In today’s editorial, guest writer Marcella McKeown shares some insights from her tenure from working on the program of PASS Summit. Having worked with Marcella for many years with the PASS organization and now Redgate on making a conference slate of speakers, I know a bit about what it takes to get it done (Spoiler alert: It is a lot!)
The Role
As the Senior Program Manager for PASS Summit at Redgate, I develop and manage the educational content and programs for PASS Data Community Summit. I work closely across teams on the high-level strategy and planning of conference themes, attendee experience, communications, and marketing campaigns – while simultaneously responsible for the strategy, planning, and production of the PASS Summit program.
Although my role is centered on the PASS Summit program, a lot goes into the planning and development each year. A typical work cycle for me looks much like this at a very high level:
A New Beginning
It was a sad day when the PASS organization officially closed on January 15, 2021, but the data community being what it is, stepped up with an outpouring of positivity and support. I would be lying if I said that there hadn’t been any critiques, but overall, the message was one of inspiring unity and strength. This is not a community defined by any organization but is truly a global network of professionals, and friends, determined to stay together to continue evolving.
With Redgate acquiring the PASS assets and breathing new life into the annual PASS Summit, starting with the 2021 virtual event with over four hundred sessions, it was not only a new beginning for the conference, but also for me and a small handful of people with strong ties to the community and first-hand experience in developing PASS events. I am grateful to Redgate and the data community for the opportunity of continuing in a role that I love, with a community that means a great deal.
Creating the PASS Summit Program
Developing a conference program is no small feat. PASS Summit, which over the years has had no less than 147, and up to 400+, sessions – depending on whether the event was in-person or virtual, as well as the chosen venue and capacities – takes over a full year to plan, develop, and execute.
Some of the key aspects that go into building the PASS Summit program have been outlined in a previous blog, but comes down to:
- Understanding the audience.
- Defining clear content objectives.
- Working through onsite planning to determine the number of sessions.
- Building a content framework based on the session categories, tracks, levels, and topics.
- Engaging with the community.
- Achieving an unbiased and diverse balance of content and speakers.
While most of the selection is based on data and onsite logistics, the entire process relies heavily on collaborative feedback and insights from community volunteers that dedicate their time, knowledge, and expertise in reviewing each submission. These community volunteers who make up our program committee and are the true unsung heroes who shoulder the heavy lifting.
As PASS Summit continues to grow each year, the number of submissions to our call for speakers continues to increase sharply, making the selection process harder. After many years of meeting and working with speakers in the community, and continually meeting new speakers every year, being able to maintain impartiality gets more and more challenging. For me, this is where the multi-phased review process really shines and enables us to put content first.
Despite the tough choices to finalize the program, it is the notification of results that I find to be the MOST difficult part of the process. Given the personal nature of submitting a session, not to mention the time, effort, and care given to each submission, I struggle to answer the questions of, “Why wasn’t my session selected?” or “What can I do to improve my submission for next year?” Being declined is not always a reflection of the submission or the speaker but comes down to the number of session spots that we have open that year, coupled with the number of submissions we have per topic. As an example, this year, within the 75-minute session category of the Database Management track, we received eighty-six sessions with eighteen being rated 5/5 by the program committee. With only five session spots available, it made for some seriously difficult choices.
Closing Thoughts
Developing the PASS Summit program requires many hands, relying on a delicate balance of community insights and feedback, data-driven decisions, and an eye to diversity. It is truly a labor of love and one that is never the same from year to year. Seeing the positive impact that a successful program has on attendees makes the whole process a rewarding endeavor from start to finish.
As a Senior Program Manager that has organized the PASS Summit Program for the past sixteen years, I’ve witnessed the growth of many speakers and the tough choices and passion behind every submission. My deepest respect and appreciation go out to those that participate in our call for speakers each year.
With all that said, I hope that you’ll join us and get to experience the depth of this year’s program at PASS Data Community Summit. Until November!
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