Thank you for agreeing to participate in our upcoming SPIN meeting. Below are a few guidelines to help you become familiar with the Southern California SPIN and to prepare your presentation. We hope you will feel relaxed among this group of peers who have come to share information on a topic of mutual interest.
Who we are:
- We are a group of software engineering professionals interested in process improvement.
- We come from large and small companies, aerospace, medical instruments, software developers, tool vendors, business, academia, and other fields.
- We generally meet the first Friday of the month at Northrop Grumman in El Segundo.
- We are sponsored by Northrop Grumman, and co-sponsorsed by CSULB University College and Extension Services (UCES). New sponsors are always welcome.
Benefits to You:
- Publicity for yourself and your work. NOTE: We believe notoriety is intrinsic to presenting at SoCal SPIN. Sales pitches, follow-up sales sheets, sign-in sheets to be used by the speaker as a future mailing list, etc. are frowned upon.
- Information dissemination and feedback on your work.
- Opportunity to meet and network with people in your community.
- You will not receive any travel costs, but you will receive publicity, appreciation, and applause.
- You are also invited to be our guest at the steering committee lunch about 30 minutes after the meeting. At this meeting we plan future SPIN meetings, discuss community issues, etc.
Before the Meeting Day:
The meeting coordinator will request your full contact information. This information is needed by both the meeting coordinator and CSULB-UCES. We need:
- Phone number
- Email address
- URL (if available)
- Fax
- Complete snail mail address for sending parking pass, etc.
The meeting coordinator will request additional information from you for publicity three (3) months in advance (see flyers/publicity below).
The Meeting
Your meeting coordinator will inform you as to the format and time allotted for your presentation.
Plan to arrive at the meeting room at least 15 minutes prior to your talk.
Typical meeting formats are:
- A single speaker who speaks for either a 2 1/2 hour talk interspersed with about 30 minutes of questions and answers, or a 2 hour talk with 20-30 minutes for questions and answers at the end.
- Two speakers who are allotted 75 minutes each for their presentation and questions and answers.
- A panel discussion.
Presentations should be technical and informational, not sales pitches. You are welcome to discuss products and services in off-line networking conversations. We appreciate donations of door prizes.
Handouts:
The SPIN audience will expect copies of your overhead transparencies, Powerpoint slides or viewgraphs as handouts.
Please bring about 75 copies, printed 2-4 slides or viewgraphs per page (but ensure that the diagrams and text aren't too small).
Electronic versions of the presentation (Power Point or other MS document) or links to the presentation are appreciated and will be included on the web version of the flyer.
Please note that we are unable to make copies the day of the meeting.
You may bring any additional materials as you see fit. They will be placed on the information table with your viewgraph handouts.
Equipment:
A plain overhead projector will be provided unless you request otherwise - in advance. Other equipment available upon request includes an SVGA projector, a second plain overhead projector and screen, and flip chart/markers. Be sure to request in advance a lavalier or hand held microphone if you are not sure your voice can fill a room of sixty people.
Before the Start of the Presentation:
The meeting room is set up an hour before the first speaker is introduced. Refreshments are served, attendance is recorded, and members of the audience network.
During the Presentation(s):
The meeting coordinator will introduce the first speaker at 9:00 a.m. Let the audience know if you will answer questions as they come up, or if you would like the audience to hold questions until the end of the presentation.
At the Conclusion of the Meeting:
The SPIN Steering Committee Leader will make any final announcements before adjourning the meeting at noon. Please be aware that the meeting coordinator and others will be in a hurry to rush off to the SPIN steering committee meeting that follows immediately. You are invited to lunch with the steering committee. If you do not have time, please forgive the coordinator and others for rushing off.
Flyers/Publicity:
The meeting coordinator will request the following information from you for the flyer three (3) months in advance of the meeting:
- Name, Title, and Affiliation (as you want it on the flyer)
- Email Address
- URL (if available)
- Presentation title
- Presentation abstract (about 100-200 words)
- Bio (about 100 words)
We may edit abstracts and bios to fit our space limitations. We prefer plain ascii text by email. We have no need for photos.
Your bio will also be used to introduce you. Send additional information you would like to have included in your introduction to the meeting coordinator.
Electronic flyers usually contain:
- Meeting topic
- Speaker(s) name, title, affiliation, email address and URL (if available)
- Presentation title and a one or two paragraph abstract
- Speaker's bio(s) - one paragraph
- Coordinator's name, title, affiliation and contact info
- Date, time, location
- Various SPIN information, e.g. corporate sponsors
Note: Printed flyers have abbreviated abstracts (bullet points) and bios. For examples, you can find flyers from previous meetings on the web.
We publicize the upcoming meetings in multiple ways:
- Flyers are distributed electronically to the SPIN email list and other email lists.
- Abbreviated hard copy flyers are mailed to the SPIN distribution list on a limited basis.
- Abbreviated copy flyers are distributed at SPIN meetings beginning at least two meetings prior.
- An html version of a flyer is placed on the UCES SPIN web site.
- Announcements are placed in local organization newsletters, email, and web pages.