AU 2024 Call for Proposals: Demystifying the Session Formats
Call for Proposals for AU 2024 is now open, and if you have an idea for a session, we want to hear it!
Once you have your idea, the next question is: what session format is best? It all comes down to the kind of knowledge you want to share and the learning experience you want to create.
- Are you interested in sharing an idea or thought leadership on an industry trend? The best formats will be an industry talk, which is 60 minutes, or alternatively a Theater talk, which is 12-15 minutes.
- Are you interested in sharing your work and helping attendees build their skills? If you want to show an entire project, you’ll probably want to choose the case study format. If you’re focused on a particular workflow that you’ve developed, you can choose either an instructional demo (60 minutes), in which people watch you work, or a hands-on lab (90 minutes), where attendees click along with you at their own workstations.
- Are you interested in facilitating a conversation among experts? Then you’ll want to propose a panel. If what you had in mind was facilitating a conversation between attendees, then you’ll want to wait and propose a meetup, which will have their owns separate submission process coming soon.
Whatever format you select, remember that an AU class should be focused on sharing knowledge and new perspectives on industry trends and helping attendees build their skills. An AU class should never be a sales pitch for your own product or service offering.
Read on for more details on what the various session formats should and shouldn’t be:
Theater Talk
Length: 12-15 minutes
What it is: A short session intended to influence and inspire business decision makers with innovative ideas and original insights backed by compelling case studies and real-world successes.
What it’s not:
- Best practices
- A high-level forecast
- An announcement of product offerings or services
- A technical demonstration
Industry Talk
Length: 60 minutes
What it is: Lecture format for sharing thought leadership, industry insights, and new perspectives on innovation.
What it’s not:
- A sales pitch
- Technical demonstration
- Specific project/customer showcase
Case Study
Length: 60 minutes
What it is: A presentation of a specific project from inception through completion, spotlighting the challenges you faced, the solutions you chose, lessons learned, and outcomes achieved.
What it’s not:
- A technical demonstration
- An announcement of product offerings or services
- A sales pitch
- A roadmap of features or functionality
Technical Instruction
Length: 60 minutes
What it is: A skills-based instructional format showcasing workflows, processes, and tips and tricks that can help other professionals improve.
What it’s not:
- A customer case study
- High-level thought leadership
- A product roadmap
- A sales pitch
Hands-on Lab
Length: 90 minutes
What it is: Interactive technical session with guided workflows on Autodesk products. Hands-on labs showcase product workflows and best practices to help users get the most out of Autodesk software.
What it’s not:
- High-level thought leadership
- A sales pitch
- An announcement of services or offerings
Product Demo
Length: 60 minutes
What it is: An opportunity for Autodesk employees, partners, sponsors, and other product experts to share updates, road maps, and insider views of product development efforts.
What it’s not:
- A sales pitch
- Hands-on learning
- Thought leadership
- A customer or project showcase
Panel
Length: 60 minutes
What it is: Conversational format with 3-5 experts facilitated by the speaker showcasing multiple viewpoints and insights on an industry topic.
What it’s not:
- A technical workflow demonstration
- A sales pitch
- A singular viewpoint
You can learn more about the session formats and the learning pillars for AU 2024 in the Call for Proposals Guide. Then, when you’re ready to get started on your proposal—everything you need is on the Call for Proposals site, including sample proposals and a proposal worksheet. Call for Proposals ends April 30 but a good proposal takes time—so get started today. We can’t wait to see what you’re working on!
