When I was at DIS 2023 over the summer, I came up with this little points system to help me feel a little more comfortable actively participating. All you have to do is try to score as many points from the list of tasks below. Maybe you set a goal for yourself each day or try to beat your score the next day.

The points are based on how scary I think each task is. This is just for fun and trying to make the most out of a conference, so don’t be too hard on yourself. There is more than one “right” way to attend a conference. Feel free to adjust the points for yourself or make up new tasks. Happy conferencing!

  • 1 point: Say hi to someone
  • 2 points: Ask someone about their work/paper/conference plans
  • 2 points: Go up to a presenter to ask a question after their talk
  • 5 points: Ask a question during the Q&A session for a talk
    • +1 point if you say your full name
    • +1 point if you say your affiliation
  • 10 points: Ask a question during a keynote
    • +1 point if you say your full name
    • +1 point if you say your affiliation
  • 2 points: Send a cold email to network
  • 2 points: Invite someone to chat about work over coffee/lunch/dinner/video chat
  • 1 point: Sit in a session outside your usual interest
    • +1 point if you actually pay attention
  • 1 point: Make brief small talk with the person next to you
  • 2 points: Attend the demos or poster session
    • +1 point for every presenter you engage with
  • 5 points: Introduce yourself to a famous person you recognize
  • 1 point: Visit the career fair and ask if any networking events are available
  • 1 point: Exchange contact information with someone
    • +1 point for every person you actually follow up with after the conference
  • 1 point: Attend a conference-hosted social event
  • 1 point: Look through the agenda and pick out a few presentations to attend
  • 1 point: Attend and actually listen to a presentation
  • 1 point: Stay off your phone/laptop for an entire presentation
    • Even to check the time… you can survive for 15 minutes! Back in the day we looked at the angle of the sun to keep track of time grumble grumble…
  • 1 point: Update your CV/resume/website before you go
  • 1 point: Deliver (and iterate on) your elevator pitch when meeting new people
  • 1 point: Keep the conversation going if someone comes up to you and says hi