ADVICE FOR ROOM MANAGERS

Room managers are responsible for each of the rooms during panel and keynote sessions. Essentially, their role is like a director, to ensure everyone is in the right place, and that everything is running to time, so the A/V technicians and chairs can do their jobs, speakers can present their papers, and the audience can participate during Q&As.

Working with the A/V technicians

Each room during panel and keynote sessions will have an A/V technician. The role of the A/V technician is to co-ordinate the technical aspects within the room and online. If the speaker is in the room, they will ensure that their slideware is ready to run, the microphone is working, and that the speaker is streamed online. If the speaker is online, they will ensure the speaker is on the screen in the room, that sound is working, and that the speaker is being streamed to other online attendees.

·         It is role of the room manager to identify the speaker to the A/V technician. If in the room, please introduce the speaker so they can discuss their technical needs. If online, please point out the name of the speaker in the online session – if their name is not readily apparent, the room manager should jump in the chat to ask if the speaker is there and get them to identify themselves.

·         During Q&A sessions, the room manager should identify any online attendees who have asked a question by ‘raising their hand’, and ask the A/V technician to put that person live on screen / in the stream.

Working with the chairs

Each room during panel and keynote sessions will have a chair. It is recommended you read about the role of the chair in the ‘Advice for Panel Chairs’ on the website. Essentially, however, their role is to introduce the panel and the speakers, and to manage the Q&A session which may involve them asking their own questions if there is a lull in discussion.

·         It is the role of the room manager to ensure the chair is present in the room, locate them if not, and if no chair turns up, to get a replacement chair. To get a replacement chair they should put an urgent call out on the Whatsapp group for one of the floating chairs (members of the BSP conference team) to jump into the role. This should be done during the 15-10 minute period prior to the session (ie, during the break or toward the end of lunch).

·         During the Q&A period, the chairs should turn to the room manager to see if there are any online questions. If they don’t, the room manager should signal to the chair that there are online questions. The room manager – on request from the chair – will then either ask the A/V technician to put an attendee live if they have ‘raised their hand’, or read out a text question if submitted that way.

·         The room manager should signal to the chair when the 30 minute session is coming to an end. Do this a couple of minutes before the end so the chair has a chance to wrap things up and introduce the next speaker on time. You can agree with the chair the nature of that signal.

Working with the speakers

If this is a keynote session, there will be one speaker. If a panel session anywhere between two and three speakers. If a keynote session, the speakers have a 1.5 hour slot: this means approximately 45 minutes for the paper; and 45 minutes for questions. If a panel session, each speaker has around 20 minutes for their paper, and ten minutes for Q&As. Speakers may either be in the room or online.

·         If the speaker is in the room:

o   The room manager should introduce themselves, and introduce the speaker to the A/V technician and the chair. The A/V technician should sort out their technical needs; and the chair may want to chat with them regarding their introduction.

o   Panel Speakers: The room manager should briefly outline how they will keep the speaker to time with time cue cards (15, 20, 25, END). They should remind the speaker they have 20 minutes to speak and 10 minutes for Q&As. They should also say that the speaker can over-run their 20 minutes for the paper, but that it will cut into their Q&A session, and that there is no opportunity for the session to be extended.

o   Keynote speakers: ask them how they would like any signals, if at all.

·         If the speaker is online:

o   The room manager should identify the name or names of the online speaker/s to the A/V technician from attendees online.

o   Panel speakers: The room manager should send a chat note to the speaker reminding them they have 20 minutes to speak and 10 minutes for Q&As. They should also say that the speaker can over-run their 20 minutes for the paper, but that it will cut into their Q&A session, and that there is no opportunity for the session to be extended. During the talk, the room manager should let the speaker know where they are in their session by typing in the relevant time cue into the chat (15, 20, 25, END).

o   Keynote speakers: ask them how they would like any signals, if at all.

·         If the speaker (venue or online) doesn’t turn up:

o   If a speaker does not turn up, then the slot should remain vacant. As each speaker is assigned a specific 30 minute slot, you cannot bring a speaker forward. However, if a second or third speaker does not turn up, it is fine to allow discussion to continue during the vacant slot as long as participants are willing to continue. If no speakers turn up, the session should be abandoned, and announced to the in room and online audience.

Preparing for the session

·         Ensure you are in the room in good time

·         Ensure your laptop is on and you are logged in to Zoom and the correct session. NOTE: you’ll need to be logged in to a special Zoom account that Matt will be sending, not your own!

·         Ensure you have your time cue cards for the room, and some text prepared to paste into the chat for online speakers

During the session

·         When speakers are speaking, keep an eye on the time, and use cue card or cue note prompts to help keep the speakers to time.

·         If you want, take a photo of the speaker and pop the photo onto the specified Slack channel for Zoe to post on social media

·         While the role demands room managers to operate as unobtrusively as possible so not as to distract the speaker unnecessarily, the greater responsibility is the all the speakers at the event. This means keeping everyone to time. If necessary, the room manager should intervene vocally to keep things on track!

·         During Q&As, keep in good eye contact with the chair to let them know if you have online questions coming in; and let them know when the session coming to an end.