Guidance for Contributors
Series-wide guidance for everyone who shapes the scholarly programme. Each edition page sets out its own deadlines, themes and submission portal.
Presentation Guidelines
A conference presentation is the public face of the paper. These guidelines set a common standard so that every presenter, whether in the room, online or recorded, has the same opportunity to be heard and questioned.
Before the Conference
Most problems on the day can be prevented a week earlier.
Confirm Your Place
- Check that at least one author is registered for the paper
- Find your session, its date and its time in the programme
- Note the time zone: online sessions run on New Zealand time
- Tell the organisers early if the named presenter changes
Prepare Your Material
- Read the reviewers’ final comments once more and reflect them in the talk
- Prepare slides in 16:9 format with the paper ID on the first slide
- Rehearse aloud to the allocated time, with a clock
- Prepare a short spoken biography for the session chair
Shaping the Talk
Plan for ten minutes followed by questions, unless the session chair advises otherwise. A well-shaped talk opens with its contribution and keeps the literature review brief.
| Part | Purpose | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Problem and gap | The question the work answers and why existing knowledge does not already answer it | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Approach | The method, data and setting, in enough detail to judge their adequacy | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Findings | The principal results, with the evidence that supports them | 3 to 4 minutes |
| Meaning | Implications for research and practice, limitations, and next steps | 1 to 2 minutes |
Slides and Visual Material
Design for the Back of the Room
- One idea per slide, with a headline that states the point
- Text large enough to read on a shared screen, normally no smaller than 24 point
- High contrast between text and background, and no meaning carried by colour alone
- Charts simplified to the comparison that matters, with labelled axes
Integrity on the Slide
- Every figure, photograph and quotation credited to its source
- Third-party images used only with permission
- Data shown consistent with the paper
- Participant images or identifying data shown only with consent
Live, Online and Recorded Delivery
Each edition states which modes it supports. The same time limit and the same standard apply to all three.
In the Room
Arrive at the session room at least ten minutes before it starts, load and test your slides, and introduce yourself to the chair. Stay for the whole session as a courtesy to fellow presenters.
Online
Join at least ten minutes early from a quiet room with a wired or stable connection and a headset. Set your display name to your paper ID and surname, keep your camera on while presenting, and test screen sharing beforehand.
Recorded
Submit an MP4 file at 1920 by 1080 pixels, no longer than ten minutes, opening with a slide that shows the paper ID, title and authors. Record in a quiet room with your face visible where possible, and attend the session for questions if you can.
Questions and Discussion
Questions are part of the scholarly exchange. Repeat or paraphrase a question before answering so that the whole room and the online audience can follow it. Where a question goes beyond the paper, say so plainly and offer to continue the conversation afterwards. The session chair decides the order of questions and when discussion closes.
Final Checklist
- Registration confirmed for the paper
- Session date, time and time zone noted
- Slides in 16:9 with the paper ID on the first slide
- Talk rehearsed to ten minutes
- Recording submitted by the stated deadline, where applicable
- Audio, camera and screen sharing tested, for online presenters
Submitting any contribution to GDI or DigiBUILT, including GDI 2025, or registering for, attending, presenting at or otherwise taking part in any GDI-related event, means you have read and accepted the Terms and Conditions of Participation and the policies they incorporate. See clause 2.
Recordings and images are governed by the Recording and Photography Policy, and conduct in all sessions by the Code of Conduct.