goingto_white Since one of the key phrases of Mix is “a 48 hour conversation”, speaking is in the forefront of our minds. We’re always keen to encourage new speakers and to build people’s confidence in speaker to large audiences. As such, the NxtGen User Group boys are running a Speaker Idol competition, along the lines seen at TechEd and the UK Launch. Yes “Ready Steady Speak” is back for ReMix UK 08.

For those of you not familiar with it, the format is as so:

Contestants will present a 5 min session on a subject of their choice relating to Web Development or Web Design. They will present in front of the ReMix UK audience and in front of a panel of judges. If there are more than a certain number of contestants (TBD), there will be ‘heats’ earlier in the day with the winners of the heats in a ‘speak-off’ in the evening session. The ‘speak-off’ will take place as stated in the evening of the first day of MIX and the first prize is an XBox 360 + Goodies! 

Prerequisites:

Mandatory

  • Speakers must NOT have previously presented ‘full sessions’ at DDD, TechEd, DevWeek, SDN, SQLBITS, VBUG Conference, NxtGenUG FEST or any similar such conferences.
  • Speakers must create a new session of their own with new material which can be based on existing material but cannot be a simple copy of it.
  • Speakers must limit their session to as close to 5 mins as possible (overrunning time will cause the speaker to be marked down.)
  • Speakers must not have previously won Speaker Idol or “Ready Steady Speak” UK Launch – Sorry to James Coulter J!
  • Speakers must state their desire to enter the competition by no later than COP Monday 15th September 2008.

Desirable

  • Speakers should provide if at all possible their own laptop, but one can be provided if necessary. The speaker should notify the organisers of any software prerequisites.
  • Speakers should have spoken previously at a User Group meeting even if only for a 10 min mini-session or ‘nugget’. This is NOT mandatory.

If you’d like to take part then mail dave@nxtgenug.net with your interest, no later that the 15th September.