Oral sessions move fast, so the best way to deliver a strong talk is to plan for the time limits, room technology, and file requirements ahead of time—then keep your slides clean, readable, and accessible.
1) Know your time slot and structure
Most oral sessions are designed around a tight rhythm:
- Traditional oral talk: 12 minutes speaking + 3 minutes Q&A (15 minutes total).
- Lightning talk: 5 minutes speaking + ~2 minutes Q&A, with two lightning talks sharing the same overall slot.
Build your talk so you can finish early rather than late—ending on time is one of the best ways to look professional and respect the session flow.
2) What to expect in the room
You’ll present from a provided Windows laptop at the podium, with your slide file already visible on the desktop. You typically advance slides using the mouse/keyboard, and a presentation remote/laser pointer is available in the room.
If anything goes sideways, roaming AV support is nearby, and there may also be a room assistant who can help locate technical staff.
3) Plan for accessibility (small changes, big impact)
Accessibility isn’t just compliance—it’s audience reach. Small adjustments like strong contrast, readable text, and avoiding color-only meaning can significantly improve comprehension for more people in the room.
Practical habits that help immediately:
- Use large fonts
- Keep slides uncluttered
- Avoid relying on red/green contrasts
- Make sure visuals are described clearly when you speak
4) Tech and file rules you should design around
Room computer environment
Session-room machines are Windows PCs with common presentation software available. Personal laptops aren’t used in the session rooms, so your file needs to run cleanly on the provided setup.
Slide creation format
Slides should be created in (or converted to) PowerPoint, and the room is set up for 16:9. If your deck is 4:3, it will display, but won’t fill the screen.
Accepted presentation files
Common accepted formats include:
- PowerPoint files (multiple PowerPoint extensions)
5) Video, audio, and “missing file” problems (and how to avoid them)
A classic failure mode: your slides open, but your video doesn’t play.
That’s because images get embedded when you save, but audio/video often remain linked—meaning they can break if the media files aren’t packaged correctly. To prevent this:
- Put your audio/video files in the same folder as your slide deck
- Upload/submit them together as required
- If using special fonts, package them similarly when possible
Recommended video formats may differ depending on your creation system; follow the guidance so playback works smoothly on Windows-based room computers.
6) Slide design rules that actually help in a conference room
Fonts
For clarity and compatibility:
- Use common fonts such as Arial or Helvetica
- Use at least 24 pt for body text and 36–40 pt for headings
- Favor light text on a dark background
- Keep text slides to 6–7 lines max
Images
Large images can make decks sluggish and slow to load. A simple best practice is to resize images for screen use (rather than dropping in huge camera files). The guidance recommends downsizing images (example target around 800×600) and using compressed image formats like JPEG for screen projection.
Animations
Use animations only when they’re essential for understanding. Too many effects can distract, slow pacing, and risk compatibility issues.
7) Submission timing matters more than you think
Your deck must be uploaded through the conference submission/program portal, and at least 12 hours before your session so the file can be delivered to the session room computer. Uploading inside that window increases the chance your newest version won’t make it to the room in time.
If you make updates later, you’ll generally need to re-upload the new version so it replaces the previous file in the system.
8) A fast “day-before” checklist
Use this the day before your talk:
✔ Your talk fits the time limit (practice with a timer).
✔ Deck is 16:9 (or you’re okay with letterboxing).
✔ Fonts are readable (24+ pt body; 36–40 pt headings).
✔ Media files (audio/video) are in the same folder and won’t break links.
✔ Images are optimized so the file loads quickly.
✔ Animations are minimal and purposeful.
✔ Upload completed 12+ hours before your session.