FWD50 2020 Proposal Tips

Published On Jun 25, 2020

Each year, dozens of speakers from around the world take the stage at FWD50. We’ve just opened our Call for Proposals, which is how you join them. We’ll review proposed talks in the coming months, so if you’re working on a topic or talk, here are some tips on how to submit the perfect proposal:

  1. Read our content survey. Every year, we ask our audience what topics they want to learn about, and then publish the results.
  2. Take an unusual angle on a familiar topic. There’s a lot of agreement on what technologies matter: Teleworking; AI; digital process management; and so on. Similarly, there’s agreement around policy priorities: Healthcare, protecting the elderly, inclusive design, climate change. But can you find an unexpected narrative that makes people reconsider their assumptions?
  3. Mention your tech. With many speakers participating virtual during social distancing, your experience with online platforms is a key factor. Do you have tools you use to make the experience interactive? Do you have reliable broadband? The more you can tell us about the professionalism and technical readiness, the better.
  4. We want all voices. FWD50 works hard on diversity and inclusion, and we expect our speakers to do so as well. If you know a fantastic co-presenter from an under-represented group, why not reach out to them? Can you make room for other voices or suggest an expert?
  5. Can you build bridges? If you can span the gap between tech and policy; regional and national interests; public and private sector; or other dichotomies that seldom see eye-to-eye, tell us how you accomplish it!
  6. Tell some hard truths. Made a horrible mistake? Perhaps you headed a multi-year initiative that never launched, or were in charge during a devastating outage. Turn those lemons into lemonade! Share your cautionary tales, so others can learn from you.

With summer beginning, November might seem a distant milestone—but it’s only four months away! The sooner you get your proposals in, the sooner we can start building out the lineup—and the more time you’ll have over the summer to put together some fascinating content to share with the world.

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