1. We want a wide range of voices and topics. Our goal is for the sessions to reflect our whole audience, so we're looking for speakers from different backgrounds, industries, and experience levels, covering a broad set of perspectives.
   
   
2. Content should match who's presenting it. If you're speaking on behalf of Microsoft, focus on strategic insight and what's new — roadmaps, announcements, features, and where the platform is headed. If you're a community speaker, focus on practical, hands-on content — how things actually work, how to implement them, and what you've learned from real projects. Make sure your title and abstract clearly reflect that focus. 
   
   
3. Know who you're speaking to. Design your session around a specific type of attendee so it actually lands for them. Pick one or more of these personas to target:
   - IT Professional
   - Developer
   - Data Scientist,
   - Business Decision Maker
   - Data Engineer
   - Database Admin (DBA)
   - Software Developer
   - Software Architect
   - Developer Decision Maker
   Being clear about your audience helps us place your session where the right people will find it.
   
   
4. Get it in on time. If you're a community speaker, your workshop submission is due by 1 November, 2026.

Non-Microsoft Community Speakers are entitled to the following compensation: a 3-day Pass – Wednesday - Friday, 3 nights hotel accommodations, and a 3000 AUD travel stipend.