As wisdom of restricting travel extended into the foreseeable future, the ASAP board of directors decided to migrate ASAP University Workload Automation to a virtual program. With the goal of providing the user community with the most timely and relevant training and understanding both the corporate and user constraints of attending 4-5 full days of sessions, the planning team decided to focus the program on the 6 priority areas identified by users in a Spring 2020 survey. These topics will be explored over a 6-month period in order to enable users to participate without major disruptions to the pressing needs of their organizations, while minimizing what has become known as “Zoom fatigue”.

The following pages contain answers to the most commonly asked questions about our shift to a virtual program under the topics outlined below:

• Automation Webinar Participant Guide V2
• Registration
• General Session Information
• Technical / User Presenter & Moderator Info.
• Sponsor Information

Have a great idea for something virtual?

We would love to hear your ideas. Please reach out to us at asapu.iws@gmail.com . We will do our best to incorporate your idea into the meeting or an alternate schedule.

Registration

If I was registered for ASAP University in Cincinnati, do I need to register for the virtual program?

No, you do not need to register separately for the virtual program. All who were registered for ASAP University Workload Automation in Cincinnati are automatically registered for ASAP University Workload Automation Virtual. Note: Your personal agenda in the registration program reflects your original selections; however, rest assured that you will receive electronic reminders and notifications of all the session links.

The registration program “add to calendar” feature adds the entire 6 months to my calendar. How can I easily add only the sessions that I plan to attend to my calendar?

The session series has been added to the ASAP University calendar. To add a specific session to your calendar:

• Go to https://twsuser.org/about-us/calendar/.
• Open the desired calendar entry.
• Click “Read more” in the bottom right-hand corner.
• Click “Add to Calendar”
• Click the appropriate calendar program.

Can I still participate if I cancelled my registration?

Yes, all previously registered attendees are entitled to participate virtually even if they cancel or defer their meeting registration. If you cancelled your registration for ASAP University Automation 20/20, then you will need to re-register. At this time all who are currently registered for ASAP University Automation 20/20 are registered for the 2020 virtual program and have been credited for their full tuition and/or sponsorship payment, which they may use for 2021 or 2022.

I didn’t register for ASAP University in Cincinnati. Can I still view the virtual sessions?

Yes! You may participate in the sessions; however, you must register for the virtual program. Tuition is complimentary thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. Register for ASAP University Automation 20/20.

Will ASAP be issuing refunds for 2020 tuition payments?

No, tuition payments are not refundable at this point in time. All tuition payments have been credited to the registrant’s account and may be used for toward tuition for ASAP University in either 2021 or 2022. Additionally, the tuition credit is transferrable to another representative within the company with which you were employed at the time of your original registration. Note: Tuition credit expires after ASAP University 2022.

General Session Information

What time zone will be used for virtual sessions?

Sessions will take place in Eastern Time Zone. While we are aware that the times won’t be perfect for some presenters and users. Please know that they were selected in order to accommodate the majority of the users in Europe and North America who traditionally attend the in-person program.

How do I know which sessions will be virtual?

Sessions have been updated in the Virtual Agenda and on the session series has been added to the ASAP University calendar. A link for the audience to join virtual sessions will be added to the Virtual Agenda a few hours prior to the session. Additionally, an e-blast with the registration link will be sent to all registrants 2-3 hours prior to the start of the sessions. Only registered attendees are permitted to access these links. Those accessing links who are not registered or whose name in Zoom is inconsistent with their name in the registration database, will be dropped from the session.

How will attendees ask questions or participate in the session?

Each session will have a moderator who will introduce the session and the presenters and facilitate the live, interactive Q&A. Questions will be submitted via a live chat window. Additionally, each session will have a few polling questions to increase engagement and provide all with data about the participants. The goal is for each session to be as interactive as possible.

What happens if I am unable to see the session that I want to attend? Will sessions be recorded and archived for later consumption?

Virtual sessions will be recorded, archived where possible and available to registered participants for a set period of time after the session. If your connection does not allow you to participate live, we encourage you to access recorded sessions once they are made available. This will be announced and communicated by the ASAP. Our thinking at the moment is that they would be archived and also available online to representatives of member companies. We are researching best practices and will post the decision on the website and via e-communications.

Technical/User Presenter and Moderator Info.

Will presentations be given live, or will they be pre-recorded?

Each session will be a combination of pre-recorded presentations and a live, interactive Q&A. Due to concerns about potential technology issues, the technical and user experience presentations and introductions will be prerecorded, spliced together, and aired as a seamless “live” session. A live, interactive Q&A period will immediately follow the presentations all of which will take place via Zoom Video Webinar.

Must all of the technical and user experience presenters with pre-recorded material agree to participate in the Q&A for the virtual session for which they are a presenter?

Yes. The live, interactive Q&A period is a vital and engaging part of each session. In addition to supplying a pre-recorded technical or user presentation, the technical and user experience presenters need to agree to participate in the live, interactive Q&A portion of the session(s) for which they are scheduled.

How do technical and user experience presenters record their contributions?

Presenters have the choice to independently record their presentations and submit a MP4 recording(s) to or coordinate a recording time with asapu.iws@gmail.com . In order to provide adequate editing time, all prerecorded material is due 1 month prior to the scheduled session.

What would the moderator’s role be in the virtual session?

The live, interactive virtual Q&A session will be a discussion with the presenters and focused on the material in the technical and user experience presentations. The moderator will be prepared to provide the initial question(s) to break the ice, to encourage other users to join in the inquiry, and to review, organize, and present participant questions from the chat.

What happens if there are technical issues during a session? For the organizer, presenter, and/or audience?

Technology is great, but it doesn’t always perform how we need or when we need it. With the added strain on networks as more people are at home and online, sessions may encounter technical glitches. ASAP will have 10 volunteers ready to serve as administrators for the virtual series. Each session will have 2 session administrators assigned to assist with technology. If a session is disrupted (e.g. the primary session administrator’s internet connection drops, or a session administrator is unable to stream video), then the secondary administrator will continue the session if at all possible. If one of the presenters experiences technical difficulties, then another SME could step in to answer questions and another participant could step in to moderate session while someone is working to fix problems on their end. If your session is disrupted and unable to proceed due to network or platform issues for the administrator, presenter, and/or audience; then the session will be rescheduled. 

What if plans change and the session administrator or moderator cannot attend? Or a presenter cannot attend?

We understand that plans may change for participants. In the event that a session administrator or moderator is no longer able to attend, then another volunteer will be assigned for the role. The virtual session itself can be launched by multiple members of the ASAP planning team so access to and use of the platform will still be available. If one of the participating presenters can no longer attend, the session will still go on. The absent presenter’s video will still be shared and an alternate SME will be present for the Q&A period.

Some of my best take-aways at ASAP University occur during informal interactions with other users and the support and development team members.

A virtual interactive open forum / birds of a feather meeting would be useful. How do I share my interest in this type of session along with the topics I’d like to see discussed?

We will all miss the lively, informal interactions, which help us learn from other automation professionals. Due to limitations of webinar tools, the sessions are unable to include an open forum following the live, interactive Q&A. Knowing how engaging, informative and beneficial these interactions are for users, the team is open to scheduling a few open forum sessions. If there is enough user interest on a given topic(s), then the planning team will work to support this to the best of our ability. Please fill out this form to submit open forum topics and/or to volunteer to facilitate or participate in a virtual open forum.

What would a virtual open forum / birds of a feather look like?

An open forum would be a Zoom meeting with up to 100 participants focused on a specific topic. The moderator would introduce the topic along with questions for discussion. Depending on topic and the number of participants, the meeting might be divided into small groups for a discussion period with a return to the full group for the last 10-15 minutes for sharing the small group insights with the larger group.