If, like me, you’ve been to a handful of conferences, you’ve enjoyed them, and are now thinking about presenting at an event, this post is for you!

This post is specifically about speaking at a conference. It is focused on the process of targeting the right conference, working-up a topic, articulating an abstract, and then creating a title that really hooks the reader.

Warning – I am no expert on this topic. This post is simply sharing the iterative process by which I went from NO conference abstract/speaking invitation to HAVING a conference abstract and speaking invitation.

Ready? Good.

Getting Started

Have you had an idea but not the know-how to turn it into reality?

A topic, but no target for delivery?

That was me.

I had a story – a story about professional reinvention and development. I just didn’t really have the tools/inspo/framework for turning that story, that idea, into a compelling conference abstract & submission.

Fortunately, I was lucky enough to attend TestBash 2024 – and when I saw Karen Todd & Vernon Richards were facilitating a workshop entitled ‘Your Name Here: Starting Your Public Speaking Journey’ I knew that it was the right room for me.

I don’t know what illicit gas they pumped into the room that afternoon, but sometimes when you are with the right people, in the right place, and at the right time, ideas take shape and crystallise in unexpected ways.

Karen & Vernon spoke about aligning the talk with the right conference. Ensuring that any abstract conveys the right information so that people can get really excited about your talk – but equally so that people can make an informed decision to allocate their time elsewhere.

They suggested different techniques for structuring the abstract. Different frameworks for the giving of feedback. As well as supporting all participants to immediately put these good pieces of advice into practice.

I love a word cloud. The free-association. The physicality of drawing out connections between concepts, phrases, random thoughts all suit my creative process. So that is what I had to start with:

The above became my…

First Draft

Don’t panic – further examples will be typed from now on.

After taking on board some quick feedback I rushed off to the train station and headed back up t’North… with a head positively fizzing with ideas.

What came next?

After I returned from TestBash, I was nervous. Nervous that the – what I shall term – situational inspiration achieved in Brighton would dissipate. That removed from Karen & Vernon’s influence, as well as that of other attendees, I wouldn’t be able to maintain momentum. The magic, would be lost.

You might laugh at the above statement – but surely we have all experienced that feeling of somehow being ‘in the zone’ that is also tightly coupled to specific individuals, circumstances, and situations?

Well, I struck while the iron was still hot.

A core piece of feedback was that I should make key takeaways very explicit in the abstract. Make it clear to reviewers (and attendees), what they can expect to get from the session.

So I reflected on the conference itself for guidance.

The programme theme stated on the website was:

Testing Horizons: Navigating Career Paths, Embracing Diversity, and Cultivating Unique Perspectives in Software Testing

So through that lens I asked myself:

• What talk do I want to give?
• What talk do the organisers want to say yes to?
• What talk would attendees expect?

This all led on to:

Second Draft

What killed the dinosaurs? An inability to change.

Unless you plan on retiring in the next 18 months, you will need to reinvent yourself.

Through my experiences of learning to lead, to coach, to automate, and to performance test, I will share the key challenges overcome and, more importantly, the practices that I have adopted to enhance my resilience and accelerate my capacity to change.

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I was still struggling though. I didn’t feel that the takeaways were being articulated clearly enough. So I thought – how would an LLM tackle this challenge? Leading me on too:

Third Draft

What killed the dinosaurs? An inability to change.

Unless you plan on retiring in the next 18 months, you will need to change. To reinvent yourself.

In this talk I will share the key practices and advice, hints and tricks that I use to ensure I keep ahead of the curve. To ensure that I keep adapting to change.

This will be brought to life through my experiences of speech impediments, changing crafts/industries, of learning to lead, to coach, to automate, and to test for performance.

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Cultivating the resilience, the mindset, and the toolkit to change is as critical for businesses as it is for the individuals within them. Yet a business’ capacity for change can only ever be as agile as that of those within it.

By the end of this talk, attendees will take away tools, tips, and strategies for cultivating resilience, accelerating their learning, changing themselves, and changing others.

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Okay… better I thought. But by this point I felt that my ‘voice’ had become a little lost. No surprise there really is there?

I sought feedback from my boss and a couple of peers. From that – and guided in part by the submission form on the website, I concluded with this final draft which I submitted a day or two before the deadline:

Final Draft

Title: 

Outrunning Extinction: Surviving, then Thriving in an Era of Change

Abstract:

What killed the dinosaurs? An inability to adapt. In a fast-evolving industry, the same fate awaits those who resist change.

Unless you’re planning to retire soon, reinvention is essential to staying relevant. In this talk, I’ll share the key practices and techniques I use to stay ahead of the curve—strategies that help me continually to adapt and thrive.

I’ll draw from my own experiences, from overcoming a speech impediment to navigating shifts across industries and roles: learning to lead, to coach, to automate, and performance-test in diverse environments.

Resilience, adaptability, and a growth-orientated toolkit are essential for individuals and businesses alike. A company’s capacity for change is only as good as the capacity for change of its people.

By the end of this talk, attendees will walk away with practical tools and strategies to build resilience, accelerate their learning, and foster change in themselves and others, all while maintaining their integrity and being authentic.

Takeaways:

• The Reinvention Toolkit: Practical Strategies for Continuous Learning
• How to Build Personal and Professional Resilience: Thriving Beyond the Comfort Zone
• Embracing Personal Growth and Your Authentic Superpowers For Strategic Advantage

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The relief at pressing ‘submit’ was palpable, and immediate.

Since then I was contacted by the event organisers, my availability was confirmed and now, just today, by attendance as a speaker was publicised!

All very exciting… now I have to deliver… and I can’t wait.

At the end of this I will post and share the experience of actually writing and preparing a conference talk. In the meantime though…

Paying it Back

I have been hugely lucky to benefit from lots of help, advice, cheerleading, and support.

So to ensure good vibes, if you’re reading this and fancy a conversation, an abstract review, a rubber duck, an audience for a test-run etc then please contact me either via the blog or here.