Why is my Talk selected? Reflections from a Program Committee Reviewer

You have a story to tell

You are a contributor to the topic you are presenting

When you are directly involved with the creation, maintenance, or significant contribution to the topic of your talk, your presence becomes invaluable to the audience. Attendees are eager to hear insights “straight from the horse’s mouth,” as your knowledge is both current and authoritative. Presenting as a contributor means you can address highly specific questions, share in-depth understanding, and help solve real-world issues that the audience may be facing. This opportunity for direct engagement is particularly attractive for organizers, as it encourages meaningful interaction between users and experts, helping to draw larger crowds to conferences and events.

There is something for the audience to learn

When evaluating a submission, I always consider what the attendees will gain from the experience. The crucial point is the take-away, what practical insights or knowledge will participants leave with? It is important to highlight subtle elements involved in using a particular technology, framework, or methodology, such as lesser-known features or important considerations when integrating it with other systems. Ultimately, if someone is dedicating their time to your talk, it should provide them with genuinely useful information and value.

Your talk is fun, quirky, and inspiring

One of the reasons why attendees are attending a tech conference or meetup is the opportunity to be inspired in their hunger for all things technical. If your presentation has this sense of fun and nerdiness, it can be a compelling factor for your selection as a speaker. For example, sharing a project that is both technically intriguing and entertaining not only captures the audience’s imagination but may also encourage them to try on their own creative or experimental journey. Even in instances where there is not a concrete takeaway for the participants, the enjoyment and inspiration delivered through your talk can motivate others to innovate, to build or break something thus making your contribution valuable and memorable.

You are a good speaker and have a history of delivering quality talks

If your topic resonates with the reviewers and organizers but there are multiple similar submissions, the strength of your delivery experience and history can become a decisive factor in the selection process. Reviewers and organizers typically assess your credentials as a speaker in three main ways:

1. You have an established presence within the community, and members of the selection committee have seen you present one or more times before. This prior visibility gives confidence in your ability to engage and inform an audience effectively.
2. When you include a recording of your previous talks as part of your submission, reviewers have the opportunity to directly observe your presentation style, content delivery, and audience engagement. This tangible evidence can strongly support your application.
3. If your talks are easily searchable online, organizers can independently reference your past presentations. This accessibility helps them gauge your experience and the reception of your previous sessions, further informing their decision. But make sure, if possible, provide a recording link of the talk you are submitting or one of your previous talks, because sometimes, helping the reviewers and organizers to find everything in one place helps your talk being selected as well.

Organization/Program related reasons

Your topic is related to the conference/meetup target audience

It is straightforward, but nonetheless worth mentioning, that a .Net-focused conference is unlikely to select a talk centered around Java internals. Organizers adhere to a specific theme as this helps attract the intended audience. However, your presentation may still be relevant to the programme if it offers comparative insights between different technologies. For instance, at a Java conference, a session exploring which language features are absent in Java compared to .Net, or vice versa, could be of genuine interest to attendees.

Unique topic

Even if your submission does not meet every single criterion, having a unique topic can make a significant difference. Whether your proposal focuses on technology adoption, promoting diversity, technology for good, or sharing tips and addressing barriers in career progression, such subjects often fall under the Community & Career category. However, these themes can also be relevant and valuable for other tracks within the conference or meetup programme.

Where are you located

When organizers are considering which speakers to select, your location can play a role in the decision-making process. While many conferences are able to cover travel expenses for their presenters, there are also plenty that cannot always provide such support. In these cases, organizers often favor speakers who are based nearby or at least on the same continent. If you are a local expert with a relevant topic, you may be given preference over someone who would need to travel internationally. This is not only a matter of cost, but also convenience and reliability for the event’s planning.

Your employer needed to be represented

Occasionally, it is necessary for organizers and reviewers to ensure that a particular organization or product company is represented within the conference programme. This is not solely due to sponsorship considerations. Instead, it may be the case that certain products or companies are closely aligned with the intended theme of the event, and their inclusion is seen as a comprehensive exploration of the subject matter. In these instances, representation from specific organizations helps to maintain the breadth of the programme, ensuring that key technologies, products or perspectives are adequately covered.

Conference/Meetup Programme Schedule

There are a couple of key reasons why your talk might be included in the schedule for a conference or meetup.
Sometimes, organizers are looking to feature presentations that fit a particular format or topic. This could mean talks that are time bound, such as brief 5- or 15-minute sessions, or presentations focused on a specific subject, for example, discussions around Agentic AI frameworks.
On occasion, there may not be enough submissions for certain tracks or presentation types. If your submission matches one of these underrepresented areas, it stands a higher chance of being selected for the programme.