The 2019 Call for Speakers has officially been launched. Now that the submission process is open we are here to help you to apply to speak at the most exciting two-day testing Conference in the UK. If you are interested but wondering how to give yourself the best chance of getting on the programme, we have asked the UKSTAR 2019 committee of Daniel Billing, Anne-Marie Charrett and Bill Matthews a number of questions that should assist  you on your application journey when considering to speak at UKSTAR 2019.

 

Is there a theme for Submissions?

This year the UK STAR has a general theme of Automation and we are taking quite a wide view of this. For sure there is the automation of testing (or checking if you prefer) but there is also automation of infrastructure, data and of course automation of learning (machine learning). It’s a great theme because automation is such an important topic that is impacting not only how we test but also how we work and live our daily lives.

 

Who do you want to see speak?

We would love to hear from a wide range of speakers; People with diverse views on automation, experienced and beginners.

We are keen to see people people who have never spoken at a major conference before and to support this we have partnered with SpeakEasy to encourage new speakers from their mentoring programme.

 

What does a good submission look like?

I always say you need to market to two different people when you submit. The program committee but also the final audience. Give us enough detail as to why you think this talk deserves our attention. And don’t forget to proof read!

 

What areas of testing would you like to see submissions from?

We have three tracks, one focused wholly on Automation topics so we’d like to see submissions about how you are using automation to support your testing. We are particularly looking forward to submissions that explore new and interesting uses of automation to support testing.

We have a second track that is focused on thriving as a Modern Tester; in this track we are hoping to see submissions that explore what skills, qualities and knowledge testers need in order to thrive as a tester in the modern day. This includes how are testers preparing for and tackling the testing of technology trends such as BlockChain, Artificial Intelligence, VR/AR and IoT.

The third track has a more Leadership focus so we want to see submissions that explore how we lead testing in the modern age, make strategic use of automation, how do we lead, mentor and coach Modern Testers within the context of large scale technology challenges and the evolving development practices such as Agile, CI/CD and DevOps.

Automation of Software Testing is key, but also technologies , machine learning, devops. I’m also interested in the management of automation.

 

What types of sessions can I submit for?

We have lots of different types of sessions on offer. From collaborative sessions, to storytelling to providing demonstrations to big audiences. Take your pick! More details on these can be found on the submissions page.

 

I have never spoken at a Conference before, should I apply?

If you have an experience to share that fits with the theme then we encourage you to submit; in all likelihood you won’t regret that decision. If you find the thought of speaking at a major conference daunting then we have a few options for you.

One option is to sign up with SpeakEasy, who will find you a mentor to help guide you in the preparation and delivery of your talk. You can do this when completing your submission. 

Another option is to submit for one of the Storytelling tracks – in these tracks we have 3 speakers each speaking for 8-10 minutes.

The last option is to dive in and do a full track talk but perhaps pair up with another more experienced speaker in one of our Conversation tracks.

 

Are submissions with co-speakers welcome?

Yes they are and we look forward to welcoming speakers with different approaching to ideas in testing. The Conversation tracks are perfect for those who would like to share ideas on one topic.These are co-presented by two speakers each with a different viewpoint on the topic who each present their viewpoint and then facilitate an open discussion with the participants.

For  general track talks you would need to be clear as to why the talk needs to more than one speaker.

 

 

When will I find out if my proposal has been accepted?

We will start to review submissions once the Call for Speakers has ended (September 28th) and aim to launch the programme on 23rd October 2018.  

 

So what are you waiting for: APPLY NOW

 

 

 

Best of luck with the UKSTAR 2019 Call for Speakers and we hope to see you in London in 2019.