Getting to a Great Abstract

A 30 minute collaborative exercise ending up in a worthwhile short abstract for your idea.

An abstract, here, is short text suitable for submitting to an event. It's longer than a few sentences, shorter than an article – say 300 words if you like, or 2-3 mins reading – and should help the reader judge whether they would put your idea in front of their audience at their event. It's not about you (unless your idea for a talk is about you).

Process

• Have a chat about your idea (you need one) and existing abstract (if you have one)
• Prime your mind with a couple of checklists or our gallery of fantasy abstracts (to follow), or by searching for help with abstracts or (careful) searching for other abstracts in that area.
• Write something down!
• Ask for review, comments, advice
• (optional) Add your abstract to the gallery and ask for public comments
• Set milestones for next steps

Facilitators: be part of chats, if invited. Have things to add to the checklists. Be ready to advise if asked, or to show one of your own abstracts / tell a story of your own. Set up (if possible) accountability partners for the milestones.

Great abstract

• catchy title
• idea that has potential
• indicates that thought and work has gone into communicating the message
• /brief/ problem statement
• real examples
• demonstrates experience
• clear takeaways
• relevant to event
• easy to read, draws you onwards
• non-trivial
• has substance – more than a tease, less than a paper
• more than just the bright side – pitfalls, failures, antipatterns, pathologies
• within word limit (and more than a couple of sentences)
• offers interaction or demonstration

Poor abstract

• claims expertise / authority
• problem excludes content
• poorly written, poorly proofread
• unstructured or incoherent
• buzzwords
• single tool
• happy paths only
• One true method / "I'm right"
• Emotionless
• Tired topic
• Typical AI tropes