A session needs to be doubly convincing.
First, to the conference organizing team. They want a cohesive program that offers value to all attendees.
Second, there are the attendees themselves, who invest time and money in the conference and want to take home as much new knowledge as possible in return.
Half-hearted session descriptions have no place here.
Step 1: Does my session proposal meet the conference requirements?
Some sessions have great content but still don't make it into the conference program.
Time and again, program committees have to reject sessions with interesting titles because the submitters did not follow the guidelines. Organizers usually publish these along with their call for sessions.
Many conferences have clear expectations here: character counts, structure, and thematic classification.
Ignore these, and you're out immediately. No matter how interesting the proposal might otherwise be.
🔎Read the call for sessions very carefully. Or ask if you can't find any information about it.
If the call for sessions contains no formal requirements, they either don't exist (unlikely) or they are hidden somewhere on the website (likely).
A quick pro-tip for organizers: A clearly structured conference website is an effective way to prevent flawed session submissions.
Even better is providing direct feedback when a session is submitted. For example: If the character limit for the session title is exceeded, a warning appears. This way, submitters know immediately if something isn't right.
⚠️Pay attention to the requirements even if you are familiar with the conference from the previous year. Organizing teams often change behind the scenes, and with them, the rules.
Some want concise session descriptions, others prefer detailed ones. Not everything is possible regarding the session format either: some rely solely on classic presentations, while others favor workshops, panels, or creative exchanges.
What works as a session at one conference might completely fail at the next.
Topics are only sometimes predefined. Usually, there is one main theme—that of the entire conference—and several sub-themes. Your session proposal must fit in somewhere.
👍👎If the committee is open to new proposals that don't fit the predefined categories but align well with the conference theme, there will be a note about it. Otherwise, it's better to revise your session proposal.
Session submissions that arrive too late have no chance from the start. So, don't hesitate too long if you have a good idea.
Step 2: Finding a title for the session
Who is coming to the conference? Which audience do you need to convince with your session?
Of course, the program committee ultimately decides whether your session is included or not. But they are thinking primarily of the audience. What will generate the greatest response? Which contributions are worth it for the attendees?
🤗Don't write primarily for the committee; write for the attendees.
Fortunately, you already know them. Maybe not by name, but because they work in the same professional field as you. They share your interests, face the same challenges, and likely speak the same language as you do.
Broad, sweeping topics are generally not what people are looking for. If your content only scratches the surface, you won't be offering anything new. General information is only helpful if you are introducing a topic that many people aren't familiar with yet. Think of a new collaboration software you've successfully tested, or a nascent field of research you've been studying in depth.
On the other hand, your session shouldn't be too niche, either. If only a handful of experts understand the subject matter, it will hurt your chances with the program committee.
The session title makes all the difference
In the conference program, attendees only see the session title and the time at first.
The detailed session description only appears when they click on the title. If the title doesn't grab them, they won't look any further.
The session falls through the cracks. No matter how good the description is, if the title is monotonous or uninspired, hardly anyone will ever reach the first sentence. So, feel free to make it a bit exciting, but don't overdo it. Clickbait titles might grab attention in the short term.
But if you promise too much, you'll often end up disappointing your audience.
💡What works? A title that is concrete. One that doesn't just say what it's about, but why someone should attend and what they will get out of it.
Tips for better session titles
Refer to a specific case study in more detail.
XYZ Museum Case Study: Sustainable Building in Practice: Informative, but boring.
How Sustainable Building Protects Unique Artworks at the XYZ Museum: Much more vivid and intriguing. Now it's about impact, not just technique.
Admittedly, this doesn't work equally well for every topic, and it's not always easy to find a hook that makes the title more engaging right away.
Include a number.
With a little trick, this works even for more theoretical sessions: While "Cross-modal learning in robots" sounds a bit dry, a number at the beginning can work wonders: "The 5 most important concepts for cross-modal learning in robots" is much more likely to make people sit up and take notice.
Frame your conference session as a question or a contradiction.
Or address a problem that everyone working in the field is familiar with. Important: Avoid abbreviations and terms that aren't standard (yet). If you only want experts in your session, that's fine, but it tends to deter anyone who isn't a top-tier specialist.
😏Be careful with experimentation: Creative titles and puns can work, but they should come to you naturally. Don't force them. The result usually feels contrived, and people can tell.
Step 3: Convince them with your session description
Once you've cleared the hurdle of the title, the next challenge begins: Now you need to convince the readers. "Why should I attend this session?"
Make it clear what it’s about and why it matters.
Provide answers and arguments:
- What can attendees expect?
- What questions will the session answer?
- What problem does it solve?
- What will the audience take away?
No room for fluff
Nobody wants to be talked at or waste time on filler content. Your description must make it clear that your session has substance and has earned its place in the conference program.
❌Avoid descriptions that sound like they’re straight out of a textbook.
An example: "Cognitive computing deals with autonomous and self-learning IT systems. By applying a wide variety of machine learning methods, it becomes possible for these systems to process large amounts of data from diverse sources in a short time. This session approaches the topic of cognitive computing from both a theoretical and practical perspective and aims to show ways in which such systems can be used in a forward-looking manner."
It sounds professional, but boring. And that is exactly how people will imagine the session to be.
If you want your session to be more than just the lesser of two evils, it’s better to give your description a boost beforehand. Divide the text into two sections: Problem and Solution.
Section 1: Define the problem
In the first section, pose a question or describe a challenge. When writing, move away from textbook style and definitions.
Section 2: Tease the solution
What does your session demonstrate? What is the goal? Use the final part of the session description to explain what your session improves or the approach it takes to find a solution.
Always keep in mind that expectations are formed the moment someone reads the description. The best results occur when the text and the actual experience align as closely as possible. While the title sparks curiosity, the description deepens the topic and completes what the headline started.
The title and description form a single unit, which is why you can circle back to the question or problem from the title toward the end.
Example: Cognitive Computing – a revised session description for the conference program could look something like this: "Automatically organizing large, messy datasets in just a few hours using only cognitive computing? Does that only work in the movies, or is it for real? We’ll find out together in this session."
Step 4: Further session details
Who is the session for?
At the end of the description, one question remains: Who is the target audience? Specialists? Or are curious minds from other departments welcome, too? How much prior knowledge is needed to follow along? This information is crucial to ensure everyone gets the most out of it. If pros are bored or beginners are lost, nobody walks away with anything.
🎯If the conference tool offers selection options like "Beginner" / "Intermediate" / "Expert" when submitting a session: perfect.
Do attendees need to bring anything?
Is it okay to show up empty-handed, or do participants need to bring anything? A hacking session won't work well without your own computer. If a laptop, specific apps, or an account are required, be sure to mention it.
This helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures the session can get off to a well-prepared start.
Who is speaking?
Some organizers like to include brief speaker bios in their session descriptions. It certainly doesn't hurt to know who you're dealing with, but nobody needs a full CV here.
What matters more is: What are the person's qualifications? Why are they able to contribute to the session topic?
- Have they been working on the topic for many years?
- Are they conducting research or have they published on it?
- Have they developed an unusual or brand-new approach?
- Or can they share insights from practical experience?
This information is more than enough.
A good session description is much more than just a mandatory text for the conference program. It determines whether someone is interested in the content or just keeps scrolling. Writing with clarity, structure, and enthusiasm not only ensures full rooms but also lays the foundation for a successful presentation.
Are you tasked with planning a conference program yourself? You can find more help here:
➕Sessions that reliably deliver value at conferences: Q&A sessions. Learn how to set them up properly here.
❌We have listed mistakes that organizers should avoid when designing their conference program, and explained how to do it better.
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