session chair during the breakfast.  This will be used to introduce you prior to your presentation. 

The purpose of this breakfast is to allow the session chairs to meet each of the presenters, to collect missing biographical information and coordinate last-minute details. Audio-visual equipment and the presentation timing system will be explained.

The Speakers' Breakfast is a mandatory event for each author responsible for a scheduled paper that day. All authors should attend, whether they represent a paper assigned a presentation time or an alternate paper.

If you are not in attendance at the speaker breakfast held the morning of your presentation(s), the session chairs will allocate your presentation time to another presenter. 

Alternate Authors

Alternate authors should attend their assigned session to be available in case of a last minute cancellation. If your paper passed peer review, you attend the Speakers' Breakfast and your session, and are prepared to present, your paper will be published in the proceedings even if you are not called upon to present.