Sign up to be a Moderator: Help us out and win points toward prizes!
Moderator Role:
The UMISC Moderator role for the online conference is similar to the moderator role in past years with essential functions being timekeeping, providing introductions, and moderating Q&A. However, there are some extra technology requirements this year with the online format.
Technology and Tech Savvy:
UMISC staff will schedule and host test-runs of the EventMobi and Zoom session interfaces every week in October. Stay tuned! Participation is optional, but highly recommended.
Incentive!
If you are able to accept prizes from partners (which we know some government employees are not), you will get 500 points towards The UMISC Championship (the in-conference game) for each session that you moderate. Compete with other attendees to win prizes, such as free registration for the next UMISC! (Employees and contractors of UMISC and any of its host entities are not eligible to participate)
The UMISC Moderator role for the online conference is similar to the moderator role in past years with essential functions being timekeeping, providing introductions, and moderating Q&A. However, there are some extra technology requirements this year with the online format.
Technology and Tech Savvy:
- Must be able to attend moderated session on a computer (not a mobile device)
- Computer must have Powerpoint installed
- Moderators for certain sessions must have Zoom installed on the computer (i.e., not just joining through the web client). These sessions are marked on the sign-up
- Moderators need to be able to assume host role in Zoom meeting
- Computer must have microphone (internal or external)
- Must have a fast and stable internet connection
- Moderators must be familiar with Zoom and its menus and/or be willing to train with UMISC staff
- Moderators of sessions with pre-recorded presentations must have the desktop version of Zoom installed, NOT the web client. These sessions are marked with *** on the sign up
- If agency or company policy prevents you from installing Zoom, don’t sign up to moderate these sessions!
- Moderators must be committed to “keeping the trains running on time”
- Speakers will know they have a hard time limit; if they go far over, moderators must be willing to cut them off and mute them if need be
- Attendees are unhappy when concurrent sessions are no longer concurrent due to lax moderation
- Speakers will know they have a hard time limit; if they go far over, moderators must be willing to cut them off and mute them if need be
- Moderators should prepare to very briefly introduce the topic of their session (3-5 sentences about what the topic is and why we care about it)
- Speaker introductions (beyond name and affiliation) are not necessary because attendees can easily visit speaker bios
- Ideally, moderators will be knowledgeable or at least comfortable with the subject matter of their chosen session
- All moderators are encouraged to email or meet virtually with speakers in their session to generate some interesting discussion items
- This is especially important for sessions that have a 20 minute slot for Q&A/Discussion (see program)
- Moderators will receive audience questions from their session stewards for each speaker in the session. These questions should be asked as time allows.
- Weed out inappropriate questions
- Port audience questions from EventMobi
- Deal with anybody but session speakers in Zoom (audience members will be watching through a livestream in EventMobi and will not be in the Zoom meeting where the presentations are given)
- Load Powerpoints or click through slide decks (with a few rare exceptions where speakers have requested help)
UMISC staff will schedule and host test-runs of the EventMobi and Zoom session interfaces every week in October. Stay tuned! Participation is optional, but highly recommended.
Incentive!
If you are able to accept prizes from partners (which we know some government employees are not), you will get 500 points towards The UMISC Championship (the in-conference game) for each session that you moderate. Compete with other attendees to win prizes, such as free registration for the next UMISC! (Employees and contractors of UMISC and any of its host entities are not eligible to participate)