Terms and Conditions for speakers at the

Regional Scrum Gathering® South Africa

The below details the SUGSA committee’s expectations of speakers at the conference (speakers and workshop facilitators will be referred to as ‘speakers’ throughout this document). Please get in touch with us at info@sugsa.org.za should you have any concerns or questions relating to this document.

General code of conduct:

  • SUGSA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion (or lack thereof). All speakers are expected to adhere to SUGSA’s Code of Conduct: https://sugsa.org.za/about-us/code-of-conduct/

Accommodation, Travel and Reimbursements

  • SUGSA will arrange and pay for accommodation for the main speaker for each session (workshop, talks, and lightning talks) for 2 nights of the conference. These 2 nights will commence on the announced Regional Scrum Gathering event and a single room will be selected. This accommodation and travel allowance are not exchangeable for other dates or persons, nor is it exchangeable for cash.
  • For local speakers (within SA), excluding lightning talks – SUGSA will reimburse travel costs (flights only) up to the value of R4000. Receipts will be required for all reimbursement costs.
  • For international speakers (outside SA), excluding lightning talks – SUGSA will reimburse travel costs (flights only) up to the value of R22 000. Receipts will be required for all reimbursement costs.
  • For lightning talk speakers – SUGSA will reimburse travel costs (flights) up to the value of R1000. Receipts will be required for all reimbursement costs.
  • Speakers who do not reside in the same city as the conference are requested to arrive the night before the conference so that they are able to attend both days. Should this not be possible, please make alternative arrangements with a SUGSA committee member.
  • Reimbursement will be issued per accepted session, not per speaker. For co-speakers, this means that travel costs and accommodation will need to be shared.
  • Reimbursement process:
    • In order for reimbursements to be paid, a travel invoice will need to be submitted to SUGSA for processing. The original invoice from the travel provider is a regulatory requirement necessary for us to release foreign payments.
    • Reimbursements will only be processed after the completion of the conference.
    • Speakers should have submitted reimbursement claims no later than 14 days after the conference.
    • Any claims received after the cut-off date may experience delays in processing.

Community Involvement

  • Our speakers are an important part of our community. As such, we hope the speakers will attend and participate, as much as possible, during the 2 day conference.
  • The Speakers’ Dinner is held the night before the conference begins, with speakers, committee members, and sponsors, at SUGSA’s cost. It is requested that speakers make themselves available for this event or agree to alternative arrangements with a committee member.

During Workshops or Talks

  • By agreeing to speak at the Regional Scrum Gathering® South Africa, speakers consent to having a committee member introduce them to the audience and to ensure that the session remains on schedule. This includes the use of visual cues (printed flashcards) to indicate progress against the scheduled end time, and bringing the session to a close if the speaker does not do so timeously. For either format, we recommend allocating the last 15 minutes for questions and answers from the audience. We pride ourselves on hosting a conference where all speakers respect each other and the audience, allowing us to run on schedule.
  • SUGSA will provide the following stationery and supplies:
    • Stickies (Post-it notes)
    • Markers
    • AV facilities
    • Flipcharts, 1 per room
    • Tech connections
  • It is expected that the talk or workshop that the speaker gives remains aligned to the content and structure as submitted in their proposal, and accepted onto the program. We request that as a speaker, you pay careful attention to this as conference attendees make selections for talks they would like to attend based on the information submitted and published.
  • If a speaker would like us to share their slides with our community following the conference, we require the slides within two working days from the last day of the conference.
  • SUGSA will collect feedback after the talk or workshop via the event app. The feedback will be shared with the speaker following the conference.
  • SUGSA may choose to record the images, film and sound of your talk to distribute during or after the event.
  • SUGSA acknowledges and appreciates the contributions made by the speaker(s) and their companies that contribute to the success of our community. Speakers will be allowed to mention their Company and Agile-related products, books, and services as part of their introduction, however, extended sales-pitches disguised as sessions are not welcome.

Cancellation

  • While we have taken every precaution to ensure that the Gathering will continue as planned, in the event that Regional Scrum Gathering®(SM) South Africa needs to be cancelled due to any unforeseen circumstances, all speakers will be notified immediately.