Events
This theme is about preparing for conferences, events, talks. Whether you’re preparing to attend, organising, or speaking, share anything that helped (or would have helped) you.
Browse all resources under the theme of events below, or filter via keyword:
Resources
✨ Save the coffee chats
Some of the best ideas appear when you're not staring at a shared document. Make time for the informal conversations where you make friends with your collaborators.
✨ Ask everyone for adjustments by default
Normalise adjustments early in processes so participation needs are expected, not exceptions.
💬 Accessible participation options
Offer different ways to contribute, such as written input or async feedback to prevent forcing people from speaking up in large groups.
📝 Personas and User Stories
Personas and user stories can help to ensure software meets users needs, but this can also be used to plan events or recruitment - create personas and situations for different needs or backgrounds, and check your plans against them!
📌 Emded accessibility
Ask about accessibility requirements as part of standard sign-ups, so adjustments are expected rather than treated as special cases.
💬 After the event
Write down your main takeaways, future you will appreciate it :)
🌟 Coffee breaks are where ideas happen
Some of the best collaborations start in queues, not rooms
✨ Hybrid is hard - but important!
Hybrid events can be more difficult or expensive. However, ror many it is a choice between "hybrid or not at all" due to caring responsibilities, disabilities, visas and all kinds of other reasons. Don’t lose those people!
🎨 Quiet spaces
Always include a clearly signposted area where attendees can take a break whenever they need.
📚 Using slide decks for semi structured group discussions
One person presents their slides but instead of rattling through the lot, stop after each slide and have a group discussion. Best with a smaller engaged audience.
🎯 Archive your talks
Upload slides and scripts to Zenodo to get a DOI. It makes your presentations citable, permanent, and easy to reuse or reference later.
Oops did we do it right? Lessons from Successful Collaborations
At the SSI Collaborations Workshop 2026, Eleanor Broadway and Eva Fernandez-Amez ran a session exploring how to design and support successful collaborations. This is the write-up from that session, capturing the experiences, challenges and advice shared by participants.
collaboration
events
Youtube - KE Panel at the SSI Research Software Camp
A discussion around how to ensure that knowledge is shared and maintained
community-building
engagement-and-participation
events
outreach-and-advocacy
Effective Meetings Toolkit
Useful guidance on how to make a meeting worthwhile for attendees. From different roles, design ideas and agendas.
engagement-and-participation
events
EPSRC Guidance for Neuro-Inclusive Meetings and Events
UKRI guidance on designing meetings and events that are inclusive for neurodivergent participants.
events
community-building
engagement-and-participation
inclusion
Inclusion, diversity and accessibility @ PyCon2025
Good example of reasonable adjustments and services a conference can provide to improve inclusion, diversity and accessibility
events
community-building
engagement-and-participation
inclusion
outreach-and-advocacy
Inclusive Event Planning from Start to Finish
Aimed at event organisers, workshop leads, programme committees and community organisers working in research software, the guide offers practical steps for planning accessible and inclusive events.
events
inclusion
community-building
Inclusive Hackathons Checklist
Guidance for embedding EDIA considerations into hackathon planning and delivery.
events
inclusion
community-building
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