National Ergo 2023 Proposal Requirements & Guidelines

Submit your proposal to speak at National Ergo this November in Las Vegas!

Ready to Submit Your Proposal? Read This First

Successful proposals will help the submission review panel envision the presentation and understand the value it will impart to attendees. For proper consideration, each submission should adhere to the following requirements.

Proposal Info

  • Give your presentation a descriptive and engaging title. Think about your target audience and the issues top of mind for them. What statement or question will grab their attention?
  • Make sure your abstract description contains enough detail to give the selection panel a clear grasp of what you’re going to talk about and what attendees will take away from it.
  • Give three key learning objectives for attendees, clearly articulated, with measurable outcomes where applicable.
  • Include the education level of the content: Basic, Intermediate or Advanced. Note that Intermediate and Advanced sessions will be given selection preference.
  • List any evidenced-based references or supporting documents used for developing the presentation.

Presenter Info

  • Attendees tell us they benefit most from the firsthand experience of their peers facing similar challenges. While we value vendor and provider perspectives, ideal presentations should also include an employer engaged with the topic firsthand, whenever applicable.
  • Panels should not exceed four panelists. As a general guideline, slide presentations work best with two speakers, or two speakers and a moderator, and freeform group discussions can work for three or four.
  • Please secure an intent to participate from all presenters before including them in your submission. Panelist qualifications and connection to the subject matter are a key part of the selection criteria focus. While we understand that speaker changes can occur due to schedule availability, it is our expectation that proposed speakers will be ready and available to participate if the proposal is accepted.
  • Proposals should include no more than two speakers unless it is a panel discussion, which should be limited to moderator with a maximum three panelists.
  • All speaker changes must be approved by the conference chairs.
  • Include names, titles, companies, credentials, brief bios, headshot photos and contact information for each presenter.

Updated for 2023: Presentation Format

Choose a format that will best engage the audience in the specific material being presented. For all formats, keep in mind that speakers are not required to sit – moving around the room and engaging with the audience is encouraged.

Format options include:

  • Lecture — A typical lecture-style presentation with slides
  • Moderated Q&A — A moderator leads subject matter experts who explore a topic from diverse or even opposing points of view, with or without slides
  • Group Panel Discussion – Unscripted group discussion on a topic, typically without slides. (4 presenters max)
  • Case Study – Step-by-step account of one employer organization’s experience implementing a new strategy, with results measured and explained. Employer organization must be included on the panel.
  • Demonstration – Can be used to present approaches to material using what-if situations or to illustrate specific practices or use cases. Demonstrations of specific products or paid programs will be rejected.
  • Point-Counterpoint. The Ergonomics industry isn’t without its share of controversial questions. We invite friendly debate and discussion, along with audience participation.
  • Masterclass – An intermediate- to advanced-level discussion that gives attendees an opportunity to dive in and apply the concepts being illustrated, whether through breakouts, table exercises or other forms of active participation and engagement with the material.

Zero Tolerance for Selling and Promotion

  • National Ergo’s mission is to educate, elevate, and connect the Ergonomics community. Each year, our chairs and advisors select presentations based on the value of the educational content for attendees.
  • An invitation to speak at National Ergo is a thought leadership opportunity. We invite professionals throughout the ergonomics community to share knowledge and experience that is “vendor-agnostic” – without bias toward or promotion of any specific product, program or service.
  • No selling or self-promotion of any kind. We expect presenters to come to the stage motivated to educate, but not to sell or to promote their business, products or services, or to attract new clients. Proposals that promote or endorse particular products or companies will not be considered.
  • Presentations from vendors will be considered, but proposals MUST include a client case study, presented by an ergonomics, safety or occupational medical professional.

*Important Reminders*

  • Make sure all corporate approvals are secured prior to making your speaking submission. Your photo, name, title and company brand will be promoted in our pre-event, onsite and post-event marketing activities.
  • If your proposal is accepted for the educational program, you will receive a link to download the National Ergo 2023 PPT template. Please do not prepare PPTs or handouts on vendor-branded templates, and avoid logos or branding in the body of the presentation. Branded presentation content will be rejected, and may result in exclusion from National Ergo’s educational program. You are welcome to include logos on your closing slide, such as alongside presenter contact info, as well as any necessary legal disclaimers.

What You Need to Know

about speaking at national Ergo 2023

If you like, download the guidelines on this page for easy reference.

DOWNLOAD PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

For more information on this year's updated educational tracks, return to the RFP page.

Important Deadlines

Application Closes: April 28, 2023

Final Selection: May 15, 2023

If you have any questions or problems submitting this form, email [email protected].

More Ways to Help Your Proposal Stand Out

More Ways to Help Your Proposal Stand Out

Proposal Creation Best Practices

  • Feel free to submit up to three proposals. We’re looking for diverse approaches across tracks. The more proposals we have to consider, the greater the chance we’ll find an ideal fit for your material on the session agenda.
  • Be passionate about your chosen topic.
  • Avoid using undue amounts of jargon … draft your proposal in plain language.
  • Include specific strategies attendees can implement within their own Ergonomics and Safety programs. The best presentations give attendees a framework to envision how your ideas can be applied to the challenges they face.
  • Start with your goal in mind. Consider the key ideas you want attendees to walk away with and develop your proposal around how you’ll deliver those ideas and instill attendees with the urgency of your message.
  • Keep in mind that participants learn not only from successes, but also from the lessons taken away from failed efforts.

Think Ahead to Your Presentation

  • The most memorable session experiences are those that actively engage the audience in more than one way. If you’re presenting a session in a traditional lecture style, consider adding a poll or a guess-the-answer question, or questions that attendees can answer by a show of hands.
  • Tell a story.
  • Don’t pack your slides like your luggage. Slides should contain a minimum amount of information. Overloaded slides take the audience focus away from the presenter and are commonly known to be less effective at getting ideas across. You want your slides to help guide attendees through your presentation, rather than merely repeating what you’re telling them.
  • Please include “for more information” slides with additional resources for attendees, but don’t shortchange your presentation by spending time presenting that content. Refer to it briefly and let them know exactly where to access it.
  • Rehearse your presentation before your colleagues and review your abstract to ensure that your presentation aligns with the proposal you’ve submitted.
  • In addition to educational takeaways, we urge presenters to consider tangible resources or tools that attendees can use once they’ve returned to their employers. Examples include checklists, assessment forms, whitepapers, how-to’s, toolkits, templates, or worksheets.
  • Make ‘em laugh (but be cautious). Infusing humor can be an incredibly effective way to make your session and your content memorable. Just be certain not to overuse it and to keep it suitable for all audiences.