Notes from the PNSQC annual meeting

1. PNSQC 2023 Annual Meeting
Thank You For Coming
We hope you enjoyed our annual
conference.
Today, we’ll be discussing the general
health and status of the organization
and preliminary planning for
#PNSQC24.

2. It’s OUR Conference and Our
Organization
• PNSQC remains a healthy and
viable presence in the
software community
• Thank you to all the noted
and hidden heroes that
contributed time, thought
and effort to the PNSQC
organization this year!

3. Today’s Agenda
• 5:00-5:15 Networking
• 5:15-5:25 Welcome by PNSQC President, Philip Lew
• Recap of 2023
• Accomplishments
• Notes and Improvements to be Made
• 5:30-6:00 Chair Summary Reports
• Marketing
• Finance
• Program
• 6:00-6:15 PNSQC 2023 and Beyond
• Vision and initiatives
• Election of open board slots
• Instructions for submittal and candidate options

4. PNSQC23 Highlights
● New Venue
● New Tutorials
● Different method for keynote and invited speaker selection
● Increase in sponsors
● Only our 2nd Hybrid conference
• Internally done
• Fiscally prudent

5. PNSQC - The Organization
• The oldest software quality conference in North America
entering our 42nd year.
• Annual conference held in Portland, Oregon.
• Non-profit organization run by all volunteers.
• Focuses on the quality practitioner.
• A range of topics and speakers - everything from automation
and distributed teams to measuring quality, AI/ML, and
Enterprise quality.
• Speakers focus on their own hands-on experience, rather than
consultants or vendors.

6. PNSQC2023
Award Winners
Linda
Wilkinson
Quality Ownership
Sophia McKeever
Art in Code and
Quality
Melissa Tondi
Automation: We’re
Doing It Wrong

7. Program Update
Moss Drake
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

8. PNSQC 2023
EOY Program Committee Review
Moss Drake
Program Chair
November 2023
8
© 2023 PNSQC - All Rights Reserved.

9. #PNSQC2023 Program Summary
9
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org
● 4 keynotes ● 31 technical papers
● 6 invited speakers
○ 3 award winners
○ 3 expert presenters
● 4 panels
● 5 special guests ● 4 tutorial sessions
● 8 half-day workshops ● 5 tracks for Monday!

10. 2023- Program Theme: Amp It Up!
• Call for Proposals: 96 Total Submissions
• Incomplete Submissions: 14
• Rejected: 34 - Proposals were workshops, keynotes, or
removed themselves
• Accepted: 59 - This included workshops & keynotes.
• Author attrition - about normal
• 9 poster proposals, but low poster participation.
• Poster presenters got free entry for 2023
• Many “incomplete” submissions went only far enough to see
that they needed to pay for travel
10
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

11. 2023- Program Theme: Amp It Up!
• How to amplify your voice of quality
• For invited speakers, tried to get a balance of gender, topics,
soft/hard skills
• Tried for an early start on keynotes, but speakers dropped out.
Finalized speakers by May, 2023
• Started with local presenters & then went further afield for
diversity
• Doubled keynotes & invited speakers w/workshops
• Two of the tutorials were presented by sponsors
• “Too many” virtual speaker proposals
11
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

12. 2023- Program Theme: Amp It Up!
• Streaming worked better this year, but could be improved
• Virtual track + tutorials seemed to work
• Session length / schedule seemed OK
• Moderators wanted better prep on hybrid duties
• Thanks to Costa for filling in at the last minute
• Some presenters were huge fans of the conference (including
the virtual presenters)
• Sponsors seemed happy
12
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

13. 2024 Challenges and Actions Needed
• “Make Workshops great again!”
○ Move workshops to the beginning of the conference
○ In-person only
○ Focus on marketing early
• Better coordination
○ Work more closely with Track Chairs
○ Inclusive organization of volunteers & reviewers
• Hands-On AI lab?
• Craft the program for the venue: University Place
• Consider an honorarium for Paper Presenters
• Continue collaboration for selecting speakers
• Checklists! 13
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

14. Finance Update
Bill Opsal
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

15. 2023 Numbers - Finance Update
• Conference and Workshop
• $74,898
• Sponsors!
• $23,000
• Investments
• >$200k
• Expenses for the year
• $65,774
•
• Total Income - ~$34,034 (still have a few expenses, small thru to
12/2023)
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

16. Marketing Update
Michael Larsen
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

17. 02/01/2023
GRANT Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 74 | Average Cost Per Click: $1.76 | CTR: 4.19%
● Total Spend: $130.46 | Conversions: 1
PAID Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 63 | Average Cost Per Click: $1.67
● Total Spend: $104.99 | CTR: 6.41%
03/011/2023
GRANT Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 57 | Average Cost Per Click: $1.77 | CTR: 4.30%
● Total Spend: $100.71| Conversions: 0
PAID Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 90 | Average Cost Per Click: $1.69
● Total Spend: $151.93 | CTR: 6.34%
08/10/2023
GRANT Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 21 | Average Cost Per Click: $1.95 | CTR: 4.66%
● Total Spend: $40.98 | • Conversions: 0
PAID Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 128 | Average Cost Per Click: $.78
● Total Spend: $100.25 | • CTR: 10.25%
Organic Metrics:Sessions: 1,971 vs. Last Month's 2,162
11/01/2023
GRANT Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 9 | Average Cost Per Click: $1.96 | CTR: 3.80%
● Total Spend: $17.60
PAID Google Ads Highlights:
● Total Clicks: 553 | Average Cost Per Click: $0.41
● Total Spend: $225.52 | CTR: 1.84%
Organic Metrics: Sessions: 5,437 vs. Last Month's 1.5K
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

18. 2023 Marketing Update (October)
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

19. 2023 Marketing Update
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

20. 2023 Marketing Update
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

21. 2023 Marketing Update
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

22. 2023 Marketing Update
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

23. 2023 Marketing Update
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

24. 2023 Marketing Update
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

25. 2023 Marketing Update
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

26. 2024 Theme: “The Future Is NOW!”
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

27. Improving Our
Conference
Conference Survey
Learning From Our Attendees
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

28. What do you like most about PNSQC?
Top 3 Answers:
1. Conference Sessions
2. Keynote Speakers
3. Overall Experience
Survey sample size: 26 responses
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

29. Positive aspects for the 2023 PNSQC Conference
Survey sample size: 26 responses
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

30. What events would you like to see from PNSQC
throughout the year?
Top 3 Answers:
1. Meetups
2. Lightning Talks
3. Lean Coffee/Happy
Hours
Survey sample size: 26 responses
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

31. What are some ways to improve for the next
PNSQC conference?
Survey sample size: 26 responses
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

32. Improving Our
Conference
Retrospective
Key Learnings and Improvements for
2024
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

33. Retrospective
Key Learnings-Actions
➤ Everything must start earlier
• Call for papers, reviewers, keynotes, invited speakers, sponsors,
etc.
➤ Bring back the strategic planning in person meeting for early cohesion,
communication, and teamwork
➤ Venue - Get more hangout space and solve food bottlenecks
➤ A/V
• Checklists for each room
• Wifi private not the guest id
• Experiment with better/different microphones
➤ Logistics - Set up back channel early
➤ Create relationship - Engagement, before, during and after the
conference - Volunteers, sponsors, reviewers, authors
➤ Low workshop attendance-Change workshops to Day 1, raise price
➤ Keep virtual dedicated track to ‘expand our capacity’

34. Engage - Volunteers
• Actively engage volunteers
• Edit technical blogs
• Review papers
• Work with your company to become a sponsor
• Organize events - special trainings, meetups
• Website updates
• Operations
• Social Media
• Sponsorship outreach
• Newsletters
• Become an author at our annual conference
• or a contributor to our online blog and article archive
• Support us on social media
• Become a chair-board member
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

35. Increase PNSQC Authorship
• Engage past authors
• Actively and regularly broadcast benefits via marketing channels
• Sense of community and camaraderie
• Professional development
• Free/reduced discounts. An easier sale to bosses.
• Get access to colleagues who care about seeing you succeed.
• Public speaking experience and skills in a casual, yet professional
environment.
• Papers are part of the PNSQC archive, a permanent, online knowledge
library containing decades of software quality presentations and
technical papers.
PNSQC Quality Jam 24 #PNSQC24

36. PNSQC - 2024 and Beyond
Vision and initiatives
“Creating Community and Connections with the Common Passion of
Software Quality”
• Expand, mobilize, and organize the volunteer base
• Implement board member committee structure similar to Program Committee model
• Change with the times commensurate with our theme this year
• Be more than an annual conference
• January event
• Monthly meetups more than a bar-restaurant happening
• Membership model with concrete benefits
• Trainings
• Other areas
• Expand
• Across the profession up and down
• Diversity in more and multiple dimensions
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

37. PNSQC - 2024 Open Board Slots
• After the board is assembled for the 2024 conference year, internal
voting for officers and chair will occur before end of 2023.
• Voting members are defined as those who attended the PNSQC
conference the prior year (and this includes chairs and board
members)
• Election of open board slots
• Submittal and candidate options followed by voting
• Submit YOUR name and WHO you are voting for to
ying.kwong@pnsqc.org
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

38. Election of Board Members, Officers, and Chairs for
2024
Per by-laws, each board position serves a
3-year term. Today’s process for different
elections:
1. Position 1 election – Ying Ki facilitates
a. invite candidate(s) to self
announce candidacy
b. invite candidate(s) to say a few
words (optional)
c. conduct voice vote & confirm
2. Position 3 election – Phil facilitates as
in (1)
Board
Position
Number
Year in
3-Year
Term
during
2023
PNSQC
Board
Member
Name
PNSQC
Officer
as elected
by the
Board
1 3 Phil Lew President
2 1 Tariq King VP
3 3 Ying Ki Kwong Secretary
4 2 Bill Opsal Treasurer
5 1 Moss Drake N/A
6 2
Bhushan
Gupta N/A
7 1
Heather
Wilcox N/A

39. Election of Board Members, Officers, and Chairs for 2024
Officer and Chair Elections
3. Officer Elections – Ying Ki or Phil facilitate.
Board members will confirm President, VP,
Secretary, and Treasurer:
a. Incumbent (if still a Board member in 2024) is asked
if another year is desired. If so, voice vote among
Board members to re-confirm. If not, proceed as in
(1).
b. If incumbent is not a Board member in 2024,
proceed as in (1).
4. Non-board-member Officer/Chair Elections – Phil
facilitates. Board members will confirm Program
Chair, Marketing Chair, and Volunteer Chair
a. Incumbent is asked if another year is desired. If so,
voice vote among Board members to re-confirm. If
not, proceed as in (1).
Board
Position
Number
Year in
3-Year
Term
during
2023
PNSQC
Board
Member
Name
PNSQC
Officer
as elected
by the
Board
1 3 Phil Lew President
2 1 Tariq King VP
3 3 Ying Ki Kwong Secretary
4 2 Bill Opsal Treasurer
5 1 Moss Drake N/A
6 2
Bhushan
Gupta N/A
7 1
Heather
Wilcox N/A
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

40. PNSQC - Annual Meeting
• Closing Summary
• Put on Your Calendar
• Business Meetings 2nd wednesday afternoon of
every month - Next one is December 13th, 4pm PST
• If you want to volunteer or be more active in the
organization, you’re welcome to join
• Monthly meetups - Next one is December 6th, 6pm
• Opening call for papers NOW (not January/February)
• Call for Papers closes on April 1 (not April 15)
• Annual Quality Jam (January 25) combined with
Strategic Planning Meetings on January 27.
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org

41. QUALITY JAM 2024
January 25th
The Future
is Now
Our 42nd
Year
PNSQC24
Starts NOW
#PNSQC24 pnsqc.org