Lead a session at SPA2013
We invite you to submit a proposal for a session at SPA2013.
SPA is a leading software development conference focussed around practitioners sharing their thoughts and knowledge, and learning together.
To produce the best programme that we can we would like to incorporate new ideas, old ideas rediscovered, workshops, stories of real experience, creativity, the unexpected, reflection and fun. Plus more things that we haven't even thought of yet. To do this we need your session proposal.
What Are We Looking For?
Traditionally the conference has centred around software development practice. There have been sessions on programming languages, tools, techniques, technology, design, architecture, testing, requirements, team dynamics and process.
We have also had some great sessions on topics you might not expect at a software conference, like sketching, speed reading, and education. These are great - they give us more opportunities to think about and try a wide range of things.
SPA is not the place to re-run a workshop or a talk that you've done at 5 different conferences already. It's the place to try something new. Experiment. We like interactive sessions (such as workshops, tutorials, goldfish bowls etc), where the attendees get to take part rather than just sit and listen. But the programme also benefits from great case studies, experience reports and talks.
You can get an idea of the sort of sessions that have run previously from the websites for previous years' conferences: SPA2013, SPA2012, SPA2011. You can get a better idea by attending our one day free highlights conference, MiniSPA.
But don't be constrained by any of these ideas; maybe you've got something totally new to bring. We'd like to hear it.
Who Should Submit?
- Anyone!
- Seasoned presenters with new ideas.
- New presenters.
- Practitioners with stories of hard-won experience.
- Academics with research that will affect development practice.
- Business people, designers, artists, musicians - anyone developing software and doing something different and interesting.
We particularly encourage speakers who are new to presenting at SPA. If you submit early, our feedback process will allow you to tune your proposal before the final review stage.
The Submission and Selection Process
To submit your proposal, just complete the form on the website.
Your submission is completely anonymous right up until we have the draft programme - then we just check that you’re not down to do two talks at once.
All sessions submitted before 3rd January will receive feedback to help improve the proposal.
Submissions can be edited until the hard deadline of 31st of January.
After the 31st of January, all sessions will be reviewed by by at least three different reviewers - sessions are still anonymous at this stage.
The programme will be announced on the 1st of April 2014.
All speakers will also be supported by our well-established shepherding process which has ensured the standard of sessions at SPA is exceptionally high.
What We Offer
The first two named presenters of each accepted session receive a free ticket to SPA. If you have already purchased a ticket before the programme is announced, you will receive a full refund. See here for conditions.
Important Dates
The conference: 29th June - 2nd July, 2014 - British Computer Society, London, UK
Submissions deadline: 31st January 2014
Submissions submitted before 3rd January 2014 will receive feedback and may be resubmitted.
Programme announced: 1st April 2014
If you're uncertain about whether to submit your idea, or have other queries, please feel free to get in touch with us at
programme @ spaconference.org
-- Andrew Seward and Anna Shipman, Programme Chairs, SPA2013.
