Session Chair Guidelines

Thank you for agreeing to chair a session. This essential leadership role within the congress streamlines session continuity and improves the experience of delegates and presenters.

Your Session

Check the online program to confirm your session date, time and room. The session is the full-time slot between one break and the next and includes consecutive presentations, for example from the end of morning tea until lunch.

Presentations & Speakers

The presentation titles, speakers’ names, and times allocated for each presentation are listed in the program. Review the abstracts and biographies and develop a 2-3 sentence introduction for each speaker with the presentation title, speaker’s name, and affiliations.

Online and App Program Updates

The program on the website and in the app is a live version and will include any late changes. Please check the program regularly, including before your session.

On the Day

Visit the registration desk on the morning of your session to collect any printed material, updates on any speaker cancellations, and housekeeping notes.

Session Room

Your session room will be listed in the program. Arrive 15 minutes before the session starts to meet the speakers and check they are ready to present. Familiarize yourself with the layout and equipment.

Cancellations and No Shows

If a presentation is withdrawn, a presenter does not arrive, or a presentation finishes early, please do not bring any presentations forward. Use the time for questions and discussions. Advise the audience you will commence the next presentation as per the program to avoid further disruptions. Delegates will be planning to come to presentations based on the published times.

Presenters

Presenters have been asked to upload their slides before the congress.
The audio-visual technicians will load presentations onto the presentation computer before the session.
If a presenter arrives with a USB to load slides, please direct them to the audio-visual technicians.
Presenters have been asked to sit in the front of the room, so they can move to the lectern quickly.
Advise the speakers you will signal the time remaining (5 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute) and ring the bell when they must stop.
Advise the speakers you will end their presentation if they run over time.

During the Session

There will be a space reserved for the chair at the front of the room with timecards and a bell. Use your phone to keep to time; your phone is more accurate than having individual clocks.

Start and end the session on time; don’t wait for anyone.
Introduce yourself, your role, your workplace, and any involvement with the congress.
Ask delegates to download the app. Attendees can ask questions using the Q&A feature.
Announce housekeeping and program updates if these have been provided.
Ask for electronic devices to be turned to silent.
Introduce the speakers from the lectern with their presentation title, name, and affiliations.

Keeping Time

Not keeping to the program timing is the biggest disruption to conferences and negatively impacts the experience of attendees and presenters.

Please ensure you keep all speakers on time.
Use the timecards to show speakers how much time they have remaining.
Use the counter bell to signal the end of a presentation.
If a speaker uses all their allocated time, do not allow questions, and move to the next speaker.

Question & Answer Time

For individual speakers, their question time is included in their presentation time.

Question time is scheduled for panel sessions at the end of the last presentation.

Do not allow questions if a speaker used their allocated time. Move to the next speaker.
Remind delegates questions can be asked using the Q&A feature of the app.
If time allows, ask the audience for questions, and be prepared to ask a question if necessary.
In larger rooms there will be a Q&A microphone; ask a member of the audience to be a microphone ‘runner’, if required.
Check the app feed for questions and use a microphone to read out questions.
Ensure presenters use a microphone (if available) when responding to questions.

Accessing Questions in the App

The app will be available before the congress.
Download and log into the congress app. You will be emailed a link.
Open the app and select ‘PROGRAM’.
Select your session.
Select ‘Live Q&A’.
Questions will appear in a list under the question box.

Audio-visual Support

An audiovisual technician will be in the room to assist during the session.

At the End of the Session

Use any remaining time for questions and discussion.
Make any closing comments and thank each speaker.
Handout gifts if provided by the conference staff.

Session Chair Guidelines