Breakout Session Guide
NeuroDiversion 27 is a celebration — a community gathering designed to connect, inspire, and empower neurodivergent people, their families, and allies. This guide covers what to expect, how to prepare, and how to make the most of your session.
Questions at any point? Reach the programming team at programming@neurodiversion.org.
At a Glance
- Bring the vibe: be bold and interactive, and align with ND’s values — connection, creativity, inclusion. Steer clear of heavy self-promotion, gratuitous profanity, and evangelizing.
- Slides: bring your own laptop, and keep a physical backup in case Wi-Fi cuts out.
- Activity-format sessions are the exception: held outdoors at Fair Market, with no screen or microphone provided. Bring a small speaker if you want music.
- Materials: unless we’ve arranged it directly, plan to bring your own — there’s a Target and a Whole Foods nearby if you need anything last-minute.
- No formal tech rehearsal for breakout sessions — visit your stage ahead of time (Fair Market or Assembly Hall) to get comfortable and confirm your slide order.
- Timing: plan to end on time. Build in a few 2–3 minute sections you can cut if you’re running long.
- The basics: 45 minutes, indoors, handheld mic, no podium (a chair is available if you’d like to sit). QR codes are welcome.
General Guidelines for Your Session
Take risks, and have fun
Your session will resonate most if you go beyond delivering information — be bold, creative, and interactive. Think about what will leave attendees inspired and energized, not just informed.
Some examples include:
Surprise moments
Speakers left personalized affirmations under every chair, delivered warm cinnamon rolls to every attendee, sent a random person in the audience on a trip to Vietnam, and closed with an unforgettable singalong — just to name a few highlights.
Interactive elements
Live demonstrations, audience participation, and engaging activities made ideas come alive.
Community impact
Speakers challenged attendees to take meaningful action, inspiring widespread contributions to causes and initiatives.
And a few from NeuroDiversion itself:
- Cassandra Aarssen’s "You’re Not MESSY, Your Brain Organizes Differently" 2025 keynote shared the shame, triumph, and wisdom she gained from a life learning to love her unique brain.
- Jessica McCabe’s talk on building a world that works for all brains — with conviction you could feel.
- Dr. Sharon Saline’s talk — she broke into song to share how she’s learned to manage Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria.
You don’t need to orchestrate something elaborate — just embrace the spirit of creativity. If you feel stuck, email programming@neurodiversion.org and we’ll help you think it through.
Inform and inspire
NeuroDiversion’s core values are connection, creativity, and inclusion. Your session should open minds, challenge assumptions, and leave attendees inspired to act — share your perspective while encouraging others to grow, embrace their individuality, and pursue new possibilities. Be positive and affirming, while still challenging us to become more of who we are.
What to avoid
Self-promotion
Trust that if attendees value your message, they’ll find and share your work. Focus on delivering value, not marketing yourself.
Gratuitous profanity
Language can be powerful, and we won’t censor you — but make sure whatever you say serves a purpose.
Evangelizing
Respect the diversity of perspectives in the room. Sharing your personal beliefs is welcome; asserting values that exclude or diminish others is not.
Preparing to Speak
Equipment
We use the D’San PerfectCue system for advancing slides. The handheld remote has two buttons — green to advance, red to go back — and works over radio frequency, so you don’t need to point it at anything. A backup remote is kept on hand.
Staying on time
- It’s fine to end a few minutes early — not late.
- Identify a couple of 2–3 minute segments you can cut if you’re running short on time.
- Rehearse with a timer, including a wrap-up cue, so you know how you’ll finish on time.
Visiting your stage
There’s no formal tech rehearsal for breakout sessions, but we encourage you to visit the space ahead of time and get a feel for it. Sessions take place at either Fair Market (1100 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702) or Assembly Hall (1121 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702). As you plan, consider:
Your comfort
- Practice walking on and off the stage
- Get familiar with the audience view and the stage setup
Your content
- Verify your slides are in the correct order
Your look
- Wear or bring the outfit you’ll present in, for lighting adjustments
- This helps camera angles and fabric patterns read well on video
Your sound
- You’ll be using a handheld microphone
Be creative, and relax — improvisation is not only okay, it’s encouraged. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
Slides & Video Guidelines
The main screen is set up for a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio at 1280×720. Our presentation system uses image-based slides for consistency and performance, so please export a physical copy of your deck rather than relying on Wi-Fi during your talk.
Best practices
- Use high-quality images that fill the entire slide — avoid borders, which reduce visual impact.
- Favor dark backgrounds with light text. White backgrounds tend to glow harshly on stage.
- Skip animations, transitions, and builds — they don’t survive the image-based export. Use a separate slide per build instead.
- Simplify text and lists. Spread key points across multiple slides or visuals rather than one dense list.
Programs to avoid
- Google Slides — often problematic for exporting slides as images
- Prezi — contact us ahead of time if you plan to use it, to confirm compatibility
Exporting your slides as images
Keynote (Mac)
- Open Keynote and create a new presentation with a dark-background template in the Wide tab (16:9).
- Save your file, then choose File → Export To → Images…
- Select All Slides, and check “Create an image for each stage of builds” if applicable.
- Choose JPEG (High Quality) as the format and export your slides.
PowerPoint (PC)
- Open your presentation, go to Design → Slide Size, and select Widescreen (16:9).
- Save your file, then choose File → Save as Pictures…
- Choose JPEG as the file type and save all slides.
PowerPoint (Mac, 2011 or later)
- Choose a template in Widescreen (16:9) from the Presentation Gallery.
- Save your file, then choose File → Save as Pictures…
- Set the file format to JPEG and ensure dimensions are 1920×1080.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a breakout session?
45 minutes.
Do I need slides?
No — slides are optional. You’ll have access to a screen you can connect to if you’d like to use them.
Should the session be hands-on?
Yes. The more interactive and hands-on, the better.
Are breakout sessions indoors or outdoors?
Indoors, with the exception of activity-format sessions — see the “At a Glance” summary above.
What’s the stage setup like?
There’s no podium. If you’d like to sit, you can bring a chair up from the audience.
What type of microphone will I use?
Handheld.
Can I share a QR code at the end?
Yes — you can display it on your slides or print it and hold it up.
For AMA / “Ask the Pro” sessions, how should I handle questions?
Decide your question format and housekeeping rules ahead of time (hands raised, a line, written questions, etc.) and share them at the start.
Need help?
Our programming team is here to support you before, during, and after the event. Reach us any time at programming@neurodiversion.org.
Thank you for contributing your expertise to NeuroDiversion — we can’t wait to see your session come to life.