FAQ - PDW -DPI

Professional Development Week (PDW)

What is PDW?

PDW is the premier training event for public sector Digital Professionals. For more than 60 years, DPI has been providing leading edge learning and networking events. This year’s event promises to provide dynamic opportunities to engage, network, share knowledge, learn and grow. As you continue to build and navigate your professional career, DPI can provide you with essential learning and development opportunities to support you along the way. Want to attend PDW? Discuss your desire to attend with your immediate supervisor and obtain their commitment to approve your attendance.

Will PDW be held virtually or in-person?

PDW is planned as a hybrid event. This means that we will have virtual participation via our virtual platform and in-person delegates at the Rogers Centre Ottawa. DPI and the Rogers Centre Ottawa will be adhering to all public health regulations in place at the time of the event.

What is the cost to attend PDW?

Employees within organizations that have purchased an Enterprise Pass will be eligible to register for an account on our virtual platform at no additional cost. For Enterprise Pass Costing, visit our website.

Note: DPI incurs costs for each registered participant. Please only register if you plan to attend. If you need to cancel, please inform info@dpi-canada.com.

What is the process to purchase an Enterprise Pass or a single pass?

Please consult our “Registration” page under the “Professional Development Week” section on our website for further details. The preferred method of payment is by credit card but we also offer other alternatives, like Purchase Orders (PO) and invoice. Your organization can contact us at info@dpi-canada.com to discuss.

Can I register and make a payment with funds from this fiscal year?

Yes – your department can purchase early and pay with funds from the current fiscal year. The relevant TBS Policy can be found at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=14494&section=text#sec12.2.

Are the number of virtual passes we will receive based on the number we purchase?

No. The pricing for the Enterprise Pass is based on the number of IT employees in the organization, however, employees in any classification connected to information management, information technology, or digital can take advantage of this learning opportunity (i.e. AS, FI, EX, IS, IT, PM, SP, EC, and more!).

How do I know if my organization has purchased tickets?

Please consult our website’s “Registration” page. On this page, you will find a list of the organizations that have purchased an enterprise pass.

How do I get access to the PDW event?

If your organization has registered for an Enterprise Pass (confirmed organizations are listed here), you should receive an email with instructions on how to register for the event platform. If you have not received the email, please keep an eye open in your Inbox for the registration link, contact your organization lead or email info@dpi-canada.com.

Is the Annual Gala and Awards Ceremony included in the PDW event?

No, it is not included in the PDW event. Each year, DPI holds an annual Gala and Awards ceremony where we recognize the accomplishments of the community and provide some entertainment. Registration for this event is done separately from PDW.

The evening includes presentations of the DPI Lifetime Affiliate, Fellow and Volunteer of the Year awards and the TBS Digital Government Community Awards.

This event is open only to DPI affiliates and invited guests. DPI affiliates can attend for FREE and registration will be done through the DPI Website.

Is the Social Event included in the PDW pass or can anyone attend?

Yes – The social event is included with your passes (virtual or in-person). DPI Affiliates who do not have a pass may also register to attend the social event and take advantage of this networking opportunity.

Can I volunteer at PDW?

Yes, there’s lots to be done! If you are a DPI affiliate, we welcome your help before and during the event. You can find additional details here. If you are interested in volunteering for PDW, please complete this form.

Are any sessions being offered in French?

We have two French sessions and one bilingual session.

While most of our sessions are in English, we do our best to make everything bilingual. Like last year we have simultaneous translation and closed captioning (English and French) for all sessions and where possible we will be providing translated presentations.

What do I do if I witness or experience unacceptable behaviour?

Contact us immediately! If you witness or experience unacceptable behaviour, or have any other concerns, you are encouraged to come forward immediately, either via direct messaging to the host at one of our virtual events or by emailing info@dpi-canada.com.

In-person Delegates

Are the PDW passes transferable and how does DPI support the sharing of passes among individuals?

The sharing of passes is permitted. Even though each pass will be issued in either one person’s name, or with a general organization name, DPI recognizes that there will be situations where managers wish to have their employees share passes even though full attendance is of great training value for an individual. To facilitate this, passes can be left at the PDW registration desk.

How is it being determined who can attend in person?

Organizations are responsible for determining who will be approved to attend in person. You can find your organizational lead contact here.

Can I attend some sessions in-person and others virtually?

Yes, of course. All delegates who are attending in-person are also required to setup an account on the virtual platform which will provide everyone with access to exhibitor booths, gamification and access to recordings after the event. As well, those sharing passes may attend in-person at certain times and virtually other times.

Is lunch included if attending the event in-person?

Yes, morning and afternoon refreshments and lunch are included with the in-person pass and provided every day of PDW.

I have dietary or special restrictions, who do I contact?

If there are any dietary restrictions, a disability and/or special assistance required please contact Andrea Morelli at info@dpi-canada.com.

How do I check- in at the Rogers Centre Ottawa?

Passes should be picked up at the registration desk. If sharing a pass, you should return the pass to registration so the next person can pick it up.

Event Platform

Which virtual platform will you be using for PDW?

We will be using the Pheedloop platform. In preparation for the event all delegates should watch Pheedloop’s detailed tutorial video: https://support.pheedloop.com/article/488-training-attendees-for-your-virtual-event

Features include:

A single sign-on portal that includes live streaming, polling and Q&A
Personalized profiles: delegates will be able to add their pictures, contact information, social media links, etc.
Session schedule can be downloaded into your personal calendar
Interactive exhibitor booths
Peer networking with multiple chat options
Gamification: earn points towards prizes
Watch every session in the official language of your choice – English or French.

Can I share my PDW account with other people?

No, you may not share your account but the good news is – you don’t need to because if your organization has purchased an enterprise pass, anyone in your organization can attend at no additional cost! Whether attending virtually or in-person, you will need to register for an account so that you can take advantage of all of the features we have to offer – gamification, surveys, networking, etc.

DPI opposes the sharing of accounts, because:

Sharing undermines trust. Your access to the event is based on your account profile (name, email address and password) and as such should not be shared with anyone else. If our participants aren’t really who they say they are, a whole portion of the event experience (i.e. networking, communication, prizes, etc.) is compromised.
Sharing puts people at risk. Sharing account profile information makes it impossible to verify identity. Incorrect identity makes it impossible to enforce behaviour during the event and violates our code of conduct.

What are the technical requirements for participating in the virtual event?

To ensure the best user experience, it is recommended that you disconnect from VPN and access the virtual platform using either Chrome, Firefox or Safari) on a laptop or desktop with an internet connection of at least 25 Mbps. (Note: Internet Explorer is not supported. Depending on your organization’s firewall rules, the site may be blocked so please test in advance and be prepared to join using a personal device if you encounter problems.)

Identifying and Solving VPN, Firewall or Network Restriction Issues – PheedLoop Knowledge Base

Will the event be accessible?

The PDW virtual platform is WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliant and includes an accessibility widget that can be found in the top right hand corner of the virtual event which allows users to adjust the website’s user interface (UI) and design it to their personal needs.

We are also offering simultaneous translation and closed captioning services in both official languages (English and French) for all sessions.

The simultaneous translation and closed captioning viewer (Wordly) is too small and the text is moving too fast. What can I do?

The simultaneous translation and closed captioning will show up automatically when the livestream starts. It will be at the bottom of the video viewer. There is also a link to Wordly in the description for each session so that it can be run full screen on a separate web browser page – this allows the user to maximize the video screen and also see more of the transcript at once.

This is a separate tool from the virtual platform so you will not see anything about this feature in their tutorial.

How do I sign up for sessions, add them to my calendar and receive reminders?

Build your event calendar – click the + sign by each session name you plan to watch live during PDW and it will be added to your schedule in the platform. Can’t decide between two sessions? Not to worry, most of the sessions will be recorded and available for playback after the event.

In order to receive reminders for your selected sessions, add your selected sessions to your personal calendar outside of the platform by clicking on the “add to calendar” icon located directly below the session player window.

Will recordings of the session be available and can I get a copy of the speaker’s slides?

Some presenters will allow us to share a recording of their presentations and slides. You will find this content on the virtual platform for up to 6 months following the event! Videos and presentations can be found within each session. The video will be available in the video viewer once it has been posted.

Unfortunately, for copyright reasons, we cannot share all the presenters’ presentations. However, those that have agreed to share their presentations will be posted within the session, scroll down below the session description and you will find it under Files.

Is the event down or is it just me?

We will be posting tech status updates on our Twitter account: @dpi_canada. See our updates there, or report an issue by tweeting us!

How do I change the language on the platform?

You can navigate the platform in English or French. Simply click on the language icon on the right hand side of your screen.

I’m logged into the PDW virtual platform but I can’t see the session’s live stream.

If you are experiencing issues with the live stream, make sure you are disconnected from the VPN and using a supported browser – Google Chrome is recommended. It is possible that your work has firewall settings that will not allow you to access and therefore you will need to use a personal device.

Ensure you are viewing a session at the date and time that it is expected to be live. The live feed will not begin until the published start time. In some cases, you may have to press play for the live session to begin.

You can try logging out and logging back in to see if that resolves the issue.

How do I network with other delegates?

Once you are logged into the event, select “Networking” in the menu on the left hand side. You will see a full list of attendees from which you can search. Simply select an attendee, click on their name and “Start Chat”. They will receive a private message from you, which they will be able to respond to. There is also a “Group networking” session where you can participate in an existing group chat or create your own with up to 25 people.

Make sure you complete the matchmaking survey. This will provide you with a list of potential contacts that have similar interests to you.

How do I edit my profile?

Once you login, you’ll want to edit your profile under “Account”. Make sure you add a profile photo, update your bio and include your contact information. Make sure you enable notifications so that you receive important announcements and private messages.

Gamification

What is a Spot Code?

This is a Code placed somewhere within, for example, the DPI Website, feedback form, presentation or a Tweet. The Spot Code is a short representation related to what the spot code is connected to, and is typically capitalized with no spaces (numbers may also be used). For example, “DPIREG” may be used within the DPI Webpage under Affiliate Registration.

Some Spot Codes may be issued to you automatically for example, if you ask a question in a session or use the virtual photo booth.

For a full list of eligible spot codes visit our Gamification page.

What do I do with a Spot Code?

Each Spot Code has a certain number of points allotted to it. Within the Gamification Option on the sidebar of the virtual platform, enter your code, click on Claim Points, and watch your points soar! Collect as many points as you can. There is a leaderboard to see how your friends and colleagues are doing. These accumulated points can be used for chances to earn prizes.

Can I enter the same code twice?

No, codes can only be entered once per attendee per event. Once entered, you cannot remove the code either.

PDW Mobile App

Where do I download the mobile app?

You can download the mobile app for PDW here.

Can I watch sessions on the mobile app?

Unfortunately that is the only thing you cannot do. You can access all features on the mobile app – networking, exhibitor booths, gamification, etc. However if you want to watch a session from your mobile device you would need to log into the virtual platform via your browser – live streaming of sessions is not available through the mobile app.

FAQ - PDW