To ship is to choose…

The Gut-Wrenching Process of Choosing Sessions for PSConfEU

Organising PSConfEU always comes with tough decisions. Selecting sessions is an unavoidable, emotionally taxing process that we revisit repeatedly. Even after finalising the agenda and revising it several times, it still feels like we’ve left some fantastic sessions out.
This year, we went the extra mile—literally—by squeezing in an additional time slot to fit four extra sessions. But even with this adjustment, we’ve hit the limit of what’s possible within our already-packed 4-day schedule. We know that PSConfEU is a marathon of learning, discovery, and socialising with the vibrant PowerShell community.
To bring transparency to our session selection process—and to help submitters understand how to prepare for future calls for papers (CFP)—I want to share some behind-the-scenes insights.
But first, let’s be very clear: not being selected doesn’t equate to being rejected; there are countless variables at play.

How the Session Selection Process Works

Step 1: Reviewing Submissions

The CFP runs from October 15th to the Sunday closest to December 15th. During this period, we monitor submissions to ensure our instructions are clear and our communication is effective. Early submissions are sometimes reviewed, but the bulk of submissions—over 70%—arrive during the last week, leaving little time to pre-evaluate abstracts before the CFP officially closes.

Step 2: Filtering Out Ineligible Submissions

As submissions roll in, we immediately decline abstracts that are:

• Off-topic (e.g., crypto, marketing, self-promotion)
• From individuals who are permanently banned or explicitly unwelcome (though this is rare)

If you’re worried you fall into these categories, you likely don’t. If in doubt, you can email us for clarification, but the answer will usually be a straightforward “No.”

We also flag single 45-minute submissions a week before the CFP deadline. Submitting just one session is a budgetary issue we address clearly in the CFP guidelines. If your submission is late or incomplete, you may not receive a reminder.

Step 3: Closing the CFP

Once the CFP officially closes—after giving a few extra hours for last-minute submissions—we stop accepting new abstracts. Occasionally, individuals reach out after the deadline with valid reasons for their lateness. If their timing is close and their content is exceptional, we may make exceptions, but only sparingly.

Filtering Through Valid Submissions

The review process starts once all submissions are in. Here’s how we approach it:

1. Duplicate Sessions: Submissions already presented or selected at previous PSConfEU events or other similar conferences (e.g., PowerShell and DevOps Summit) are placed in the Decline queue.
2. Low-Effort Submissions: Abstracts lacking effort or clarity are declined, especially if they fail to communicate what the session offers attendees. One-liners like “In this session, we’ll see how the Power of the Shell can really help you in your SysAdmin journey!” are not sufficient.
3. Fluff and Buzzwords: Abstracts that resemble low-quality AI-generated content—long-winded, vague, and filled with buzzwords—are also declined. Attendees need actionable, engaging sessions, not fluff.
4. Single 45-Minute Submissions: Speakers submitting just one session are often declined unless they submit additional abstracts.

A committee member reviews each declined abstract to ensure fairness and challenge decisions if necessary. This guarantees that only sessions failing to meet PSConfEU standards are excluded.

The Decision-Making Process

Once the initial filtering is done, we convene as a committee (usually in late December) to meet to pick most of the sessions (pick the easy ones). Here’s how the process unfolds:

Step 1: Long Sessions (90 Minutes)

We start the selection process with “Follow-Along” and “Deep Dive” sessions. These require specific room setups and are challenging to deliver, so we focus on selecting the most impactful ones.
Reasons for declining 90-minute proposals include:

• The topic isn’t suited for the Follow-Along format.
• The subject matter could be covered better in a shorter session or by someone else with deeper expertise.
• Practical considerations, such as audience interest or feasibility within the allocated time.

This year, we had 17 Follow-Along proposals but could only select 4. We also identified two deep-dive topics from the same speaker that could work well as a single merged session, so we asked the speaker to deliver one merged version of those abstracts.

Step 2: Standard Sessions (45 Minutes)

With roughly 50 available slots to fill, we started by selecting:

1. Top Speakers: Renowned speakers, including members of the PowerShell team, who consistently deliver exceptional sessions (we found a dozen sessions).
2. Expertise: Obviously we always crave for the expert content that most of our attendees can put to use.
3. Mentee Submissions: We reviewed the sessions from our mentorship program, finding promising gems. Despite having helped them writing their abstracts, some abstracts were still below our expectations and got declined early (author should receive feedback along with the decline email if that’s the case).
4. Fundamentals: Recognising a gap in what we had selected, we ensured foundational topics were well-represented.
5. Topic Diversity: We want to make sure we have a broad coverage of the topics related to the work our audience is doing or will be asked to do in the future, so we select new and related abstracts, sometimes from adjacent communities.

By this stage, we had filled 43 of our 50 slots. For the remaining spots, we revisited overlooked sessions to find hidden gems and innovative topics. Unfortunately, we quickly found all the sessions we could fit, which meant some incredible submissions had to be left out.

The Hardest Part: Saying “No”

Rejecting high-quality sessions is the toughest part of organising PSConfEU. Often, sessions aren’t “rejected” so much as they are edged out by others due to time and budget limitations. Every session we select means leaving behind other brilliant ideas, and we wish we had more time to include them all.
Thankfully, this year our logistics lead, Geo, found a way to squeeze in one additional time slot, allowing us to include four more sessions. Even so, with only four days to work with, sacrifices are inevitable.

Be a speaker anyway

Don’t let the fact that you haven’t been selected stop you from becoming a PSConfEU speaker.
We can’t afford to give the speaker benefits to everyone who submitted, but that should not stop you from speaking if you are attending PSConfEU.
With the Community Demos, the PoShaKucha and the Open Stage you have many opportunities to take the stage for 5min, 6min40 or up to 45min and hone your skills!
We make a point to record and share your sessions like every other speakers, and we usually give away some extra goodies for those brave enough to take the stage!
The priority is given to attendees over speakers, and we are always happy to help you get prepared if you need anything.
If you have your ticket and you already want to book a slot to present an open stage session, a demo or a PoShaKucha, drop us an email at our contact address (@ psconf.eu)!

Final Thoughts

Our selection process is rigorous because we care deeply about delivering the best possible experience for PSConfEU attendees. The decisions we make aren’t easy, but they’re guided by the goal of creating an agenda that educates, inspires, and fosters community growth.
To those whose sessions weren’t selected: your work still matters. Keep submitting, refining your abstracts, and sharing your knowledge. Every submission plays a role in shaping the PSConfEU experience, and we’re grateful for your contributions.

Here’s to another unforgettable conference. See you at PSConfEU!