• May 6 - 8, 2025
  • Galveston, TX, USA
  • support@projectcontrolacademy.com

Speaking at the Project Control Summit

Thanks for your consideration in speaking at the Project Control Summit 2020.

Your voice matters!

We will be glad to provide you with an opportunity to share your voice and expertise with the conference attendees if you meet the criteria we are looking for from the conference speakers. Please note that we have a limited number of speaking slots for the event and we will hand pick the final list of speakers

This page will provide you with up-to-date detailed information related to your potential participation as a speaker at the Project Control Summit 2020.

We encourage you to revisit this page for helpful tips and updates to ensure a successful delivery.

If you have questions that is not covered in this page, please contact us at support@projectcontrolacademy.com

ABOUT PROJECT CONTROL SUMMIT

Project Control Summit is a whole new conference experience for project professionals, who are in charge of managing and controlling projects. The conference is packed with education, engagement, and networking. 

Established by Project Control Academy, the primary focus of this 3-day event is to wow attendees with an uplifting, inspiring, and a unique fun learning experience that engages them throughout the conference and makes them feel energized and empowered to take action toward their own success and the success of their organizations.

Project Control Summit is expected to attract over 400 project professionals and decision makers from around the world for advancing project controls to its next.

The Summit will be held in San Antonio, Texas, from August 31st to September 2nd, 2020 at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel.

The 2020 conference theme is “The Gateway to the Future” For more information about the Project Control Summit, please visit https://ProjectControlSummit.com

CONFERENCE SUCCESS CRITERIA & WHAT WE EXPECT FROM THE SPEAKERS

The success of the conference is highly dependent on the content quality of each session and the delivery of the content by the speakers.

We are so keen on the delivery. We believe that just giving the audience information on a technical subject is NOT enough. We want the attendees to be fully engaged throughout each presentation and leave the conference with tactical tips and strategies to implement in their projects. The audience should feel energized in each presentation and not feel bored with highly technical content that they cannot relate to or digest.

There will NOT be multiple technical tracks as you usually see in technical conferences. We believe that diversifying the knowledge and experience of attendees in various fields of Project Controls is ESSENTIAL for their career growth. That’s why we decided to expose the audience to various topics of Project Controls in one conference room for all.

All speakers will speak in the main conference venue in front of 400+ attendees. So, it’s important not to get too deep on the technical subjects and have the general audience in mind. Furthermore, delivery in front of large group of audience is what you need to be comfortable with as a speaker. It’s your responsibility as a speaker to energize and engage a large group of audience who are listing to you and your topic.

Regarding the content, the Summit attendees want to know WHAT they need to know about their current and future state of their profession, and HOW to implement the best Project Controls strategies that actually work. Project Control Summit should act like a catalyst for their growth. Your content should help them make a difference in their career, and bring back value to their organization. We want you to speak on a Project Controls related topic that you have built up extensive years of experience; a topic that you can bring lots of stories and lessons learned.

And finally, our primary focus at Project Control Summit is to WOW the audience with an UPLIFTING, INSPIRING, and a unique FUN learning. As a speaker, we expect you to make your presentation fun, exciting, engaging, and educational. Don’t be afraid to use humor, stories of struggle and triumph that you encountered, and create as much engagement as possible with the audience.

In summary, here is the list of our expectation from each speaker:

  1. Comfortable speaking in front of a large group of audience. Must have prior experience speaking in large groups/ conferences.
  2. Bring personal stories of struggle and triumph in the speech, as the audience relate to real stories much better.
  3. Engage audience throughout the presentation. Examples are asking questions from the audience, ask them to repeat something, prompt them to take action, and any other method that ensures their engagement with the speaker and presentation.
  4. Use a strong opening and even stronger closing/ call to action for the presentation.
  5. Talk on a subject that you are quite comfortable with and have built years of experience and expertise on.
  6. Share tactical strategies and lessons learned on the topic
  7. Consider the conference theme, “Project Controls Gateways to the Future” in mind during the speech and have points covering the conference theme and the future of Project Controls.

IMPORTANT DATES AND SUBMISSION DEADLINES

As we work together to develop a top-notch event, the Summit team will work with you to meet the established timelines/ deadlines.

Here are some of the important deadlines we are working towards.

AUDIENCE

Knowing your audience is important when preparing your presentation for the Project Control Summit.

The expected audience job functions are:

Industries

The conference attendees represent different industries such as:

PRESENTATION DEVELOPMENT & DELIVERY

To deliver a high quality, engaging, and inspiring speech, we are expecting you to take the time to prepare your power point slides months in advance and to practice, practice, and practice!

We will give you tools and tips to help you prepare an outstanding presentation rich in content and outstanding in delivery.

You are required to submit your draft power point slides along with the blog post (an engaging and informal article version of your content) by June 26th, 2020.

We will be organizing live virtual practice presentation meetings and feedback sessions with you directly in the month of July. It’s your chance to practice the presentation and get great feedbacks on the delivery and how to improve your content, engagement, and delivery.

You must submit your final PowerPoint slides and final blog post by July 31st, 2020. 

Your session will be scheduled at the conference according to the overall structure and flow of the conference content during August 31st to September 2nd, 2020. We cannot accommodate requests for a specific date or time of the presentation.

To ensure a successful delivery of your session, we expect you to be present at the conference at least one day prior to your scheduled session. The late arrivals or not doing test-runs with the audio/ visual company before your session may lead to immediate exemption from your session or future conferences.

Below are more detailed guidelines about each step of your presentation delivery and submission.

PowerPoint Presentation

To ensure consistency across multiple presenters, you must use the official Project Control Summit PowerPoint template for your presentation. Please download the Project Control Summit PPT template for your presentation and follow the guidelines provided on the template.

Presentation Preparation

Presentation Structure and Format:

Copyright and Citing References:

If you plan to reference or cite materials that are not your original work, please reference it on the slide or in a summary slide.

Use of Images, Graphs, and Charts:

The more visual your presentation, the better it would be. However, if you are using an image during your presentation, make sure that you use royalty free images. There are several websites that allow you to download high-resolution royalty free images. Check pexels.com for example.

If you are showing a graph, chart, or table, make sure that you get permission from the original author for the use of the graphics and properly cite the reference, where you extracted the graph/chart/ table. 

Use of Internet:

In your presentation slides, please avoid using resources that require an Internet connection. We want to ensure that a presentation is successful and not subject to any disruptions because of technical or connectivity difficulties.

You can easily embed video or audio in your PowerPoint slides. If you plan on using an audio or video during your presentation and need help, let us know in advance. We will show you how it can be done and do necessary coordination with the A/V team.

Use of Notes:

As you prepare your presentation, please note that due to the technology being used for the conference, you will not be able to view your presentation notes via PowerPoint on the laptop during your presentation. Your slides will be projected on two big screens by the A/V team. You will be able to view what is projected on the screen on a LCD screen in front of you though. Instead of turning back to big screens for your next point, make sure you check the screen in front of you on the stage.

Therefore, you must practice, practice, and practice. You should not rely on your notes or PowerPoint slides.

Blog Post Preparation

In addition to your PowerPoint slides, you must submit an accompanying blog post.

Your blog post will be published online in Project Control Academy’s website and promoted after the conference. It’s a means of further adding value to the community and sharing your message.

We are not requesting a formal lengthy technical article. The most noticeable difference between a blog and an article is the difference in writing style and the length of the piece. 

The writing style for blogs has a very casual tone to it. It’s often short and doesn’t include too many words that are hard to grasp. Articles aim to emulate literature in a journalistic style while blogs aim to get the point across in commonly used language and terminology, similar to how you present your PowerPoint slides.

As for the length of the blog post, we are expecting a 1500-2500-word blog post.

Here are some tips on how to write an engaging blog post that readers cannot resist:

  1. Choose a catchy mouth-watering headline. If you want to write a great blog post full of clarity, conciseness, and conviction, spend some time crafting a quality headline that sets a clear destination, lures readers in, and leaves them eager for your advice.

To get a better idea on the writing style for blog posts, please visit: https://www.projectcontrolacademy.com/blog/

The blog post must be submitted in MS Word format. Adobe PDF format in addition to this will be helpful.

Draft Presentation

You are required to submit your draft power point slides and blog post by June 26th, 2020. Click here to upload your draft PowerPoint slides and blog post.

We will be organizing live virtual practice presentation meetings and feedback sessions with you directly in the month of July. It’s your chance to practice the presentation and get great feedbacks on the delivery and how to improve your content, engagement, and delivery.

If the practice presentation session is not scheduled, please make sure that you follow-up and schedule a session with us. Contact support@projectcontrolacademy.com to schedule your practice session.

Final Presentations

Final presentations will be due July 31st 2020. Instructions on how to upload presentations will be delivered in advance of this deadline. No further updates and modifications are accepted after the submission.

Backup File: Remember to bring a copy of your presentation file(s), including any handouts and videos (if applicable) on a USB as a backup.

Final PPT: Your final PowerPoint presentation will be uploaded to the main venue laptops by the A/V team. The PDF copy of the slides will be provided to event attendees for their reference. Please take the necessary steps to get permission from your employer to share your slides (if required).

Handout(s): If you have handout materials you would like to share with participants, a file may be uploaded which will be converted to PDF (if not already) and included for download with your PDF presentation.

Video(s): If you plan on sharing a video with your presentation, please plan to upload a video file. Wireless Internet connection bandwidth is not guaranteed; therefore, having a video file will ensure your presentation is ready when delivered.

Naming Your Files

Please use the following naming convention for your files:

FirstName_LastName_PresentationTitle_version#                                       (ex. Brian_Jones_presentation_v1.ppt)

NOTE: In the event that it is necessary to make any updates to your original presentation, identifying the document version is important. This will help to ensure that the most up to date version is displayed in the meeting room. Your original document will be version 1 (_v1, as noted above), and subsequent versions will be identified as version 2 (_v2), version 3 (_v3), etc.

Updates to Presentation: 

You are encouraged to refrain from making any edits once you have uploaded your file by July 31st, 2020. If it is absolutely necessary to make edits to your final presentation, please send us a revised presentation no later than one week prior to the event and bring your revised presentation on a USB in order for the A/V team to coordinate with sequencing and projecting your slides.

PRESENTATION STAGE & PERFORMANCE

Stage and Delivery

You will be speaking in the main conference ballroom. The Audio/ Visual (A/V) team will project your slides on two big screens and will take care of any sound, light, and video that might be embedded in your slides.

The final slides that you submit on July 31, 2020, will be provided to the A/V team. No further changes to the slides are accepted after July 31st.

We recommend you do an audio/visual test run with the A/V prior to your speech. It can be done a day prior to your actual presentation or on the day of your presentation either before starting the morning sessions or afternoon sessions. Please make sure that you arrange the A/V test runs with the conference organizers beforehand. 

If you need any flipchart and markers for your presentation, please let us know in advance, so we make sure to have it ready before you come on the stage.

You will be speaking using a wireless microphone. This allows you to walk on the stage and create maximum engagement with the audience. We don’t recommend you stand still or speak behind a podium during your presentation. No podium will be on the stage.

Due to the technology being used for the conference, you will not be able to view your presentation notes via PowerPoint on the laptop during your presentation. Your slides will be projected on two big screens by the A/V team. You will be able to view what is projected on the screen on a LCD screen in front of you though. Instead of turning back to big screens for your next point, make sure you check the screen in front of you on the stage.

You must be fully ready for your presentation. No use of notes is highly recommended.

As you present your slides, maintain your eye contact with the audience. The moment that you check your presentation slides; you lose the connection with the audience. The skillful presenters do not depend on their slides or notes. They keep their eyes on the audience and speak from the heart. This is how you build great relationship with the audience during your speech and inspire them to take action. If you are not ready and rely too heavily on your slides, you won’t be able to have an outstanding delivery.

Internet

While there will be Wi-Fi in the venue, we recommend that any presentation in the program not be dependent on Internet connectivity because of its unreliability, especially in a room that may contain at least 400+ people who have personal devices. We want to ensure that a presentation is successful and not subject to any disruptions because of technical or connectivity difficulties. 

Video Recording

Recording of sessions is not permitted. Please refrain from bringing equipment to record your presentation, as most venues have strict policies regarding video equipment being brought into the facility.

We will be using professional videographer to record the sessions and can provide you online access to view the recording of your presentation on our learning management system.

PROMOTION OF YOUR PRESENTATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Alert your network about your participation at the Project Control Summit 2020. Raising awareness will increase the visibility of your session.

We will design professional flyers to further promote you and your topic. We expect you to share your exclusive flyer and keep talking about the Project Control Summit and why you recommend attending the conference.

If you can create a short video about your participation at the Project Control Summit, it will be even better. Speaker videos will be posted on the Project Control Summit’s community page as well as Project Control Academy’s YouTube channel.

Be sure to use the hash tag #PCSummit2020 in your promotions!

REGISTRATION

We will grant you as the lead presenter/ speaker, a complimentary VIP registration (valued at $1997). You will be provided with a unique coupon code to waive your registration fee. All registrations must be completed by March 1, 2020.

If you are planning on co-presenting with another speaker, you should identify the co-presenter at the time of your proposal submission. Co-presenters will receive a 30% discount on the registration fee and must enroll before March 1, 2020.

Please note that a maximum of one (1) co-presenter may present with you. Adding more than one co-presenter will not be approved.

Guest Policy: Only registered participants may access the meeting rooms, networking events, coffee and lunch breaks, and the welcome and closing ceremonies. We are not able to accommodate requests to bring a guest or support staff to accompany a presenter to the conference venue.

HOTEL, TRAVEL, & VISA REQUEST

Travel and hotel expenses are the responsibility of the presenter.

We have made a great deal with the conference hotel to provide you with highly discounted room rates. There are only a limited number of highly discounted room rates available. Make sure you book your room as soon as possible (By March 15th), before the room block is sold out. Click here for booking your hotel room.

We cannot guarantee that you get the discounted room rate if the room block reserved is sold out.

Please book your travel and hotel accommodations according to the following guideline:

We don’t want you to miss the opening reception on August 30th and the closing ceremony on September 2nd.

Visa Request

You should confirm travel paperwork requirements to participate at the Project Control Summit as soon as possible.

If a visa is required to travel to the United States, we will prepare a Letter of Invitation (if necessary) for attending the Project Control Summit to present to the embassy or US Consulate. However, you need to enroll in the conference first and then email us at support@projectcontrolacademy.com, requesting the letter. We will prepare the letter and send it to you by email within a week after you complete your registration.

We recommend that all Embassy Letter requests for speakers be made at least 5 months prior to the start date of the Summit (by the end of March 2020). If your visa is denied, you must inform us as soon as possible, so we can find a replacement for your speaking slot.

CONTACT US

If you require more information or have any questions, please contact us at support@projectcontrolacademy.com