Session Speaker Guidelines (Webex)

As a speaker is a session, you may be presenting your work, delivering a keynote, acting as the session chair, participating in a panel discussion, facilitating a workshop, etc. 

Note: You will join a session as an Attendee, however, the Stage Manager will then give you the role or permission you need in order to participate. 

There are three ways you may participate in a session: 

1. Remain as an Attendee and the Stage Manager will unmute you so you can speak.
2. Be promoted to a Panelist by the Stage Manager. As a Panelist you will have the ability to mute / unmute your microphone, turn on / off your camera and see questions coming in (if Stage Manager has the Q&A panel enabled).
3. As a Panelist, the Stage Manager may assign you the Presenter role. This will enable you to share content (Screen, File or Application). There is only ever one Presenter - the Stage Manager is the Presenter by default. 

The Conference Organiser(s) should provide you with guidelines on how the session will run and the format it will take so you can be prepared and provide any prep work required. 

Step 1) Join the event

As mentioned, you will join as an Attendee, and the Stage Manager will give you the role or permission you need in order to participate. 

For guidance on how to join an the event, check out this article: Attending an event on a live stage

Step 2) Contact the Stage Manager

When you enter the event, you are muted as an Attendee. 

Contact the Stage Manager/Host to let them know you have entered the stage using “Chat”. 

You can open the Chat panel using the Speech bubble button in the toolbar. Once the Chat panel is open, it will appear on the right-side of your screen. In the drop down, select “Host” from the options and send your message directly to the Host/Stage Manager. 

Note: In Webex, the ‘Host’ role is the Stage Manager. 

Step 3) Enabling Camera and Microphone

The Stage Manager or previous Presenter will announce you on the stage and change your role. 

If promoted to a Panelist, you will have the ability to turn your camera and microphone on/off by clicking the icons in the toolbar.

Note: It’s good practice to mute yourself if you’re not speaking to avoid any interference. 

Step 4) Managing Q&A

You may be responsible for managing the Q&A or chat functions. If so, we have more information in this article here: Managing Chat and Q&A during the Event

Step 5) Sharing Content 

If a Panelist is given the Presenter role by the Stage Manager, you are now able to share a PowerPoint, Keynote, PDF, etc. 

Content can be shared on a Live Stage by ‘Share Screen’. For more info and steps on how to do so, see this article: Sharing Content on a Live Stage

Bear in mind that everything on the screen you share is visible to those watching.
This includes but is not limited to bookmark bars, open tabs, and notifications that pop up/slide in. These notifications could include social media, WhatsApp, personal email and other DMs like Slack. Consider turning off notifications and removing any personal or private information ahead of the stage day you're hosting.

Step 6) Pass the Presenter role 

The Stage Manager can pass the Presenter role from Panelist to Panelist. As the current Presenter, you can also pass the role to whoever needs it next. 

In the ‘Participants’ panel, select the name of the panelist whom you want to designate as the presenter.

You can transfer the role by either:

1. In the Participants panel, on the Panelists name, right-click and select “Change Role to” > Presenter

1. Click and drag the blue and green Presenter ball to the name of whoever you want to make Presenter